AS A kid, Hugo Keenan might have viewed the Olympics as more of a possibility for his brother than him.
But, when the prospect of playing at the Paris Games became realistic, he could not turn it down.
And, now, he hopes his 15s game will benefit rather than suffer by returning to Sevens for a short stint.
The Olympics conjure up memories of watching on TV in the family’s Wexford holiday home.
Keenan’s ability in both GAA and soccer is well-documented but he also dabbled in 400m, 800m, long jump and triple jump but he was outshone in track and field by older brother Robert.
Keenan, 28, said: “He holds the Blackrock 100m record, I think he ran a 10.9 when he was 17.
“When he was in fifth year, they came second in the 4x100m relay, and they all decided they’d give athletics the full crack the next year, despite the Leaving Cert.
“They won Leinster, set a record, and then in the final of the All-Irelands they dropped the baton, on track to win. My brother was running the final straight, and never got to run.
“They could have pushed for the All-Ireland record, a few days before the Leaving Cert. But that’s sport for you.”
Keenan knows a bit how fortunes ebb and flow.
He stepped away from the Sevens programme before they qualified for Tokyo but his focus on 15s has been well rewarded.
He is hoping for a similar return this time around.
He said: “I’ve spoken to many of you about what Sevens had done for me in the past in developing me as a player, how good it was for my 15s career.
“I’m hoping that this will be a little jumpstart in the middle of my career to kick me on and improve different areas.”
GOLD PUSH
But that is not the immediate focus which is an Olympic medal which looks like a realistic aim now than we he left.
He said: “We were only starting to compete. Now you see the side looking for medals in each of the tournaments and series they play.”
His switch to Sevens has, he said, the support of all of the Ireland coaches.
It was always at the back of his mind but did not make a final decision until May, having had some injury problems earlier in the season.
The Leinster star described his return to the squad as having a feel of a first day at school, although that was offset by already knowing all but one of 13 team-mates in his first tournament back in Madrid.
He will be watching from afar as Andy Farrell’s side try to get the better of South Africa this Saturday and next.
And the Leinster star said he had been on the receiving end of some good-natured stick from the team-mates he had left when both squads were training alongside each other at Abbotstown.
The scrutiny of James Topping’s team might be a little less intense but he said: “The pressure was to prove my worth to the team and warrant selection for the Olympics.
“That’s different to the pressure of an 80,000 crowd in Twickenham or a home game in the Aviva or the World Cup with the team expectation
“But pressure is pressure, no matter what way you look at it, and I think I hold myself to a high standard, no matter what form of game or what level it is.”