Richard Hooper (born 26 August 1956) is a former long-distance runner from Raheny, Dublin, Ireland.
Career He represented Ireland in the Olympic marathon in Moscow 1980, Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988. He also represented Ireland four times in the European Championships - in Czechoslovakia 1978, Athens 1982, Stuttgart 1986 and Split 1990.
He is a three-time record-holding winner of the Dublin Marathon in 1980, 1985 and 1988 and he set his personal best time at the 1988 Irish National Championship in Wexford, clocking 2:12:19 finishing in 2nd place behind John Woods. He went on to win a record six national marathon championships winning his last in 1998 at the age of 42.
He is the younger brother of marathoner Pat Hooper,sports-reference My Club: Raheny Shamrock AC by IAN O'RIORDAN, published by The Irish Times - Monday, October 26, 1998 and, having had a career in banking, also worked as a coach, and an athletics commentator on Setanta Sports and Irish TV.
Achievements All results regarding marathon, unless stated otherwise Representing 1978Irish National Marathon ChampionshipTullamore 2:23:19Irish Times, 19 June 1978, pg. 4 18 June 197819781978 European Championships in AthleticsPrague 29th 2:21:01Irish Times, 4 September 1978, pg. 4 3 September 1978 1980 Dublin Marathon Dublin 2:16:14 26 October 1980 1980 Irish National Marathon Championship Tullamore 2:16:27Irish Times, 19 May 1980, pg. 4 8 July 1980 1980 Moscow Olympics Moscow 38th place 2:23:53Irish Times, 2 August 1980, pg. 3Mens Marathon at Sports Reference 1 August 1980 1981 Irish National Marathon Championship Cork 2:15:37Irish Times, 8 June 1981, pg. 4 7 June 1981 1982Irish National Marathon Championship Limerick 2:12:56Irish Times, 7 June 1982, pg. 4 6 June 198219821982 European Championships in Athletics – Men's MarathonAthens11th place2:20:51Irish Times, 13 September 1982, pg. 312 September 19821984Irish National Marathon ChampionshipCork 2:14:39Irish Times, 24 April 1984, pg. 3Placed 2nd in race, but awarded the National Marathon title after Jerry Kiernan was disqualified for breaking the IAAF rule regarding the size of advertising lettering on his singlet 23 April 19841984Los Angeles OlympicsLos Angeles51st place2:24:41Mens Marathon at Sports Reference 12 August 19841985Dublin MarathonDublin2:13:48Irish Times, 28 October 1985, pg. 1 and pg. 327 October 19851986Dublin MarathonDublin2:18:10Irish Times, 27 October 1986, pg. 326 October 198619861986 European Athletics Championships – Men's marathonStuttgart16th place2:17.45Irish Times, 1 September 1986, pg. 330 August 1986 19871987 Dublin MarathonDublin2:14:36Irish Times, 26 October 1987, pg. 525 October 19871988Irish National Marathon ChampionshipWexford 2:12:19 PBIrish Times, 25 April 1988, pg. 5 24 April 19881988Seoul OlympicsSeoul24th place2:17:16Mens Marathon at Sports ReferenceIrish Times, 3 October 1988, pg. 72 October 198819901990 European Championships in Athletics – Men's MarathonSplit23rd place2:32.361990 European Athletics Championships – Men's MarathonIrish Times, 2 September 1990, Sport pg. 51 September 19901998Irish National Marathon ChampionshipKillenaule(2:22:08)Irish Times, 20 April 1998, pg A419 April 19981998New York City MarathonNew York City34th place2:22:46Irish Times, 2 November 1998, pg. A31 November 1998
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