Peter Maher

Peter Maher was born in Ottawa, Canada, but his family moved to Killarney, Ireland when he was only 2-years-old. He began running as a schoolboy, competing for Iveagh Athletic Club and Clounalour Athletic Club, as well as his schools, Holy Cross College and Kenmare and St. Brendan’s College. In 1979, he was set to take up an athletics scholarship at East Tennessee State University in the USA when he tore his Achilles’ tendon. Maher stopped running, began drinking, and gained a lot of weight. But he returned to running in 1983 and moved up to the marathon, competing for Canada at the 1988 and 1992 Olympics, and the World Championships in 1987, 1991, 1993 and 1995. He won two Canadian titles, winning the 10K in 1987, the marathon in 1989, the 1999 Irish Marathon Team Title, and Maher won the Road Runners’ Club of America (USA) 25 km title in 1990. Maher’s career has been a physical therapist in Carrigaline, County Cork.

Personal Best: Half-Mar – 1-02:30 (1990); Mar – 2-11:46 (1991).