MANY congratulations to the reigning Defender/Irish Pony Club senior girls national Tetrathlon champion Emma Hickey who won a silver medal in the women’s 1,500m at last week’s European Athletics Under 18 Championships in Rieti, Italy.

It was great to see the 17-year-old United Striders Athletic Club member prove herself on the track following her bronze medal-winning performance in the Under 20 women’s race late last year at the European cross-country championships in Lagoa, Portugal.

As she has moved more seriously into athletics, Emma is no longer a member of the Irish Pony Club and so will not be defending her title at this year’s Conlans Defender/IPC Tetrathlon Championships where the Wexford Branch will have to defend their senior girls’ team title without her input. Emma, who represented the IPC and Ireland in international Minimus and Junior Tetrathlon championships, was also on the Wexford squad who won the Teams of Three competition at the 2025 Mackey Equestrian/IPC national hunter trials championships.

As they were cancelled earlier this year, she is also a reigning champion in that discipline. While it’s a pity that Emma has left the ranks of the IPC, we look forward to hearing about her exploits on the athletics scene and wish her all the very best for the future.