Even as a six-time All-American runner from Providence College in 1993, assistant cross-country and track and field coach Sinead Delahunty-Evans had some unfinished business to take care of.

She held a dream throughout college to run faster and eventually compete in the Olympics.

After signing a contract with New Balance in 1994, her dream started to become a reality.

Delahunty-Evans would go on to compete in two Olympic Games and four World Championships for her native Ireland in her 11-year professional career.

However, it was as a spectator at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London that she had the opportunity to reflect on her professional career, and ultimately, those initial aspirations she had while a student-athlete at Providence.

"For me, I relived what a great achievement it is to compete on the international level," said Delahunty-Evans. "Now, more than ever, I have grown to really be able to appreciate it."

Her road to success began when she was young.

As a 10-year old in Kilkenny, Ireland, Delahunty-Evans aspired to join the Kilkenny City Harriers, a renowned running club.

The next eight years saw her quickly emerge as one of the club's top runners, and was when she found her favorite event-the 1,500-meter run.

From there, though, her next step happened to be at Division-I Providence in the United States, where she ran for esteemed coach Ray Treacy.

Delahunty-Evans starred at Providence, collecting six All-American honors and establishing numerous school records.

She was quick to attribute her professional success to Treacy's adept coaching.

"[Track-and-field] is a sport of attrition," she said. "It involves consistency from season to season, and in order to be the best athlete you can be, you must have an honest and clear relationship with your coach."

Coaching proved to be quite important, as she embarked on her new career with New Balance in 1994 with her new coach, husband John Evans.

He guided and trained his wife to some impressive accomplishments, beginning with a victory in the Fifth Avenue Mile in New York. She won the race in 1995, covering the distance in a quick four minutes, 25 seconds and beating Paula Radcliffe-who is perhaps best known as world record holder in the women's marathon-in a close finish.

Yet, it was in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia where Delahunty-Evans showcased her talent on the world's largest stage.

While Delahunty-Evans ultimately advanced to the 1996 semifinals for Ireland in Atlanta, finishing with a time of 4:12.52 in the 1,500 meter, she could not help but be dismayed at her close brush with a potential victory.

"1996 was disappointing, especially because I was in such phenomenal shape," she said. "While I made it to the semifinals, nerves still got the best of me."

However, one Olympics appearance proved not to be the only one for Delahunty-Evans.

She persisted, and after a rigorous training season, managed to once again compete for Ireland in Sydney. While she fell short of another semifinals appearance in 2000, Delahunty-Evans still noted that the experiences were unforgettable for her.

"You don't often get to travel around the world with some of the best runners out there," she said. "That's something you'll always have with you."

Delahunty-Evans will also always have the memorable experience of competing for Ireland in four International Athletics Association Federation Track and Field World Championships. She continued her strong string of performances, securing top-four finishes in the 1,500-meter in 1997 and 2000.

"It is essentially the same as the Olympics-it's the same level of competition but just under a different umbrella," she said of the World Championships. "It was the same great atmosphere, and of course, I loved having the opportunity to represent my country."

She took a professional hiatus to raise the couple's first son. However, after some time off, she longed to get back into the sport. After reflecting on the excellent coaching she received as an athlete, she wished to pay it forward, which she began in 2010.

"I had great coaching and it is easy to apply the lessons I learned along the way," she said. "There's an art to knowing what your athlete needs to succeed, and hopefully, I've learned that."

For the past four years as an assistant coach under her husband, she has more than succeeded. Delahunty-Evans has helped coach eight Brandeis athletes to NCAA appearances, including All-Americans Grayce Selig '11 and Chris Brown '12.

This year is a special one for her, though, as it will be the first in which she is a full-time coach. The most exciting part, for her, is being able to see her athletes excel on a daily basis.

"The best feeling-for me as a coach-is when someone runs a [personal record]," she said. "I'm so excited to see them succeed this year."

If the past is any indication, the squads are in for the experience of a lifetime.