Many of Ireland’s top athletes who are bound for the London Olympics were in action this weekend at the Woodie’s DIY Senior Track and Field Championships in Morton Stadium Santry. The Woodie’s DIY athlete of the meet was named as Irish 400m Record Holder, Joanne Cuddihy (KCH).
The Kilkenny woman won the 200m in convincing style in 23.15 (+2.5 m/s) on day one of the championships from Niamh Whelan (Ferrybank) in 23.62 and Steffi Creaner (DCH AC) in 23.71. Although wind assisted this is one of Cuddihy’s best 200m times. She then went onto the do a double today, dominating the 400m crossing the line in 51.89. Follow 4x400m team members, took the other medal places; Marian Heffernan (Togher AC) was second in 53.32 with Michelle Carey (Dublin Striders AC) third in 53.50.
Brian Murphy (Crusaders AC) successfully defended his 400m title, crossing the line in 46.97, with former indoor medallist Paul McKee (Beechmount Harriers) second in 47.67 and Richard Morrissey (Havering Mayesbrook) third in 47.76.
The men’s 100m produced one of the most exciting races of the day with Jason Smyth (City of Derry AC) getting a fantastic start but Irish Record Holder Paul Hession (Athenry AC) came through strongly to take his fifth national title in a season’s best of 10.37 (wind+1). Smyth finished in 10.38 and Steven Colvert (Crusaders AC) who had a poor start came through to finish third in 10.59. Speaking after the race Hession said: “It is great to win the title, in better conditions I think I could have run 10.2. I will probably race in Italy this week and I will then so some final training ahead of the Olympics. ”
The women’s 100m title went to Amy Foster (City of Lisburn) in 11.60 (+.7m/s) with Kelly Proper (Ferrybank AC) second in 11.84 and club-mate Niamh Whelan third in 11.86.
Colvert won the Men’s 200m in 20.78 from Irish Youth Record Holder Marcus Lawlor in 21.37 and Dara Kervick (CarrickonSuir AC) in 21.46. Colvert ran 20.40 in the heat, which was inside the Olympic standard of 20.55 but it was wind assisted (+3 metres per the second/legal is +2). The U23 Record Holder’s bid to achieve the Olympic standard of 20.55 is now over having come agonisingly close on two occasions running 20.57.
In the 100m Hurdles, Irish Record Holder Derval O’Rourke (Leevale AC) withdrew from the final due to a muscle spasm for precautionary measures. O’Rourke had competed in the LEAP meet in Loughborough yesterday running 13.23 and 13.20 off her seasons best of 13.09. The title went to Mairead Murphy (Ferrybank AC) in 14.47.
In the 400m Hurdles, the young 19 year old Thomas Barr (Ferrybank) retained his title in 50.87 from Jason Harvey (Crusaders AC) in 51.43 and Paul Byrne (St. Abbans AC) third in 53.49. European finalist Jessie Barr, sister of Thomas won the 400m Hurdles in 57.33. Barr had been bidding to achieve the Olympic standard of 55.50 although unsuccessful she will be on route to London as she has been named on the women’s 4x400m relay squad.
The men’s and women’s 800m finals proved to be tactical rather than practically fast. Dean Cronin (Blarney Iniscarra A.C) put in a gutsy performance to get the better of more experienced competitors to win in 1:52.48. Indoor senior champion Brian Kelly (St. Abban’s AC) was second in 1.52.48 and Billy Ryan (Ferrybank AC) was third in 1:52.86. Cronin who is only 19 put in a great spurt in the last 100m to overtake race leader’s Anthony Lieghio (Tallaght AC) and the other eventual medallist.
In the women’s 800m Siobhan Eviston of Raheny Shamrock AC retained her 800m title winning in 2:06.04 from Laura Crowe (Riocht AC) in 2.07.14 and Roseanne Galligan (Newbridge AC) who was fastest time of the season going into the race was third in 1.52.86. The men’s 1,500m saw Colin Costello (Star of the Sea AC) overtake Eoin Everard (Kilkenny City Harriers) in the last 50m to win by two hundredths of a second in 3:54.57. Orla Drumm (UCC AC) was a good winner of the women’s 1,500m in 4:19.55 from Claire Tarplee (Dundrum South Dublin AC) in 4:20.23
Maria McCambridge (Letterkenny AC) won the women’s 5,000m in 16.02.52 while the Men’s 5,000m title went to Mark Hanrahan in 14:13.80. The Men’s 10,000m was won Brian Maher (KCH AC) in 30.17.06 from Inter county Cross Country medallist, Gary O’Hanlon (Clonliffe Harriers AC) in 30.33.99.
Colin Griffin of Ballinamore Ac won his first ever national Senior title in the 10k Walk in 41.47.66, looking strong and consistent throughout. Griffin who returned from a training camp in Spain to compete in the championships has been nominated by Athletics Ireland to the OCI to compete in the gruelling 50k Walk at the London Olympic Games.
Irish Record Holder, Tori Pena (Finn Valley AC) secured a national title jumping 4.35m in the Women’s Pole Vault. While Irish Record Holder, Kelly Proper was back to competing in her number one event the Long Jump, winning with a leap of 6.33 (+4.6). Deirdre Ryan (DSD AC) fresh from her season’s best of 1.90m in Bottrop Meet in Germany on Friday night jumped 1.80m to take a National title and build on her preparation for London.
Crusaders AC produced an Irish Club record in the Men’s 4x400m winning in 3:10.59, the team of Brian Murphy, Jason Harvey, Eoin Mulhall and Richard Morrissey broke the record of 3:12.21 which was held by Dublin City Harriers..
Elsewhere there were a number of athletes in action in European yesterday in an attempt to achieve the Olympic Standard. In Madrid, Brian Gregan (Clonliffe Harriers AC) ran 46.09 in the Men’s 400m to finish third; the race was won by Kevin Borlée of Belgium in 45.09. This was off his personal best that he set at the European Championships of 45.63 and outside the standard of 45.30. Mark English (Letterkenny AC) was also outside the standard finished fourth in the 800m in 1.46.20 (standard 1:45.60), English will compete in the World Junior Championships this week.
Ciara Mageann (UCD AC) will line up in the Savo Games in Finland tonight in attempt to secure the 1500m time.