Catherina McKiernan might be thinking that this is the worst year of her athletics career. A series of niggling injuries kept her out of both the London Marathon and the Sydney Olympics and they still are not completely cleared up in what has been a depressing 12 months.

This weekend, however, ought to let in a little light for the Cavan runner when she gets spliced to fiance Damien O'Reilly today. O'Reilly is a regular fixture on RTE's Farming Report as an agricultural news reporter and occasional weekend sports reporter. So facing regular media questions on his talented wife's expectations of making the Irish World Cross Country Championship team next year may not be such an onerous task. The wedding takes place in Cavan.