The Woodie’s DIY AAI Games in the new Athlone IT indoor arena on Sunday produced the expected long list of new PBs and one new record. David Sharpe’s 1986 GB junior 1,500m indoor record went by the new Athlone boards when Matthew McLaughlin ran the race of his life to win in a time of 3:42.87, and in the process smashed his own PB by taking almost five seconds off his outdoor best of 3:47.69. Mark Nouws from Holland was second in 3:43.53, and Darren McBrearty (Lettekenny AC) was third in 3:45.38.
Brian Gregan (Clonliffe Harriers) was never threatened in the 400m, cruising through 200m in 21.9 and then holding his form brilliantly to cross the line in 46.07 to smash his previous best of 46.66 and record one of the fastest 400m times in the world this year. His time is also well inside the standard for the European Indoor championships, and is the fastest time ever run for an indoors 400m in Ireland. The previous best was held by Alleyne Fancique (GRN) who clocked 46.19 in Belfast in 2006.
Another All Comers record went west in the 3,000m, an intriguing race that saw Juan Higuero (Spain) outpace compatriots Casado Arteuro and Roberto Alaiz to win in a time of 7:52.14, well inside Mark Christie’s 7:58.12 in Belfast in 2007.
Kelly Proper (Ferybank AC) showed she is really getting back into the swing of things when she won the 60m in a time of 7.55 from clubmate Niamh Whelan in 7.57. The ‘Great to be back’ look on Proper’s face as she crossed the line put an end to almost 18 months of frustration due to injuries and illness. She made it a double when she won the long jump with 6.04m to make her doubly happy in this amazing arena. Whelan later won the 20m in 24.43 from Louise Kiernan (Fingallians AC) in 24.76.
Robert Heffernan (Togher AC) put in another amazing performance when he won the 3,000m walk in a time of 11:13.92, his second fastest time ever for the distance behind his 11:10.02 Irish record achieved in Cardiff eleven years ago.
Max Kessler from Germany won the 60m in 6.81 from David Hynes (Menapians AC) in 6.91. Zac Irwin (Sligo AC), still a youth, clocked 6.98 for fourth, and clocked 21.97 in the 200m. Kessler won in 21.30 from Hynes in 21.84.
Disaster struck in the women’s 800m when long time leader Ciara Everard (Kilkenny City Harriers) hit the deck just metres from the line, and a fraction of a second later Laura Crowe (An Riocht AC) also came tumbling down to leave Jana Hartman (Germany) the winner in 2:04.14 from Siobhan Eviston (Raheny Shamrock AC) in 2:04.35. In third place was Siofra Cleirigh Buttner (Dundrum South Dublin AC) in a fanatastic time of 2:05.26, a big PB for her and it also betters Ciara Mageean’s Irish junior record of 2:07.79. Once again Hartman’s time was another new All Comers record.
Provisional Results