From the AAI Kelly Proper (Ferrybank AC) took the Women’s Long Jump title with a leap of 6.35m at the Woodie’s DIY National Senior Indoor Track and Field Championships at the AIT International Arena, Athlone today. Not only was this a new stadium record but it also brings her total tally of indoor titles to 15 – equalling that of World 50k Walks Champion Robert Heffernan, as the most prolific winner of indoor national titles.
Proper said: “I’m absolutely delighted with it (15th title). In the last few weeks I’m so close to getting back to near my personal best in the long jump (6.62), training is going great and I’m so happy with how my season has gone so far and hopefully I go even better in the next week or so.” The Waterford woman went on to set a stadium record and personal best in the 200m heats of 23.75.
With Robert Heffernan competing in the Millrose Games in New York this weekend it was left to Alex Wright (Calry AC) a member of his training academy in Cork to take the Men’s 5k Walk title in a time of 19.25.38, which is third fastest in the All-time List. Wright who hails from London has recently declared for Ireland spoke after the race: “I’m very happy with the title today, it’s been a tough week of training and it’s a PB for me too”.
There was a battle between Wright’s training partners Luke Hickey (Leevale AC) and Brendan Boyce (Letterkenny AC) with Hickey sitting in behind Boyce throughout before he pulled away crossing the line in 19:56.78 and Boyce finished third in 20:03.91, both personal best times. The Women’s 3k was won by Lauren Whelan (Leevale AC) in 14.22.96 which is her third personal best in the last two months.
The women’s 3000m title went to Deirdre Doyle (SLOT AC) in 9:53.64 while Maria O’Sullivan (Raheny AC) who had led right up to the closing lap was second in 9:53.97. Sinéad O’Connor of Leevale AC was third in 10:02.79.
The women’s shot put was won by Claire Fitzgerald (Tralee Harriers AC) with 14.95m a new stadium record, improving on her all-time best of 14.75m. Ian Rogers of Clonliffe Harriers AC won the Men’s Senior Pole Vault in 4.60m, while his team mate David Donegan who was targeting his 10th National title was second with 4.50m. There was joint third placing for Thomas Houlihan (West Waterford AC) and Stuart Greene (Raheny AC) with 4.40m. The women’s high jump title went to Grainne Moggan (DSD AC) with a jump of 1.68m. The Triple Jump Men’s was won by Antony Daffurn (St. Ronans A.C.) in 14.99m.
In the Men’s 1500m it was first four in each heat with four fastest to qualify for the final; David McCarthy (West Waterford A.C.) won heat one in 4:04.84 with Darragh Greene (Dunleer A.C.) taking the second heat in 3:58.90.
With Roseanne Galligan (Newbridge AC) having to withdraw due to illness the expected battle between herself and Ciara Everard (UCD AC) in the Women’s 800m will not now transpire. Everard took the first heat in a conservative 2:20.73 clearly saving energies for tomorrow’s final while Fiona Kehoe (Kilmore AC) took the second heat in 2:16.30.
With the newly crowned Irish 800m Indoor Senior Record holder Mark English (UCD AC) withdrawing from the championships during the week due to illness it has left the battle for the National title wide open. In the heats it was the first two plus two fastest qualifiers for a place in the final. The fastest winner of the three heats was Harry Purcell (Trim AC) who is coached by Eamonn Coghlan in 1:54.77.
In the Men’s 60m heats the most impressive of the morning’s action was David Hynes (Menapians AC) with 6.86 seconds. The winners of the other heats were as follows; Steven Colvert (Crusaders AC) 6.92, Marcus Lawler (SLOT) 6.95, Keith Doherty (Tallaght AC) 7.02, Jamie Davis (Raheny AC) 7.03, Laurence O’Reilly (Tullamore AC) 7.05. Semi-Finals and Finals take place tomorrow.
From the Men’s 200m heats it was the six fastest times from the seven heats who qualified into tomorrow’s final so all competitors were not holding back with four of the qualifiers running sub 22 seconds. Marcus Lawler looked impressive crossing the line in 21.39, while Zak Irwin (Sligo AC) set a new personal best of 21.70, David Qulligan (Leevale AC) was the third qualifier with 21.90. The remaining qualifiers were; Eanna Madden (Carrick on Shannon) 21.95, Mark Kavanagh (DSD AC) 22.00 and Jason Harvey (Crusaders AC) 22.08.
Action kicks off tomorrow at 1pm with live TV coverage from RTE from 3pm.
