Ireland’s top sprinter has been hailed for her bravery after she chased a thief through a Dublin apartment block in a bid to retrieve her stolen mobile phone.

Cork born athlete Ailis McSweeney blamed the weight of her handbag on her failure to catch the thief who snatched her bag as she left the All-Ireland football semi-final at Croke Park.

The Irish record holder over a hundred meters, McSweeney was at the game to cheer on her husband Bryan Cullen, a former Dublin captain and current squad member.

She was leaving the ground when the thug on a bike stole her mobile phone according to the Irish Independent.

She gave chase but failed to catch the thief, saying her handbag slowed her down.

McSweeney tweeted: “Phone stolen from my hand by a scumbag on a bike when walking out from the game. Gave decent chase thro (through) an apartment block Love Hate style”.

The report says she added she was “so mad”, and claimed: “Handbag slowed me down”.