A Late Lunch with Ronnie Delany

·36 min·3 clips

Delany explains how trailing John Landy and making one decisive move with 150 yards left secured Olympic gold.

The episode features an interview with 1956 Olympic 1500m gold medalist Ronnie Delany, hosted by Gerry on LMFM's Late Lunch. Delany begins by discussing his connections to the North East and friends Pat Anritty and Margaret. He recalls fellow Olympian Tony Soxburn from Drogheda, who won bronze in 1956 and helped fund the Irish team. Delany describes his brother Joe as an early athletic inspiration who gave up competition young. He explains how coach Jack Sweeney taught him to make one decisive move per race, a tactic he used in Melbourne. Delany vividly narrates the 1956 final: the bell wasn't rung, he trailed favorite John Landy, then accelerated with 150 yards left to win. He shares how friends in Ireland heard the victory on crackly BBC radio hours before official results. Delany reflects on his post-Olympic career, winning 40 consecutive races in America and setting world indoor mile records three times. He calls the rest of his career an anti-climax because every race made him a target. Delany discusses maintaining amateur status to avoid commercial pressure, unlike modern professional athletes. He describes his training diet of 12 eggs daily and huge appetite, crediting country relatives. Delany offers advice to young athlete Erin Levy to play multiple sports for overall development. He recalls attending a memorial for fellow athlete Noel Carroll in Anagasson. Delany briefly mentions his army cadet experience and discipline lessons. Throughout, he emphasizes enjoying public interaction while acknowledging his age creates a gap with younger fans. The conversation touches on sports psychology and maintaining mental exercise in later life.

As heard by us

A champion's Olympic memory opens into radio stories, local friendships, family pride, and what came after.

Ronnie Delaney's 1956 Melbourne Olympic gold becomes the center of a warm Late Lunch conversation about how one race kept moving through Irish memory.

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Why you'd press play

You get Ronnie Delaney's 1956 Olympic gold in Melbourne, crackly-radio memories, and a gracious Late Lunch visit that drifts into old friendships and closing wisdom.

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