ATHLETICS/National Championships: So often it takes championship running and all the tactics that come with it to find the true qualities of athletics. Like reaching physical limits and then relying purely on the will to win.
In Santry yesterday Gareth Turnbull gave as fine an exhibition of such reserves as ever witnessed at the Irish National Championships. Winning a classic 1,500-metre race was a thrill in itself, but the victory also ensured that Turnbull - and not the man he beat, James Nolan - will now travel to the World Championships in Paris.
Long before the crowds had gathered under the hot sun at the Morton Stadium the plot was known. Both Turnbull and Nolan had the B-standard qualifying time for Paris, but in that situation only one athlete per nation can enter the event. So, whoever won the title could also start packing his bags.
Even at that, no one could have predicted such a captivating race. First came the surprise pace-making of Conor Sweeney, a clubmate of Turnbull at St Malachy's in Belfast. Clearly intent on making the race as fast as possible, Sweeney led through 800 metres in one minute 54.84 seconds - world-class running by any standard.
By then Turnbull had settled into second, a few yards off the pace, with Nolan on his heels. Sweeney dropped back with 500 metres remaining, and with Turnbull now in front and left with all the work to do, it seemed the race had been set up for Nolan.
It seemed even more like Nolan's race when, at the bell, he raised one finger in the air, the first suggestion of his confidence. And at one point down the back stretch he clenched his fist in a similar display of intent.
What happened, then, in the last 100 metres was simply remarkable. Nolan got a step in front, only for Turnbull to respond with the strength of several athletes, and take the win in 3:40.32. Nolan crossed the line in his shadow in 3:40.47.
"Well I thoroughly enjoyed that," said Turnbull afterwards. "And I love a battle. A race like that is something to get very excited about. James deserves enormous credit for running 3:35 last week and setting this up. There wasn't much in it there at the end, and it's just a great shame that the standards are so strong that we can't send two."
Nolan, of course, was inconsolable and ran straight off the track to try and make sense of the race. Turnbull, now 24 and still coming into his prime, was left to relay the tension of those closing moments.
"Well, I didn't feel James at all until 50 metres to go. And then there was this big Paris sign about 10 yards before the line. So it was just 'get there first'."
The early surge to the front of Sweeney might have caught Nolan a little off guard, but the purpose was solely to make it an honestly run race. In that regard Nolan can't have too many complaints. Turnbull was fully deserving of his glory.
The only other head-to-head to decide an Irish place in Paris was in Saturday's 200 metres for men, with Paul Brizzel denying Gary Ryan the trip by defending his title in 21.01 seconds. Ryan in fact took third (21.05), with the fast-improving Paul Hession of Athenry taking the silver medal in 21.02.
There was some consolation for Ryan when he was named on the 400 metre relay squad for Paris, and he also came out yesterday to win the 100 metres in 10.29 seconds. Unfortunately, it was wind-assisted, and won't improve on Brizzel's Irish record of 10.35, although it will stand as a championship best.
The ever-consistent Ciara Sheehy ruled the women's sprints, winning both the 100 metres (11.54) and the 200 metres (23.58), repeating her feat of a year ago, and that earned her the women's athlete-of-the-championships award.
For Paul McKee, World Indoor bronze medallist, the season is still not going exactly to plan. Though victory in the men's 400 metres in 46.43 seconds secured his place on the Irish team, he was hoping to dip under 46 seconds, and perhaps threaten the 45.58 he clocked when winning here last year.
"Of course the main idea was to win," revealed McKee, "and the sessions have been going as well as last year. But just not all of them. The confidence would be higher going to Paris if I'd run under 46 seconds but hopefully I can get a little more speed into the legs."
The performance of Karen Shinkins in winning the women's 400 metres (52.58) suggested an athlete slowly regaining her best form, and she now expects further improvement in Paris.
Joanne Cuddihy pressed her to the line, however, and was rewarded with a national junior record of 53.05 seconds.
Among the other highlights was a convincing win for Cathal Lombard in the men's 5,000 metres, his first senior title but in no way surprising considering his breakthrough runs of recent weeks, and also Daniel Caulfield's lunging win in the 800 metres.
Still making history is Terry McHugh, who won a 20th consecutive national javelin title with a best throw of 71.45 metres. And the standard set by Gillian O'Sullivan in the women's walk is so high that any time she competes these days a national or even a world record is on the cards.
So on Saturday afternoon she set out to defend her national 5,000 metre walk title, and try also to lower her own world record of 20 minutes and 0.60 seconds.
Well beyond halfway she was still on target, only to fade slightly in the closing four laps to finish in 20:13.13.
Men 100m: 1, G Ryan (Nenagh Olympic) 10.29 (CBP); 2, P Hession (Athenry) 10.39; 3, T Comyns (Limerick AC) 10.65.
200m: 1, P Brizzel (Ballymena & Antrim) 21.01; 2, P Hession (Athenry AC) 21.02; 3, G Ryan (Nenagh Olympic) 21.05.
400m: 1, P McKee (Beechmount Harriers) 46.43; 2, D Gillick (DSD) 47.13; 3, D McCarthy (Celbridge) 47.15.
800m: 1, D Caulfield (DCH) 1:48.99; 2 B O'Shea (Slaney Olympic) 1:49.22; 3, E Cummins (Crusaders) 1:49.87.
1,500m: 1, G Turnbull (St Malachy's AC) 3:40.32; 2, J Nolan (UCD AC) 3:40.47; 3, B Murray (Templemore AC) 3:44.09.
5,000m: 1, C Lombard (Leevale AC) 13:57.33; 2, S Power (Kilmurry/Ibrickane) 14:20.39; 3, M Kenneally (Raheny Shamrock) 14:34.10.
10,000m: 1, T Carey (Limerick AC) 31:08.91; 2, G Crossan (Letterkenny) 31:41.39; 3, P McKinney (Letterkenny AC) 31:59.18.
3,000m Steeplechase: 1, E O'Neill (Crusaders) 9:09.19; 2, P McNamara (Galway City Harriers) 9:18.07; 3, P Byrne (Tinryland AC) 9:27.88.
110m Hurdles: 1, P Coghlan (Crusaders) 14.01; 2, C McDermott (Roscommon) 14.75; 3, I McDonald (Crusaders) 14.91.
400m Hurdles: 1, B Liddy (Crusaders) 53.06; 2, I Neely (Ballymena & Antrim) 53.18; 3, T McGlynn (Strabane Track Club) 53.31.
10,000m Walk: 1, J Costin (West Waterford AC) 42:29.53; 2, C Griffin (Ballinamore AC) 43:14.07; 3, D Kidd (St Laurence O'Toole AC) 46:25.30.
High Jump: 1, A O'Dwyer (KCH) 2.10; 2, D Murphy (Crusaders) 2.05; 3, K Grant (Letterkenny) 1.75.
Long Jump: 1, C McDonagh (Fr Murphy's AC) 7.95; 2, S Cullinane (Nenagh Olympic) 6.94; 3, K Burke (Dooneen AC) 6.64.
Triple Jump: 1, P Shannon (DCH) 14.52; 2, R Moore (Sparta North West) 13.59; 3, M Corrigan (Naas) 13.23.
Pole Vault: 1, R O Briain (UCD AC) 4.70; 2, D Donegan (Clonliffe Harriers) 4.60; 3, C Russell (Lagan Valley) 4.20.
Shot Putt: 1, J P Leahy (Limerick AC) 16.32; 2, E Leen (Tralee Harriers) 15.85; 3, I McMullan (Trafford) 15.83.
Discus: 1, J Menton (Donore Harriers) 52.67; 2, G Nagle (Crusaders) 45.70; 3, G Power (DCH) 45.20.
Javelin: 1, T McHugh (DCH) 71.45; 2, M Allen (Abbey AC) 71.03; 3, J Diskin (Sli Cualann) 63.33.
Hammer: 1, R Linscheid (Donore Harriers) 66.02; 2, M Hanley (Fr Murphy's) 54.16; 3, L Carpenter (Crusaders AC) 51.96.
Men's 56 Lbs for Height: 1, S Fitzpatrick (North Laois) 4.00; 2, A Kennedy (Crusaders) 3.90; 3, B Delany (UCD AC) 3.90.
56 Lbs Distance: 1, J Menton (Donore Harriers) 8.03; 2, S Fitzpatrick (North Laois) 8.01; 3, J Lyons (An Riocht) 7.59
3,000m Junior Men: 1, M Christie (Mullingar Harriers) 8:50.75; 2, R Corcoran (Raheny Shamrocks) 8:57.08; 3, J Sweeney (DSD) 8:58.12.
Women
100m: 1, C Sheehy (DCH) 11.54; 2, A McSweeney (Leevale AC) 11.67; 3, A Boyle (Ballymena & Antrim) 11.71.
200m: 1, C Sheehy (DCH) 23.58; 2, F O'Friel (Dublin Striders) 24.37; 3, A McSweeney (Leevale) 24.53.
400m: 1, K Shinkins (DCH) 52.58; 2, J Cuddihy (UCD AC) 53.05 (National Junior Record); 3, V Jamieson (Unattached) 53.81.
800m: 1, K McNiece (Lisburn AC) 2:13.22; 2, M Prendiville (An Riocht) 2:14.39; 3, C Long (Abbey AC) 2:15.52.
1,500m: 1, R McGettigan (Sli Cualann AC) 4:22.74; 2, F Davoren (UCC AC) 4:23.37; 3, AM Larkin (Tullamore Harriers) 4:27.72.
5,000m: 1, S O'Sullivan (Ballymore/Cobh) 15:20.68; 2, M Davenport (Marian AC) 15:24.54; 3, B Dennehy-Willis (Bandon) 15:39.04.
100m Hurdles: 1, C Soulabail (Crusaders) 14.80; 2, J Zebo (Leevale) 14.91; 3, L Byrne (St. Laurence O'Toole) 14.93.
400m Hurdles: 1, M Carey (Dublin Striders) 59.59; 2, M Bloomer (Mountmellick) 61.78; 3, M McLoone (Tirchonaill) 63.54.
5,000m Walk: 1, G O'Sullivan (Farranfore/Maine Valley) 20:13:13; 2, O Loughnane (Loughrea) 21:13:59; 3, A Loughnane (Craughwell) 24:08:05.
High Jump: 1, RM Daniels (Na Fianna AC) 1.73; 2, S Heveran (Westport AC) and C McNamara (Athenry AC) 1.73.
Long Jump: 1, A Furlong (DMP) 6.05; 2, S Carlin (Lifford AC) 5.82; 3, S Foley (Lifford AC) 5.81.
Triple Jump: 1, T Robinson Scanlon (Limerick AC) 12.83; 2, S Foley (Lifford) 12.64; 3, M Devlin (Abbey) 11.74.
Pole Vault: 1, E Kinnear (Lagan Valley) 3.70; 2, J Claffey (Borrisokane) 3.60; 3, A Buchanan (Borrisokane) 3.20.
Shot Putt: 1, E Massey (Belgrave Harriers) 15.51; 2, G Stewart (Tirchonaill) 12.07; 3, K Fitzgerald (Leevale) 11.57.
Discus: 1, R Katewiiz (St Laurence O'Toole AC) 46.70; 2, E O'Keefe (Kilkenny City Harriers) 44.30; 3, E Massey (Belgrave Harriers) 44.00.
Javelin: 1, J O'Sullivan (Cushinstown AC) 47.95; 2, A White (Dublin Striders) 41.05; 3, L Kerr (Lagan Valley AC) 39.20.
Hammer: 1, E O'Keeffe (KCH) 60.47; 2, J Doyle (Crusaders) 52.54; 3, R Akers (Marian AC) 51.95.
