Riverdale, N.Y. - Track & Field assistant Margaret Hayden will compete in the Senior Women's Hammer event at Ireland's National Senior Outdoor Championships on Sunday, June 30.
Hayden competes professionally at global events and has appeared in a number of competitions in the United States and Ireland. Most recently, Hayden competed in early May at the Kehoe Twilight Meet held at the University of Maryland, placing third in the women's hammer competition. Back in April, Hayden showcased her talents at the Larry Ellis Invitational in Princeton, New Jersey, capturing second place with a throw of 63.27.
On Sunday, Hayden will compete against eight other Irish nationals in the hammer throw. She enters the competition having finished in second place in each of the last two installments of the National Senior Outdoor Championships. Hayden represents Tallaght Athletics Club.
"I've been preparing for this year's Irish nationals since the day the national meet ended last year," said Hayden, a native of Ballymore Eustace located in County Kildare. "Preparations look a little different depending on the time of year and, as we get closer to the event, I have been focusing on fine-tuning some specifics of my technique and prioritizing recovery."
Hayden has trained with Manhattan assistant Patrick McGrath '95 in preparation for her competitions. McGrath himself possesses impressive bona fides on the global throwing stage, highlighted by his qualification to the 2000 Sydney Olympics and his status as a six-time Irish National Champion in the hammer throw.
"I feel well going into this meet," Hayden said. "I've had a great year of preparations with Paddy (McGrath) and we have made significant progress since last year."
"I am excited to watch Coach Hayden compete at Irish Nationals this weekend," said McGrath. "I will be watching online from New York."
Before joining the Jaspers staff in 2021, Hayden was a standout thrower at East Tennessee State University. She is the record holder in the women's hammer at ETSU with a best throw of 54.30 meters.
Hayden and McGrath both oversee the training regimen and athletic performance for Jasper throwers. Both of them mentored and trained RJ Decker '24, who finished 17th in the Men's Hammer Throw competition at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships held at Hayward Field earlier this month.
"Margaret works incredibly hard balancing her training while supporting our talented student-athletes at Manhattan," said Kerri Inman, director of Cross Country, Track and Field. "We are all so excited to see her compete. Go Margaret!"
Hayden's dream would be to compete in the Olympics one day, recognizing that every event she competes in carries the potential of moving her closer to achieving that dream. She is grateful for the support of the dedicated student-athletes, coaches and alums from Manhattan who are invested in her athletic journey.
"The support at Manhattan College has been fantastic," Hayden said. "The Jaspers have deep roots in track and field and that is certainly clear in the way our athletes and other coaches support me and follow my career."
