James Nolan facts for kids
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's athletics | ||
Representing  Ireland |
||
| European Indoor Championships | ||
| Silver | 2000 Ghent | 1500 m |
James Nolan, born on January 27, 1977, is a well-known Irish athletics coach and a former international runner. He represented the Republic of Ireland in track and field events from 1996 to 2008. James was an Olympian twice, meaning he competed in the Olympic Games.
He first focused on the 800 metres race between 1996 and 2000. After that, he switched to the 1500 metres. James won a silver medal in the 800 m race at the European Athletics U23 Championships in 1999. He also earned a silver medal in the 1500 metres at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in 2000.
He competed in many major events, including the World Championships in Athletics twice (2001, 2005). He also took part in the European Athletics Championships three times (1998, 2002, 2006). Plus, he competed six times at the IAAF World Indoor Championships. James set his best times of 1 minute, 46.05 seconds for the 800 m (in 1999) and 3 minutes, 35.69 seconds for the 1500 m (in 2003).
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James Nolan's Running Journey
James Nolan was born in Tullamore, County Offaly, Ireland. He won his first international medal, a silver, when he was a teenager. This was at the European Youth Summer Olympic Days.
During his career as a senior athlete, he reached the finals at the European Indoor Championships several times. These were in 1998, 2000, 2002, and 2007. He also made it to the finals three times at the World Indoor Championships (1998, 2003, 2006). James competed in races in over 25 countries during his thirteen-year career.
His international racing career ended with his final appearance at the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships. He retired in early January 2009.
Life After Running
James Nolan is now a sports coach. He studied at University College Dublin (UCD) from 1996 to 2001 and again from 2005 to 2008. He earned a degree in sports management.
He is involved with projects like the fastkids website, which helps young athletes. In 2009, James was chosen to lead athletics for the Paralympic Council of Ireland. He also works as a middle-distance coach at his old university, UCD. James is married to Afton, whom he met while training in South Africa.
International Competitions
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | European Youth Summer Olympic Days | Valkenswaard, Netherlands | 2nd | 800 m | 1:53.45 |
| 1996 | European Indoor Championships | Stockholm, Sweden | 11th (h) | 800 m | 1:51.68 |
| World Junior Championships | Sydney, Australia | 8th | 800 m | 1:51.88 | |
| 1997 | World Indoor Championships | Paris, France | 11th (semis) | 800 m | 1:48.75 |
| European U23 Championships | Turku, Finland | 5th | 800 m | 1:47.98 | |
| 1998 | European Indoor Championships | Valencia, Spain | 4th | 800 m | 1:47.81 |
| European Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 13th (semis) | 800 m | 1:48.50 | |
| 1999 | World Indoor Championships | Maebashi, Japan | 5th | 800 m | 1:47.77 |
| European U23 Championships | Gothenburg, Sweden | 2nd | 800 m | 1:46.94 | |
| 2000 | European Indoor Championships | Ghent, Belgium | 2nd | 1500 m | 3:41.59 |
| Olympic Games | Sydney, Australia | 23rd (h) | 1500 m | 3:40.50 | |
| 2001 | Universiade | Beijing, China | — | 1500 m | DNF |
| World Championships | Edmonton, Canada | 30th (h) | 1500 m | 3:42.84 | |
| 2002 | European Indoor Championships | Vienna, Austria | 6th | 1500 m | 3:50.84 |
| European Championships | Munich, Germany | 18th (h) | 1500 m | 3:48.48 | |
| 2003 | World Indoor Championships | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 6th | 1500 m | 3:44.67 |
| 2004 | World Indoor Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 17th (h) | 1500 m | 3:47.27 |
| Olympic Games | Athens, Greece | 18th (semis) | 1500 m | 3:42.61 | |
| 2005 | European Indoor Championships | Madrid, Spain | 18th (h) | 1500 m | 3:46.50 |
| World Championships | Helsinki, Finland | 28th (h) | 1500 m | 3:42.53 | |
| 2006 | World Indoor Championships | Moscow, Russia | 6th | 1500 m | 3:43.98 |
| European Championships | Gothenburg, Sweden | 26th (h) | 1500 m | 3:49.94 | |
| 2007 | European Indoor Championships | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 7th | 1500 m | 3:46.34 |
| 2008 | World Indoor Championships | Valencia, Spain | 14th (h) | 1500 m | 3:42.12 |
Personal Best Times
- 800 metres - 1:46.05 minutes (1999)
- 1500 metres - 3:35.69 minutes (2003)
- Mile run - 3:54.50 minutes (2003)
- 3000 metres - 7:52.84 minutes (2006)
