ATHLETICS:ONLY SEVEN Irish athletes have made the cut for the European Indoor Championships, which get under way in Paris on Friday week. Ciara Mageean is the only mildly surprising exclusion, although the Down teenager has in fact revised her plans to target the championships after consulting with her coach, Eamonn Christie.
Athletics Ireland had been in a slightly awkward position after Mageean’s disappointing run over 1,500 metres in Sunday’s National Indoors in Belfast; Mageean faded to third over the final lap, behind winner Mary Cullen, but was still hopeful of being selected for Paris. However, on reflection, it was decided to call time on her indoor season, and probably wisely so.
Mageean has had a long campaign of races, going back to her silver medal run in the World Junior Championships last July, and given she doesn’t turn 19 until next month, is still eligible for the European Juniors this summer.
On that basis – and given her self-described “flat” performance on Sunday, the sensible thing was to skip Paris altogether in favour of some sustained training.
Cullen, meanwhile, will compete in the 3,000 metres, having run a season’s best of 8:53.01 in Birmingham just 24 hours before her 1,500-metre win in Belfast. That moved the Sligo athlete up to eighth on the European Indoor ranking list, although she’s still a little short of the sort of time that saw her win bronze in the event in Turin two years ago.
Derval O’Rourke is still determined to challenge for another medal in the 60-metre hurdles, and hopes to return to full training this week having missed Belfast with a groin strain.
Her lack of races is hardly ideal, and her 8.03 run earlier this month is also only ranked eighth fastest, but O’Rourke is renowned for producing her best on the championship stage. But she will need to prove her fitness in training this week before confirming for Paris. Training partner Ailis McSweeney is selected in the 60 metres flat, fresh from her lifetime best of 7.32 in Belfast, although that’s only 24th fastest in Europe this season.
Long jumper Kelly Proper and Tori Pena in the pole vault complete the Irish women’s interest.
Just two Irish men have made the necessary standard; Brian Gregan in the 400 metres and Darren McBrearty in the 800 metres. Gregan is ranked 11th fastest in Europe with his 46.82 this season and is a potential finalist, while McBrearty will make his championship debut. Athletics Ireland have left open the cut off date for selection until this Sunday, with a couple more athletes still knocking on the door of qualifying times, including Marian Heffernan in the 400 metres.
“The team is small but elite,” says Ray Flynn, Athletics Ireland chair of high performance. “It’s a good blend of youth and experience, but with the closing date not until next Sunday there is still the chance for other Irish athletes who are close to qualifying times.”
Ireland team
Paris, March 4th-6th
60 metre hurdles: Derval O’Rourke (Leevale)
60 metres: Ailis McSweeney (Leevale)
3,000 metres: Mary Cullen (North Sligo)
Pole Vault: Tori Pena (Finn Valley)
Long jump: Kelly Proper (Ferrybank)
400 metres: Brian Gregan (Clonliffe Harriers)
800 metres: Darren McBrearty (Letterkenny)
