Patrick Andrew "Pat" ClohessyAM (born 16 May 1933)[1] is an Australian runner and distance running coach.
Clohessy grew up inMuswellbrook, New South Wales andTamworth, New South Wales due to his father Patrick being the postmaster withPostmaster-General's Department in these rural towns.[2] He took up running when he joined the Muswellbrook Athletics Club in 1953.[3] He had early success in winning the 1954 New South Wales Country Championships 880 yards and one mile events in record time.[3] He then moved to Sydney to run for Randwick Botany Athletics Club.[4] Clohessy then moved to the United States to study and lecture at theUniversity of Houston. He encouraged Australian middle distance runnerAllan Lawrence to study at theUniversity of Houston. Lawrence went on to win the 5000m at 1960NCAA Championship.[5]
Notable performances by Clohessy as an athlete included:
After returning to Australia from the United States, Clohessy became a teacher and athletics coach atXavier College inMelbourne.[7] It was at Xavier College that Clohessy started to coachRobert de Castella, who would go on to win the marathon at the1982 Commonwealth Games,1986 Commonwealth Games and the1983 World Championships in Athletics.[7] In 1983, after 16 years at Xavier College, he was appointed distance running coach at theAustralian Institute of Sport (AIS).[8][7] It was a position he held until 1994 when he took up anAthletics Australia coaching position inBrisbane, Queensland.[7][4]
In 1998, he took up a position as athletics coach at theUniversity of Queensland.[7]
Clohessy was an athletics coach on the1980 and1984 Australian Olympic teams and1983 and1987 World Championships teams.[7]
Notable Australian and AIS athletes coached by Clohessy include:Robert de Castella,Krishna Stanton,Simon Doyle,Shaun Creighton,Susan Hobson,Pat Scammell,Matt Favier, Pat Carroll,Andrew Lloyd andBrittany McGowan.[7]
In 1994, Susan Hobson edited the book - Pat Clohessy : athlete, coach, mentor published by the Australian Sports Commission.