Sarah Lavin paid tribute to her late partner Craig Breen, his family and her own family after winning a bronze medal at the European Games on Saturday.
The Limerick native was back in Ireland after flying home from Poland on Friday as she secured third place in the Women’s 100m Hurdles this afternoon.
Lavin won bronze by 0.001 of a second after her time in Division 3 was quicker than all but two competitors in Divisions 1 and 2.
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Poland’s reigning European champion, Pia Skrzyszowska, clocked a time of 12.77, while the Netherlands' Nadine Visser came second in 12.81.
France's Laeticia Baptiste clocked Lavin's time of 12.82, but the Irish star's run was incredibly one-thousandth of a second faster.
"I'm so so happy," an emotional Lavin said after the success. "I've dreamt of winning this major senior medal since I was a kid. It's a really strange way to do it, to have that run by myself the other day and kind of have to play the waiting time to watch the best from every country compete against each other.
"Division 2 was really stacked and again Division 1 today right to the wire.
"I've had incredibly special people helping me over the last few months and years, but I think ultimately someone very special up there is helping me.
"To get that bronze and to be a hundredth of a second off second, it was really, really tight amongst the best."
Lavin then paid tribute to Breen's parents Jackie and Ray, his sister Kellie, his brother-in-law Darragh and his godson Bobbie.
She added: "Particularly Jackie , Ray, Kellie, Darragh and Bobbie, my own family and extended family, and of course my coach Noelle (Morrissey), just thank you all so so much because I dreamt this day a little differently, but I'll remember it forever."
Lavin's partner Breen passed away on April 13 after a collision during a pre-event test ahead of the 2023 Croatia Rally. The much-loved Waterford man was 33.
Ireland's top 100m hurdler, was in Tenerife on a training camp when she received a phone call to tell her the tragic news.
Speaking about him before the European Games, Lavin said: "I love Craig dearly, I love his family dearly, and I miss him every day, I'm completely heartbroken. Craig was my partner, we were together for a while.
"Craig was a great athlete. I think a lot of people thought he just jumped into a car and was naturally talented, but he worked his butt off too. He was also at training camp this year, it's such a massively physical sport.
"We were both equally as busy, we spent the same time doing gym and other things and it was great to see the effort it takes. It's fascinating, I guess, to see what goes into being someone who is in the WRC.
"But I don't know if I'll go back to Tenerife again."
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