Niamh Allen

Niamh Allen
Personal information
NationalityIreland
Born (1995-04-19) 19 April 1995 (age 31)
Sport
SportAthletics
Events
Long-distance running, Cross-country
Achievements and titles
Personal bests3000m: 8:51.08 (Cork, 2025)
5000m: 15:35.90 (Dublin, 2025)
Road
10k: Road 32:25 (Brussels, 2025)
Half Marathon: 1:12:44 (Sydney, 2023)
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing  Ireland
European 10,000m Cup
Silver medal – second place2026 La SpeziaTeam race

Niamh Allen (born 19 April 1995) is an Irish long-distance and cross country runner. She won the Irish national title over 5000 metres in 2025 and 2026, and represented Ireland at the 2024 and 2025 European Cross Country Championships, and the 2025 European Running Championships. In 2026, she won the silver medal with the Ireland women's team at the European 10,000m Cup.

Biography

Allen is a member of Allen, Leevale AC, in County Cork. In November 2024, she finished second at the Irish national cross country championship, just twelfth weeks after giving birth. Allen was the top Irish finisher and she placed eleventh overall at the 2024 European Cross Country Championships in Antalya, Turkey, in December 2024.

In March 2025, Allen won the Irish national 1 km road title in 31:44, the fastest time ran by an Irish woman in Ireland. The following month, Allen represented Ireland at the 2025 European Running Championships in Belgium, placing eighteenth overall. In May, she won the Midleton five-mile road race, beating all the men as well as the women in a field of 340 runners. In July, she ran 8:51.08 for 3000 metres in Cork. Allen won the 5000m at the Irish Athletics Championships in August 2025. In September, she won the Cork Women’s Mini Marathon.

Allen placed second again at the 2025 Irish National Cross Country Championships held in Derry on 23 November. Allen was selected to represent Ireland at the 2025 European Cross Country Championships in Lagoa, Portugal on 14 December, placing twenty-third overall.

Allen was selected for the 2026 World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, where she was the first Irish finisher in the women's race, placing 21st. In May 2026, she placed sixth in the individual race, running 32:15.79, and won the silver medal in the team event at the European 10,000m Cup in La Spezia, Italy, alongside Fiona Everard and Sorcha Nic Dhómhnaill. Later that month, she ran 32:14 to win the 10k race at the Analog Devices Cork City Marathon. On 26 July, Allen won the national title in the 5000 metres at the 2026 Irish Championships, finishing ahead of Fiona Everard. In August, she competed at the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, England, in the 10,000 metres.

Personal life

Allen attended University College Cork. She gave birth to a daughter, Lily, in 2024. She lives in Cork with her husband Will.

References

  1. ↑ "Niamh Allen". World Athletics. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  2. ↑ Dennehy, Cathal (22 November 2025). "'Last year was maybe a fluke' – Niamh Allen playing down nationals bid after impressive 12 months". Independent.ie. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  3. ↑ "McGlynn triumphs as Griggs fades to seventh spot". BBC Sport. 17 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 "Allen Aims to Better 2024 Finish in Derry Showdown". Athletics Ireland. 22 November 2025. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 4 O'Riordan, Ian (22 November 2025). "Elite-level running the 'crutch' that helps Niamh Allen juggle family and work". Irish Times. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  6. ↑ "European Running Championships". World Athletics. 12 April 2025. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  7. ↑ "Fay and Everard Reign Supreme n Derry at National Cross Country Championships". Athletics Ireland. 23 November 2025. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  8. ↑ "Athletics Ireland Name 34-Strong Team Ahead of European Cross Country Championships". Athletics Ireland. 25 November 2025. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  9. ↑ "31st SPAR European Cross Country Championships". World Athletics. 14 December 2025. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  10. ↑ O'Riordan, Ian (17 December 2025). "Four athletes to represent Ireland at next month's World Cross-Country Championships". Irish Times. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  11. ↑ "Brian Fay 16th in World Cross Country Championships, Irish women inside top-25". RTE. 10 January 2026. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  12. ↑ Mills, Steven (23 May 2026). "Glinka makes history for Poland with European 10,000m Cup gold in La Spezia". European Athletics. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
  13. ↑ "Cork duo Niamh Allen and Fiona Everard power Ireland to European silver medal". Echo Live. 23 May 2026. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
  14. 1 2 Dennehy, Cathal (31 May 2026). "Andrew Coscoran close to his best as he opens season at Rabat Diamond League". Independent.ie. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
  15. ↑ Dennehy, Cathal (26 July 2026). "Cian McPhillips shows medal potential for European Championships with classy 800m display to take Irish title". Independent.ie. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  16. ↑ "European Athletics Championships". World Athletics. 10 August 2026. Retrieved 19 August 2026.