Name: Brian Fay
Club: Raheny Shamrocks AC
Event: 5000m
Personal Best: 13:01.40
Tokyo Schedule: Fri 19 Sept 12.05pm. Final Sun 21 Sept 11.50am
The formative years
Dabbling in athletics through his school days in Belvedere College under the auspices of Ronan Duggan, it wasn’t until 5th year that the young Dubliner decided to focus more intensely on the sport. All good athletes have to start somewhere. In 2015 he finished 42nd in the National u18 Cross-Country. A year later, with an increase in his training he finished 6th in the national u19 cross-country. One place behind Michael Power (West Waterford) and ahead of familiar names like Shane Bracken (Swinford), David McGlynn (Waterford AC), Philip Marron (DCH) and Cormac Dalton (Mullingar).
It was in 2017 while competing at junior level (u20) and changing coaches to Feidhlim Kelly, his real talent was starting to emerge. A win at the Irish Schools Track and Field in the steeplechase was followed by another victory at the national u20s. A second place at the National u20 Cross-Country and he had qualified for his first European Cross-Country, where he finished 49th, ten places ahead of him was his Tokyo teammate Darragh McElhinney.
College years
By 2018 he was getting races in Europe and reducing his track times. He made the European u23 Cross-Country in the Netherlands, where he finished 29th. Further improvements in 2019 saw Fay make the European u23 Championships in Sweden where he finished 11th in the Steeplechase final. The year ended with another European u23 Cross-Country Championships (Lisbon), this time finishing 22nd.
With Covid out of the way 2021 saw the Raheny Shamrocks athlete smash more personal bests. 3:41.73 for 1500m, his first sub 4 min mile (3:58.91), a 7.53.62 personal best over 3000m gained him qualification for the European Indoors in Poland. There were further improvements over 5000m to 13:44.37 and 8:27.75 over the steeplechase. He had run the fastest steeplechase by an Irishman in over 36 years, moving to 4th on the Irish all-time list.
University of Washington
Finished his degree in DCU Fay headed to the University of Washington, under the guidance of coach by Andy Powell. Over the next two years he reached 13th in the NCAA Cross-Country. There was success over the track too: three indoor NCAA DI finals and two outdoor, with the highest placing coming in the 5000m where he was 6th in the indoor final and 7th in the track final.
On the back of his excellent 38th place in the 2021 NCAA Cross-country he was selected for the Irish team for the European Cross-Country in Dublin. He finished in 10th place.
Once back from American Faye knew he was in good shape. He sought races in Europe with his eye on the World Championships in Budapest. In Belgium he smashed the Irish 5000m record, with a 13:01.40. Two weeks later he became the Irish 5000m champion.
Disappointed with the European Championships in Rome and his Olympic debut in Paris, there were positives to the 2024 season: personal best over the mile, 3000m, 10,000m and 3000m indoors. A change was needed. He sojourned in Australia and changed coaches to Nic Bideau.
The Road to Tokyo
There has definitely been an improvement in Fay’s performances this summer, more consistency. In May he ran 13:12.10 over 5000m in China with a 13:08.25 in Belgium in July - this has been his fastest 5000m time in over two years. He finished second to Andrew Coscoran at the nationals in August. Competing over 5000m Brian Faye will be making his second World Championship appearance in Tokyo.
International Majors
2017: European u20 Cross-Country Slovakia 49th
2018: European u23 Cross-Country Netherlands 29th
2019: European Championships u20 Sweden Steeplechase 11th Final
2019: European u23 Cross-Country Portugal 22nd
2021: European Indoors Poland 3000m H3 7th
2021: European Cross-Country Dublin 10th
2021: NCAA DI Cross-Country 13th
2022: NCAA DI Indoors Alabama, 5000m 6th Final
2022: NCAA DI Track and Field Oregon, 5000m 7th Final
2022: European Championships Munich 5000m 8th Final
2022: NCAA DI Cross-Country 13th
2022: European Cross-Country Italy 30th
2023: NCAA DI Indoors New Mexico, mile 6th Final
2023: NCAA DI Indoors New Mexico, 3000 15th Final
2023: NCAA DI Track and Field Texas, 5000m 9th Final
2023: World Championships Budapest 5000m H1 16th
2023: European Cross-Country Brussels 22nd
2024: European Championships Rome, 5000m 14th Final
2024: European Championships Rome, 10,000m 20th Final
2024: Olympic Games Paris 5,000m H2 13th
2025: World Championships 1500m, Tokyo
Personal Bests
5000m: 13:01.40 NR 09/08/2025
1500m: 3:36.52 03/09/2023
mile: 3:52.41 12/07/2024
3000m: 7:34.48 20/07/2024
10000m: 27:43.45 16/03/2024
1500m (i): 3:41.73 14/02/2021
3000m (i): 7:40.09 04/02/2024
5000m (i): 13:16.77 03/12/2022