In this instalment of our Women in Sport series, Laura O’Connell shares her sporting inspirations, goals and proudest achievements.
Laura O’Connell balances her career in STEM with her passion for motorsport. From Broadford in Clare, she works as a biochemist as she journeys towards becoming a professional racing driver. She shares with us her sporting story so far.
Earliest sporting memory?
Probably when my mam was the coach of the Broadford intermediate camogie team and they won the county final, moving up to senior camogie for the first time. I was only about four years old at the time, but I remember how big of a deal it was to the whole community and how much it meant to everyone involved.
How did you become involved in your sport?
Thanks to my dad, I grew up watching motorsports my whole life. I didn’t know anyone who actually raced, though, I especially didn’t know any female racing drivers. It wasn’t until much later on in my life, though, that I actually tried the sport out properly for myself. I saw an ad on TikTok for an all-female competition in England where the winner would have a fully funded seat in the British GT Cup Championship, so I signed up! I didn’t win the competition, but I made the last 30 and was placed on a programme as a future talent. I was fully invested from then on to become a racing driver.
What message would you like to share with young women and girls interested in pursuing a career as an athlete?
Everyone’s journey in sport is different, and for wome,n the journey will always be harder, but if you love your sport, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it or that you’re not good enough. It will be a hard and long road, but it will be worth it.
Proudest moment so far…
Getting to fly the flag for Ireland at so many tracks around Europe and the Middle East… and winning my first race!
The female athlete I admire most is…
This is an extremely difficult question because there are so many female athletes that I love from so many different sports, but if I stick to my sport, someone I admire a lot right now is Jamie Chadwick. She is doing a lot for women in motorsport and inspiring the next generation. She is racing in the European Le Mans Series, which is a championship I hope to race in myself someday.
Favourite sporting memory…
I have so many! I think getting to drive a Radical racing car for the first time is definitely one of my favourite sporting memories.
Do you think there is still a stigma around women in sport?
For sure. There’s been some progress over the past number of years but there is still a long way to go to bridge the gap to men’s sports, especially in terms of the level of investment and reward.
What is the biggest barrier to driving visibility in women’s sports?
Women’s sport doesn’t get enough coverage or support in the media. I am lucky that in my sport, men and women race in the same categories and championships but it is still so much harder for the women to get the respect and sponsorship to allow them to advance their career. You need the coverage to get the investment, you need the investment to be successful in this sport. It’s a bit of a vicious circle, and that’s why we need some women to just keep at it and break down those barriers.
The biggest stigma/misconception that exists in women’s sport is…
That women aren’t strong enough or good enough to make it at the highest level.
If I wasn’t an athlete I would be…
An actor.
My favourite pre-race meal is…
A protein bar (sounds sad, I know, but I’m not a big eater on competition days!).
My pre-race playlist includes…
Taylor Swift, Queen, One Direction, Olivia Rodrigo, ABBA.
My daily routine is…
Gym, work, eat… repeat.
My biggest sporting goal is…
To compete in the 24-hour race in Le Mans.
Sports brands I love (Irish or otherwise)…
O’Neills, Sparco, Nike, Powercut.
Biggest splurge to celebrate a win…
Probably a trip to Zara.
How do you mind your mental health?
I see a sports psychologist to help me be in the right headspace for races. Outside of sport, I make sure to see my friends and take time to relax and reset so my busy life doesn’t become overwhelming!
My three desert island beauty products are:
The Smooth Company Smooth Brush… If I can’t wash my hair, at least I can rock a slick back. Lancôme concealer and the Maybelline sky-high mascara.
I need eight hours of sleep a night because….
No one would want to be around me otherwise!
Confidence, to me, is…
Consistency. Whether this be in training, in work or just my daily routine. Keeping everything consistent puts a spring in my step.
How do you get over a bad performance?
I go over the footage with my coaches, analyse it, figure out how to be better, and then go home and forget about it!
Lastly, why is sport such an integral part of community, on a club, local, national and personal level?
I think it’s something that everyone can enjoy and support together. There’s so much passion and love for sport, especially at club level. Growing up in a small village like Broadford, hurling and camogie were everything to the community and that’s where my own passion and love for sport ignited.
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