ARGY BARRGY!
Final gets physical as Thomas drops out
CONTROVERSY raged at yesterday’s National Senior Indoor Championships in Abbotstown as Thomas Barr was sent crashing out of the men’s 400m final, the 26-year-old pushed by rival Andrew Mellon.
At the break of lanes midway through the two-lap race, Barr closed in from the outside to slot into second-place behind leader Cillín Greene, but soon clashed with Mellon and Brandon Arrey as they entered the turn, Mellon pushing Barr to the side, at which point the Ferrybank athlete slowed to a stop.
Greene went on to win in 47.19, enough to join Barr on the team at next week’s Euro Indoors, with Mellon avoiding disqualification in second with 48.02 and Arrey third in 48.15.
‘He was a foot behind and came trying to dive through the gap that was closing,” said Barr. ‘I’m much smaller and slighter than he is and he pushed me out of the way. That’s indoor 400 running. I probably should have kept an eye on the peripherals.’ Barr opted out of the race instead of continuing, unwilling to risk aggravating a knee injury he had picked up in recent days. ‘I went with my gut and said there’s no point carrying on – I was going to find it tough to get back up with the lads anyway.’
Phil Healy looked a class apart as she powered around the track to take the women’s 400m title, Ireland’s fastest ever woman clocking 52.81 to beat Sophie Becker (53.95).
‘I felt good, it was about getting another run in the legs,’ said Healy, who is ranked fourth fastest in Europe ahead of next week’s event.
‘Everyone can talk about medals, but the pressure is what you put on yourself. It’ll be back to a hard week this week, then relax and take it easy into Glasgow.’
Mark English barely broke sweat while taking the men’s 800m title in 1:51.77 from Zak Curran and the Donegal man is confident of a strong showing in next week’s showpiece.
‘My plan was to get the win, to take the lead at 600m and hang on for dear life,’ he said.
‘My fitness is definitely as good as it has been, if not better.’
There was a huge shock in the men’s 1500m with Eoin Pearce outlasting former champions Kieran Kelly and Eoin Everard to take gold. ‘I can’t believe it,’ said Pearce. ‘Every dog has his day.’