The Heat of Competition: John Treacy’s 1984 LA Silver Success

Welcome to the fourth instalment in Run Republic's series chronicling the history of Ireland's track and field Olympic medalists. Following our features on Pat O'Callaghan, Bob Tisdall, and Ronnie Delany, we now turn to John Treacy’s remarkable journey to his iconic silver medal in the marathon at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, run in the searing Californian heat.

John Treacy was born on 4th June 1957 in the picturesque west Waterford village of Villierstown. He took up running in his early teens, inspired by Father Michael Enright, a curate in the Ring Gaeltacht, to join the local St. Nicholas Athletics Club. During his secondary school years John went attended St. Anne's school in Cappoquin. John has often recalled how he would give his schoolbooks to his twin sister, Liz, and then run the ten miles back home from school each day.

John's early promise was evident when he secured his first All-Ireland title in the U-15 category at the community games in 1962. Progressing to junior and novice races, one of Treacy’s first notable wins was in the Munster B.L.E. XC in Cork in 1973.

These successes quickly caught the attention of American colleges, where gained a scholarship to Providence College in Rhode Island. His time in America was fruitful, winning several NCAA titles. Following his return home, John burst onto the international scene in 1978, becoming the first Irishman to win the World Cross Country Championships in Glasgow. The following year he retained the title on a memorable day at a rain drenched Limerick racecourse, where over 25,000 spectators roared him home.

Participating in his first Olympics in Moscow in 1980, Treacy was considered a strong contender in the 10,000m event. However, John had to contend with extreme heat and humidity, causing him to collapse during the first round heat. He was taken to the treatment room unconscious and remained there for about an hour until he was declared fit to leave. Showing great resilience, just four days later John competed in the 5000m heats, finishing 4^th and qualifying for the semi-finals. He went on to place 4th again in his semi-final and 7th in the final.

In the intervening years, John competed at the inaugural World Championships in Helsinki in 1982 and the World Cross Country Championships in New Jersey in 1984, but he failed to make an impact at either event.

His preparations for qualification for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics changed tack after these disappointing performances. Realising that the demands of his job in Dublin were hindering his training, Treacy decided to move back to Providence, Rhode Island, where he had excelled as a student-athlete. Under the guidance of his former college coach, Treacy gradually regained his form. Key to his comeback was the medical advice from Dr. Dario Herrera, who identified Treacy’s potential in the marathon. With renewed focus and a sponsorship deal from New Balance, Treacy began to see improvements in his performance.

By 1984, Treacy had successfully qualified for the Olympic 10,000m and marathon events, thanks in part to his impressive performances in various road races in the States. Training in the intense heat of Providence had ideally prepared him for the conditions in Los Angeles that summer. His first event was the 10,000m final, in which he finished 9th, fatigued from the heat. For many, his participation in the marathon was an afterthought, and few expected the 27-year-old Waterford athlete to make an impact on his debut at the distance.

On 12th August 1984, 107 runners from 59 countries gathered at Santa Monica City College for what was then the most global and competitive marathon in Olympic history. John Treacy started the race positioned well behind the leaders but steadily improved his standing, moving into the top six around the 20-kilometre mark. He continued his progress, overtaking Great Britain's Charlie Spedding in a dramatic final 150 metres as they entered the Los Angeles Coliseum stadium. Treacy held on tenaciously and finishing just behind Portugal’s Carlos Lopes to clinch silver, extending his arms in a gesture reminiscent of Ronnie Delany 28 years earlier in Melbourne.

Remarkably, John had defied all his doubters and secured Olympic silver in his first ever marathon outing. In doing so, he had won Ireland’s first Olympic track and field medal in nearly thirty years.

In his later athletic career, Treacy achieved top 10 finishes at various world cross country and track events in the mid to late 1980s and qualified for his third Olympics. However, he did not finish the marathon at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. He enjoyed some degree of success in the 1990s, winning the 1992 Los Angeles Marathon and qualifying for his fourth successive Games in Barcelona that same year, where he competed in the marathon and finished 51st. The following year, he won the Dublin Marathon.

John’s athletics career concluded in 1995 with a road race held in his honour in Waterford, attended by 1984 Olympic marathon champion Carlos Lopes and bronze medalist Charlie Spedding. His remarkable career included seven national cross-country titles and an additional seven national titles on the track. He went on to serve as CEO of the Irish Sports Council for a sixteen year period from 1999 to 2015.

John Treacy's journey from a young runner in Villierstown to an Olympic silver medalist is a remarkable one. His storied career, marked by national titles and international accolades, reached its pinnacle at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics with his silver medal achievement. Treacy's legacy is not only defined by his achievements on the track and in cross-country but also by his significant contributions to Irish sport as CEO of the Irish Sports Council. His story remains an inspiration to today’s generation hoping to make their mark in Paris this summer.