SÍOFRA GOES SUPER-NOVA

IRISH athletes like Ronnie Delany, Sonia O’Sullivan, Eamonn Coghlan and Marcus O’Sullivan are legendary graduates of Villanova University.

The latter is still there as head of its track and field programme and another Irish talent who has been there for the last four years had a breakthrough moment at the weekend.

Síofra Cleirigh-Buttner (22) posted a new Irish indoor record of 2:02.46 when she took 800m silver in the US Collegiate (NCAA) Indoor Championships in Texas.

The Dubliner had a memorable unbeaten run during her time in Irish schools athletics, the bed-rock of future stars, both at cross country and track.

Cleirigh-Buttner won six schools’ cross country titles in-a-row (two each at junior, intermediate and senior) yet that feat has just been outdone by teenager Sarah Healy of Blackrock AC and Holy Child Killiney. She’s just become the first athlete to ever win Irish schools Cross-Country titles at minor, junior, intermediate and senior as the minor category has since been added to the All-Irelands.