Just keep running,” is the motto of 10 year old Blaize Sugrue. The sports-mad youngster has tried every pursuit going, from GAA to hockey to horse riding and everything in between, but athletics is his big passion.
Having always applied a “give it a go” attitude to life and sport, the fourth class student in St Luke’s NS in Douglas, Cork also gives his best at school, despite not always finding it easy.
Blaize lives in Blackrock in Cork but with both of his parents hailing from rural backgrounds, he loves country life, especially visiting the bog in Kerry and sorting out turf for his Nana. From a young age, Blaize enjoyed jumping over the fence to check on the cows in the field next door; now he is bidding to clear the high jump bar.
All that running around in fields led him to athletics two years ago which brought new opportunities and challenges. Now his passion for his Cork City AC singlet is immense.
“I was a bit nervous at the start, but then I got excited. We train on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays and before competitions.We train on Fridays as well. My favourite thing to compete in is the running and shot putt,” he says.
“The shot putt for my age is 2kg and I don’t find it heavy. There’s a big pit where you get the shot putt and put it up against your neck before you throw it [as far as you can].”
Second home
His second home is the athletics track in the Munster Technological University.
“It has been very busy. We’ve had county [championships] and Munster indoor and outdoor competitions.
“I am part of Cork City AC which is a new club. At the start, there was no one my age, but now there are loads.
“The sprint we do is 60m. There are eight lanes and eight people line up in the heats. If you come first, second or third in your heat, you go to the semi-final, and if you come first, second or third in that, you go to the final.
Tony, Amy-Ruth, Blaize and Jared Sugrue, Blackrock, Cork. Rising Rural Star. \ Donal O'Leary
While he hasn’t got to the final yet, Blaize remains hopeful and continues to give it his all.
His sheer determination has shone through when running up steep hills in farmers’ fields or trudging through a muddy winter pasture just to get to the finish line. It has been an endurance test that he has excelled in.
His mum, Amy-Ruth, is his biggest supporter. “He can see that his drive and motivation to always push himself pays off. It is my greatest wish that the skills I see him developing will help him navigate his way through life and life’s obstacles with such resilience and commitment,” she says.
A winning attitude
Blaize has a fierce passion for club and county. “Two years of turning up to training every night, two years of watching loads of wonderful athletes around him get medals, for which he never got upset about – he was always happy for others,” adds Amy-Ruth.
Blaize says, “Keep trying and never give up.” For him, the big achievement is to just finish each race, and he has always done that. It is never about the medals for Blaize, but about the joy of taking part and having fun.
Saying that, the trophy cabinet is starting to fill up. In May, he was delighted to win his first-ever county medals in athletics – third place in shot putt and a silver county medal along with a national qualification for his relay team.
He is competing at the nationals with his team in Tullamore. His recent success highlights his commitment and hard work.
At the Munster outdoors, he competed in the high jump for the first time, which he admits was a bit daunting at first. “It is very hard to get over the bar. But you land on a big mat on the other side.”
For anyone nervous about trying new things, his advice is to “just challenge yourself and have fun.”
Blaize with his batons that he uses for the relay race. \ Donal O'Leary
In his spare time, Blaize also enjoys cooking and baking. His favourite things to make are blueberry muffins or a lovely superbowl which is salmon, pasta and peas.
With the summer ahead, Blaize is looking forward to going to Dingle on his holidays with his family and meeting up with his many cousins on their farms.
Blaize is a Rising Rural Star because he gives 100% to everything he does.
“I love trying out new things, from Gaelic foodball to baking and being out in nature. I always try everything and do the best I can but most importantly I just try to have fun.
“Even if things don’t go right, I try to pick myself up and do what I can and I think that’s a good way to be in life,” he says.
Just keep running,” is the motto of 10 year old Blaize Sugrue. The sports-mad youngster has tried every pursuit going, from GAA to hockey to horse riding and everything in between, but athletics is his big passion.
Having always applied a “give it a go” attitude to life and sport, the fourth class student in St Luke’s NS in Douglas, Cork also gives his best at school, despite not always finding it easy.
Blaize lives in Blackrock in Cork but with both of his parents hailing from rural backgrounds, he loves country life, especially visiting the bog in Kerry and sorting out turf for his Nana. From a young age, Blaize enjoyed jumping over the fence to check on the cows in the field next door; now he is bidding to clear the high jump bar.
All that running around in fields led him to athletics two years ago which brought new opportunities and challenges. Now his passion for his Cork City AC singlet is immense.
“I was a bit nervous at the start, but then I got excited. We train on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays and before competitions.We train on Fridays as well. My favourite thing to compete in is the running and shot putt,” he says.
“The shot putt for my age is 2kg and I don’t find it heavy. There’s a big pit where you get the shot putt and put it up against your neck before you throw it [as far as you can].”
Second home
His second home is the athletics track in the Munster Technological University.
“It has been very busy. We’ve had county [championships] and Munster indoor and outdoor competitions.
“I am part of Cork City AC which is a new club. At the start, there was no one my age, but now there are loads.
“The sprint we do is 60m. There are eight lanes and eight people line up in the heats. If you come first, second or third in your heat, you go to the semi-final, and if you come first, second or third in that, you go to the final.
Tony, Amy-Ruth, Blaize and Jared Sugrue, Blackrock, Cork. Rising Rural Star. \ Donal O'Leary
While he hasn’t got to the final yet, Blaize remains hopeful and continues to give it his all.
His sheer determination has shone through when running up steep hills in farmers’ fields or trudging through a muddy winter pasture just to get to the finish line. It has been an endurance test that he has excelled in.
His mum, Amy-Ruth, is his biggest supporter. “He can see that his drive and motivation to always push himself pays off. It is my greatest wish that the skills I see him developing will help him navigate his way through life and life’s obstacles with such resilience and commitment,” she says.
A winning attitude
Blaize has a fierce passion for club and county. “Two years of turning up to training every night, two years of watching loads of wonderful athletes around him get medals, for which he never got upset about – he was always happy for others,” adds Amy-Ruth.
Blaize says, “Keep trying and never give up.” For him, the big achievement is to just finish each race, and he has always done that. It is never about the medals for Blaize, but about the joy of taking part and having fun.
Saying that, the trophy cabinet is starting to fill up. In May, he was delighted to win his first-ever county medals in athletics – third place in shot putt and a silver county medal along with a national qualification for his relay team.
He is competing at the nationals with his team in Tullamore. His recent success highlights his commitment and hard work.
At the Munster outdoors, he competed in the high jump for the first time, which he admits was a bit daunting at first. “It is very hard to get over the bar. But you land on a big mat on the other side.”
For anyone nervous about trying new things, his advice is to “just challenge yourself and have fun.”
Blaize with his batons that he uses for the relay race. \ Donal O'Leary
In his spare time, Blaize also enjoys cooking and baking. His favourite things to make are blueberry muffins or a lovely superbowl which is salmon, pasta and peas.
With the summer ahead, Blaize is looking forward to going to Dingle on his holidays with his family and meeting up with his many cousins on their farms.
Blaize is a Rising Rural Star because he gives 100% to everything he does.
“I love trying out new things, from Gaelic foodball to baking and being out in nature. I always try everything and do the best I can but most importantly I just try to have fun.
“Even if things don’t go right, I try to pick myself up and do what I can and I think that’s a good way to be in life,” he says.
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