Press Release Eileen O’Keeffe secured her ninth title throwing 69.91m in the Women’s Hammer today at the Woodie’s DIY Senior Track and Field Championships of Ireland at Morton Stadium, Santry. This is a seasonal best for O’Keeffe and illustrates that the Kilkenny woman has returned to form, after her post-Olympics operation that rectified the injury which inhibited her performance in Beijing. Eileen will compete in the World Championships in Berlin in two weeks time and a throw of this caliber could see her make the final. O’Keeffe also won the discus with a throw of 43.86m. 21 year old, Kelly Proper of Ferrybank AC did the double today, winning both the Long Jump and 200m. Proper won the Long Jump with a leap of 6.68m, the longest jump ever by an Irish women; however the jump was wind assisted (+3.) and will not stand as a record. Proper then broke away from the long jump competition to won the 200m in 24.34 seconds with club-mate Niamh Whelan finishing second in 24.68 seconds. The Waterford woman will look to make it compete in the 100m and will be looking to do the triple.
Olive Loughnane of Athenry AC won the 3km walk in a personal best in 21.03.45 minutes, in blustery conditions, an improvement on the 21.07.28 she set at the 2008 championships. Loughnane finished 7th in the Olympics last year and will be looking to improve on this when she competes in the 20k walk in Berlin.
David Gillick of Dundrum South Dublin won the Men’s 200m Final in 21.43 from Darragh Graham of Sli Chulann in 21.55 seconds and goes to the World Championships in top form. Gillick would have no doubt improved on his personal best of 21.21 seonds, if it was not for the strong headwind of -3.6m.
Fionnualla Britton of Sli Cualann AC won the Steeplechase in 10.04.95 minutes, outside her seasonal best of 9:54.10 minutes set at the final World University Games, Belgrade in July. Britton has the B standard for the World Championships will be hoping that they will be enough for her to gain selection for Berlin.
Martin Fagan failed to finish the men’s 10,000m due to Achilles problems and selection for the World Championships now looks doubtful. The race was won by Josphat Boit in 29.44.55 minutes. Club mate, Cibanu Serguie finished second in 30.51.42 helping to secure the team championships gold medal for Clonliffe.
Cross country specialist, Linda Byrne of Dundrum South Dublin AC won the women’s 5000m in style in 16.39.62 minutes from Rosemary Ryan of Bilboa AC in 16.45.48 minutes.
In the triple Jump Mary McLoone took the title in 12.75m and she also finished second in the Long Jump in 6.30m. Kourosh Foroughi won the long jump with a leap of 2.10m. At the European Junior Championships in Serbia in July, Foroughi was just outside the medals finishing fifth. Barry Pender of St. Abbans, also a finalist at the Junior,s finished second with a jump of 2.05m. Irish Junior Record Holder, Colin Quirke of Crusaders AC won the Shot Putt in a new personal best of 15.90m. Olivia McDonald won the Javelin with a throw of 38.11m.
Thomas Chamney and David Campbell have easily qualified for tomorrow’s 800m final both winning their heats. They have had some absorbing battles over the 800 meters at previous Senior Track and Field championships. Both athletes have the B standard for the 800m, so the winner of this race will be selected for the World Championships in Berlin. Campbell will also line up in the 1500m final. Derval O’Rourke will not line up in the 110m hurdles final tomorrow as she has picked up a slight infection. Olympian Paul Hession will line up in the 100m.
