Pat Hooper facts for kids

Patrick Hooper (born 12 May 1952 – died 9 October 2020) was a famous long-distance runner from Raheny, Dublin, Ireland. He was an Olympian, which means he competed in the Olympic Games.

Pat Hooper: An Irish Running Star

Pat Hooper was a talented runner who represented his country, Ireland, in the marathon. He competed at both European and Olympic events. His fastest time in a marathon was 2 hours, 17 minutes, and 46 seconds. This is called his personal best time.

Pat was also the older brother of Dick Hooper, who was also a marathon runner and competed in three Olympic Games!

His Amazing Running Career

Pat Hooper was a dedicated athlete. He ran marathons, which are very long races, usually about 42 kilometers (26 miles). He showed great skill and determination in his races.

After he stopped competing professionally, Pat stayed very involved in running. He was an important member of his running club, the Raheny Shamrock Athletic Club. He also helped out with athletics (track and field) boards in Dublin and Leinster. This shows how much he loved the sport.

Pat Hooper passed away on 9 October 2020, when he was 68 years old.

Key Achievements in Running

Pat Hooper had several important achievements during his running career, especially in the marathon:

• In 1978, he competed in the European Athletics Championships in Prague.
• In 1979, he won a gold medal at the Irish National Championships in Tullamore. This was also where he set his personal best time of 2:17:46.
• In 1980, he earned a silver medal at the Irish National Championships, also held in Tullamore.
• Later in 1980, he represented Ireland at the Olympic Games in Moscow, Soviet Union. Competing in the Olympics is a huge honor for any athlete!