It was a case of keeping the best wine until last at yesterday's Glo Health Senior Championships of Ireland at Morton Stadium in Santry when Ciarán O'Lionaird (Leeavle AC) and Ciara Mageean (UCD) delivered class winning performances in their respective men's and women's 1500 metre finals.
For Ciara Mageean, this was an especially sweet Sunday afternoon in Santry as she came home a clear winner in the women’s 1500m-finishing strongly in 4:15.35, ahead of Fionnuala Brtton, (Kilcoole AC) 4:18.33 and Kerry O’Flaherty,(Newcastle & District), 4:18.77.
The smile on her face as she crossed the finish line told its own story for Mageean who was having only her second track race in over two years during which time she had struggled with a difficult ankle injury that eventually required surgery and a long period of rehab.
‘Greatly supportive’
“Athletics Ireland and UCD have been greatly supportive along the way and I cannot give enough praise to Athletics Ireland lead physiotherapist, Emma Galvin, and to George Petrakos, my strength and conditioning coach at UCD who has helped to keep me fit and lean during my long period of injury.”
Mageean also singled out her coach and RTÉ panellist Jerry Kiernan for special mention. “Jerry has encouraged me to be patient and not to start back racing too soon, ” Mageean said. “I could only jog for about 15 minutes at a time at the start of the year and made sure that I would only come back to racing when I was ready.”
In yesterday’s women’s 1500m final, Mageean kicked for home over the final 300 metres showing again the flowing style that saw her win a silver medal at 1500 metres in the World Junior Championships of 2010 and another silver medal in the European Junior Championships a year later.
In 2011 she also posted a 1500 metres time of 4:07.45 which was a B qualifying standard for the London Olympics. At that point, Mageean was being hailed as the next Sonia O’Sullivan, before injury brought her blossoming career to shuddering halt in August of 2012.
Ciarán O’Lionaird’s victory in the men’s 1500 metres was a also a triumph over adversity and the Leevale runner was thrilled with his performance which earned him the Athlete of the Meet Award.
With four of the leading contenders in this event – Paul Robinson (St Cocas AC), O’Lionaird (Leevale AC), John Travers (Donore Harriers) and David McCarthy (West Waterford AC) already qualified for the European Championships in Zurich, the 1500 metres final promised to be one of the races of the championships and it did not disappoint.
Paul Robinson set out to control the race from the front and with a lap to go, it was Robinson who led the way followed closely by O’Lionaird and a battling John Travers.
Home straight
Robinson was still slightly ahead coming into the home straight, but it was O’Lionaird who had the final edge over the final 50 metres and he came home a winner in 3:43.8 ahead of Robinson, 3:44.16, and John Travers who held on well to finish third in 3:45.00. David McCarthy finished fourth in 3:45.64.
Another athlete to show his class in Santry was Mark English (UCD) who cruised to victory in the men’s 800 metres final – taking the title in 1:49.91 ahead of Declan Murray (Clonliffe Harriers), 1:50.25.
