Thomas Barr contemplating the normal life as Paris Olympics approach

Thomas Barr is determined to give one final Olympic cycle absolutely everything as the Waterford man begins to contemplate life off the track.

Twice an Olympian, including a fourth-placed finish in the 400m hurdles seven years ago in Rio, Barr feels he can get back to those levels once more in Paris next summer.

The last 18 months, though, have been frustrating. It's a period when an achilles injury disrupted his World Championships in Oregon in the summer of last year, before he had to pull out of the 2023 edition in Budapest with a calf injury.

But Barr believes that if he can stay fully fit, then there's enough in what he's running in training to convince him that he could go out on another major high at the Stade de France.

"Everything was pointing towards, in training, that I could get back into that low 48 seconds [and] possibly dip under," he says.

"This year, the way training has gone so far, in a time-trial session I ran my fastest ever 300m this early in a season.

"I'm definitely moving well so I'm quietly confident that I could get back into that shape, 100%."

One thing is certain and that is that Barr has delivered in the biggest of arenas. His best ever outdoor time came in that Olympic final at Rio as he crossed the line in 47.97.

Heartbreakingly he was on to go quicker in the semis five years later in Tokyo, but he clipped a hurdle late on and ended up finishing fourth in his semi-final and missing out on a final spot.

His time of 48.26 is the second fastest he has ever run and it matched the time posted by the winner of the third semi, Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands.

The luck of the draw, coupled with one poor jump, meant his Olympic dream was over.

"While it was bittersweet, for the last two years