2 June 2007 Update:

Paul Hession breaks Irish 100m record at a meet in Athens.

His time of 10.28 shatters the old record of 10.35 jointly held by Gary Ryan and Paul Brizzell.

Paul beat quality fields to take a 100m & 200m double.

http://www.athletix.org/Results07/Kalamata_out07.html

http://www.rte.ie/sport/2007/0603/hessionp.html

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Congratulations to Paul Hession upon his securing of valuable sponsorship

in his drive to compete in the Beijing Olympics next year.

See http://www.galwayindependent.com/sport/12026.html or below!

(Image Caption) ON TARGET... Sprinter Paul Hession with Simon

Coffey, Director of Coffey Group, at the announcement of the

firm's sponsorship of the Athenry athlete.

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Sprinter Hession sets his sights on Beijing Olympics

by John Fallon

Athenry sprinter Paul Hession has received a timely boost as he

continues his bid to make it to the Olympic Games in Beijing next

year.

The 24 year old is currently in superb form and is expected to

make the Olympic qualifying time this year.

He has taken a break from his medical studies -- he has four

years of his degree at NUIG completed -- to train full-time in

preparation for the World Championships in Japan this year and

the Olympics in China twelve months later.

Accordingly, the decision by the Coffey Group, which has its

headquarters outside Athenry, to come on board as his main

sponsor is a major boost.

Hession splits his time between Ireland and Scotland, where his

coach Stuart Hogg is based.

"It is a huge boost for the Coffey Group to support me in this

way, not least as they are a highly successful local company with

a proven track record worldwide.

"Their support allows me to concentrate fully on my preparations

and I am grateful to them for helping me achieve this," said

Hession.

Simon Coffey, a director of the Coffey Group, said they were

delighted to be backing a local Athenry athlete in his bid to

perform at the Olympics.

The Coffey Group was founded by his father Paddy in 1974 and

since then has grown into a large enterprise in the building,

environmental and civil engineering fields at home and abroad.

The company employs 80 people at its headquarters near Athenry

and a further 600 people at its various sites at home and abroad.

"We have know Paul over the years and have been impressed by his

performances and his progress so we are delighted to be helping

him out in this way.

"He is an extremely dedicated and talented athlete and we wish

him continued success in the future,' said Simon Coffey.

Hession's primary aim this year is the World Championships in

Japan and his training regime is geared for him to peak at that

time.

His primary race is the 200m but he will also run 100m at several

events in June at meetings in Greece, Norway, Finland,

Switzerland and here in Ireland.

"June will be a busy month and we have the national championships

here in July, so it will be pretty hectic.

"I need to clock 20.59 to qualify for the Olympics and have a

personal best of 20.56 from last year. So I will be aiming for a

new personal best this year and that will be more than enough to

see me through," he added.