“My heart is broken… It will be for quite a while, if not always,” track icon Sarah Lavin told the Irish Examiner in June 2023. It had been barely two months since the Irish hurdler’s world came crashing down on April 13th when she made this statement. On that day, Lavin lost her “best friend” and the man who showed the meaning of “true love,” Craig Breen. It was a statement that defines a part of Lavin’s life to this day.

2023 was shaping to be a landmark year in the track and field veteran’s career. While she achieved new heights last year, she did so with a heavy heart. On that fateful day in April, the couple started their day looking forward to making a mark in their respective sports. However, 33-year-old racer Craig Breen met with a fatal collision while testing his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 car.

Craig Breen: An athlete and champion

Craig Breen had been behind the wheel of a rally car countless times by 2023. The experienced driver had raced flawlessly when the stakes were far higher, at speeds that could have proved to be far deadlier. However, it was during a practice run ahead of the 2023 Croatia Rally when the driver’s side of his car collided fatally with a pole on a dirt road in Lobor, Croatia.

The crash that took Craig Breen’s life left his co-driver unharmed. Just like his partner Sarah Lavin, 2023 was shaping up to be a great year for the driver. Just months before the crash, the Irishman had moved from M-Sport to the Hyundai World Rally Team. Breen finished second at the Sweden Rally and was excited for Croatia. His ultimate goal was the 2023 WRC crown.

However, we’ll never know what may have been. The son of Irish national champion Ray Breen, Craig Breen was born on February 2, 1990, in Waterford, Ireland. Sarah Lavin’s late boyfriend grew up with rallying in his veins and started karting when he was 10. He had graduated to rallying by age 17 and earned the Young Irish Rally Driver of the Year title in 2009.

In his 13-year career, the 33-year-old won several titles, reached the pinnacle of the sport, and set his sights on the World Rally Championship title. Over the years, Breen raced under the banners of teams like M-Sport, Citroën, Ford, Hyundai, and more. It was this innate competitive spirit that brought Craig Breen and Sarah Lavin together. While we don’t know when the couple began dating or how long they dated, they were head over heels for each other.

“My best friend, I will miss you forever Craig. Thank you for showing me true love. You were so much more than a driver to so many people. I will love you always, sweet dreams sweetheart,” Sarah Lavin shared on Craig Breen’s first death anniversary. The 2023 European Games bronze medalist included snippets of her memories with her late boyfriend.

The images and video provided fans with a window into the couple’s personal life and how much they loved each other. However, the world didn’t need an Instagram post to understand how much Sarah Lavin cared for her partner, because the hurdler has proved her love for Breen time and again. In fact, not just Breen, but the runner from Limerick has dedicated her biggest achievements to his family as well.

Sarah Lavin’s deep connection with Breen’s family

“Above all, Craig made me incredibly happy,” Lavin told the Irish Examiner. “It’s (happiness) not something we can train on the track and it’s the scariest thing for me now. I love him dearly. I love his family dearly,” she added in the June 2023 interview. Craig Breen’s untimely demise devastated Sarah Lavin and his family, but it brought the partner and parents closer than ever.

Lavin and Breen’s parents helped one another through their grief, which helped the hurdler get back on her feet. “They have been pillars of strength in my weakest moments. His parents are the most compassionate, gentle, kind people, with the most wonderful human traits that were instilled in him,” the Olympian said in 2023.

After losing Breen, Sarah Lavin dedicated herself to improving her skills. The track and field icon pushed through the hard days and trained even harder. All she wanted was “to do him proud.” Sarah Lavin thanked the fans for their support when she shattered the 100m Irish national record. However, she didn’t forget to thank Craig Breen’s parents. “And particularly Jackie and Ray (Breen) at home, we did it!” said the Olympian.

Today, the 30-year-old athlete is preparing to make her mark at the Paris Olympics. If Lavin succeeds, fans can be sure that the Irish track star will dedicate her medal to the late Craig Breen and his parents.