First Rio and the Olympics, now London and the World Championships, this has been a year of change and acceleration for Thomas Barr. At 24 years of age the summer turned him and fast tracked his career from promising to threatening.
He arrived in Rio short on training and track time. But he was stress free and fresh. Fourth place in the 400m hurdles off a relatively lax pre-Olympic period may have been Barr’s eureka moment.
“As my coaches said ‘there’s a lot to be said for fresh legs’ so perhaps the 11 weeks that I had off was a blessing in disguise in that I didn’t over train myself,” he says. “I didn’t go out and compete every weekend for eight weeks on the run up to the Olympics. I wasn’t burnt out. I went into the Olympics very fresh mentally in that there was no target on my back.
‘Mental state’
“I was going out there as an underdog, which is where I love to be. I’m not anymore so I’m going to have to get used to that. That freshness, relaxed mental state really paid off.”
As he looks towards London and next year’s World Championships at the Olympic Stadium he failed to get to in 2012, his life, profile and expectations have changed for the good.
His run was a positive fourth place whereas that of the three-time Olympian and former 5,000m world champion Eamonn Coghlan was greeted more critically. That, says Barr has to do with where they were coming from.
“For me it’s positive because of the circumstances I had going into it,” he says. “I think the time is definitely what brought on a lot of positivity. 47.97 is in the top-10 fastest times in Europe. Ever.”
The performance has been recognised by more than the world of athletics. Unused to Twitter celebrity status, his flash across the country’s consciousness has illuminated his name in unforeseen areas. He’s enjoying the banter and getting used to the thin air of relative stardom.
“I’ve had a lot on Twitter,” he says. “Enda Kenny tweeted, Simon Zebo. I had a bit of craic with Brian O’Driscoll on Twitter too. It’s crazy now that I’m on their map.
“I was actually reading Brian O’Driscoll’s book when I went out to Rio. I read it on the plane to pass time.”
To help you sleep? “Exactly ha,ha, ha that’s what he said to me . . . he said it’s perfect for putting you to sleep so . . . yeah its funny that I put myself on their map. It’s kind of cool.”
Rio has armed Barr with the idea of relaxation in a world where neurosis and over training are common place. Now there is a target on his back and as winter turns to spring next year he will shoulder hopes. Now? The Rio Olympic Stadium buzz is still, well, buzzing.
Hidden treasure
At Dublin’s greatest hidden treasure, the running track in Ringsend, he is helping to publicise the growing epidemic of child obesity.
“It’s crazy like . . . reality to me now is different to what it was before,” he says. “I’m just on a different level now which is where I wanted to be performance wise. I think confidence wise I don’t think I’ve changed that much. At a personal level I’m just going with it and enjoying the ride.
“I am looking forward to (the World Championships) because it’s going to be the closest thing to a home games. So, especially after the year that I’ve had . . . and a few of the other lads like Mark English, Ciara Mageean and other top athletes like Rob Heffernan, who has said he’s going to go again for another year.”
Barr will discuss anything: TUEs, dodgy countries, competing against cheats. Athletics has become anything but straight forward. His take on that is stoic. He has no option.
“It was mentioned before that I could get a medal in the post,” he says dryly. “So you’re asking me about doping because it’s prevalent. It’s become such a headline [issue]. I’ve no problem with being asked, don’t worry.”
That seems certain come April or May, perhaps on the road towards equalling Coghlan again. But this time with a World Championship medal.
