Irish youngsters impress as Mageean gets up and running
CIARA MAGEEAN was among the many Irish athletes to make the trip to Belgium over the weekend to compete in the IFAM meeting in Oordegem, the 25-year-old opening her season with a run of 2:03.12 to finish eighth in the 800m.
With ideal conditions for fast times, Christopher O’Donnell had a breakthrough performance over 400m, running 46.92 to qualify for the European Junior Championships in July. Paul Byrne impressed with a personal best of 50.68 for 400m hurdles, while his training partner Sharlene Mawdsley clocked a European U23 qualifying time of 23.88 for 200m.
Andrew Coscoran ran 3:41.20 in the 1500m, while junior sprinter Gina Akpe-Moses clocked 11.56 over 100m, which ranks her fourth in Europe this year. Christine McMahon registered a decent 58.31 in the 400m hurdles.
At the AAI Games in Santry, Sarah Lavin bounced back to form, the former European junior silver medallist winning the 100m hurdles in 13.72, while Sean Breathnach impressed in the shot put with a best of 18.20m.
Amy McTeggart took the heptathlon title at the national combined events in Santry with a tally of 4302 points, while Shane Aston won the decathlon with 6540 points.
Clonliffe Harriers and Dundrum South Dublin were in action at the European Clubs Champions Cup in Leiria, Portugal, with Clonliffe finishing third and fifth in their respective divisions.
In the US, Síofra Cléirigh Buttner punched her ticket to the NCAA Championships in Eugene next month with an impressive win at the East Preliminary in Kentucky, running 2:02.11 for 800.