The President and the Government today congratulated Co Cork athlete Derval O'Rourke on winning gold at the World Indoor Championships in Moscow.
The 24-year-old Leevale Athletics Club runner yesterday won the Women's 60 Metre Hurdles Final and set a new Irish record time for the event.
President McAleese said today: "This is a well-deserved success for Derval which rewards her talent and dedication to her sport. We all take great pride in Derval's wonderful achievement."
Sports Minister John O'Donoghue added on bahalf of the Government: "I wish to extend my warmest congratulations to Derval on her success at the World Indoor Championships.
"Derval has always been a very professional and hard-working competitor and this win is richly deserved. She is a great ambassador for Irish athletics and the Irish people can be very proud of her marvellous achievement."
O'Rourke crossed the finishing line in a time of 7.84 seconds to take gold ahead of Spain's Glory Alozie and Susanna Kallur of Sweden. She shaved six-hundredths of a second off her previous personal best time to scoop the $40,000 first prize.