Barr gets his campaign off to a flyer in record time
THOMAS BARR made a promising start to his 2018 campaign by taking victory in the seldom-run indoor 400m hurdles at the Irish Life Health AAI Games in Abbotstown yesterday, his time of 50.50 an Irish best.
That gave him a comfortable victory over training partner Paul Byrne, runner-up in 52.46.
Sarah Healy broke the Irish U-20 and U-18 indoor 1500m record, the European Youth Olympic champion routing the field in the women’s 1500m to win in 4:16.03, well clear of Amy O’Donoghue (4:20.24).
Elsewhere, Ciara Mageean opened her season at the Millrose Games in New York, finishing third in the Wanamaker mile in 4:30.99, a race won by American Colleen Quigley in 4:30.05.
Clonmel’s Sean Tobin clocked 3:58.28 to finish fourth in the men’s invitational mile. Kate Veale, finished second in the women’s race walk mile.
In Estonia, rising multi-event star Kate O’Connor broke her own Irish indoor pentathlon record, racking up 4150 points at the Tallinn International to finish fourth. Phil Healy continued her fine run of form in Karlsruhe, Germany, finishing second in the women’s 400m in 52.68, a race won by Switzerland’s Lea Sprunger in 52.03.
At the European Clubs Cross Country in Portugal, Abbie Taylor finished fourth in the junior women’s race, leading Dundrum South Dublin to fifth in the team event. Lizzie Lee was 17th in the senior women’s race, leading Leevale to seventh.
Raheny Shamrock finished ninth in the senior men’s race, led home by Kevin Dooney in 17th. At the National Indoor League in Abbotstown on Saturday, Clonliffe Harriers claimed the men’s title with Dublin City Harriers successful in the women’s event.