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| Joanne Cuddihy |
Not only the weather dampened the atmosphere last weekend’s Woodie’s DIY National Track and Field Championships in Santry. Because it was no longer compulsory for elite athletes to line up at the championships, the middle distance events in particular were painfully thin.
Full credit then to an athlete such as Maria McCambridge, the only Irish athlete with an A standard who will not compete at the London Olympics.
McCambridge had run a 5000m at the Dublin Graded League three days earlier but no way would she miss a national championships.
Again running the 5000m, McCambridge struck for home early with only Siobhan O’Doherty attempting to stay with her. She won the race in just over 16 minutes – a brave race by a brave athlete.
Another athlete who could have stayed away was Joanne Cuddihy, particularly considering the tactless manner in which the selection for the 4x400m squad was handled.
Cuddihy did more than turn up – she won both 200m and 400m in imperious style. Behind her in the 400m came the 4x400m squad – Marian Heffernan, Michelle Carey, Claire Bergin and Caitriona Cuddihy, who had been so cruelly de-selected. Jessie Barr, also on the 4x400m squad, stuck to her specialist 400m hurdles.
Then there was Stephanie Reilly, who will run the steeplechase in London and finished a fighting fourth in the 1500m. Credit also to American-based Tori Pena who made the effort to show up and duly won the pole vault.
Despite the absence of big names, the women’s 800m, won in a sprint by Siobhan Eviston, was a thriller, as was the men’s 1500m, where Colin Costello out-leaned Eoin Everard for victory.
But it was the sprinters who deserved the most credit. Jason Smith and Steven Colvert have been chasing around Europe trying to make the London A standard. They still checked in at Santry, as did Paul Hession, who with Olympic qualification in the bag, has not been under the same pressure.
High jumper Deirdre Ryan, the only Irish field eventer to have made the London 2012 squad, travelled from Germany to win her eighth national title since 2002.
There was promise for the future in the form of Conor McCullough, winner of the men’s hammer with a mighty throw of 72.51 – a great hope for the 2016 Olympics and winner of the world junior title in Canada two years ago in American colours.
Brian Gregan and Joanne Cuddihy lead the local entry at the Cork City Sports in the CIT next Tuesday. Gregan will take on 2004 Olympic champion Jeremy Warriner in the men’s 400m. In the women’s 400m, Cuddihy lines out against previous winner Moushaumi Robinson from the USA as well as her Irish 4x400m team mates Marian Heffernan, Jessie Barr and Catriona Cuddihy. Kelly Proper, back in action at last weekend’s National Championships where she won the long jump, goes in the 100m, while Finnuala Britton, Maria McCambridge and Lizzie Lee are all pencilled in for the 3000m. UCC’s Orla Drumm leads the local entry in the mile.
A packed day at the CIT begins with a food fare from 3.30pmm, children’s races from 5.30pm until 6.30pm and the international meet after that.
Already underway in Barcelona is the World Junior Championships with Marcus Lawlor lining out in the 200m heats tomorrow (Thu), along with Ben Kiely in the 400m hurdles. Mark English, who had hoped to make the London 2012 team, starts his 800m campaign gainst a strong African field on Friday, along with Sarah Lavin in the 100m hurdles
Both Irish junior teams finished fifth at the European mountain running championships held in blazing heat and on parched terrain in Pamukkale-Denizli, Turkey. Good individual performances came from Sarah McCormack 8th senior women, Louise Hill-Stirling 10th junior women and Jake O’Regan 10th junior men.
John O’Regan from Leixlip won the Energia 24-Hour race in Bangor for a second year. Despite over 16 hours of torrential rain, he covered over 129 miles. Last year, in far better conditions, O’Regan set an all-comers record of 132 miles.
With Eoin Keith dopping out with a stomach bug and double world record holder Sharon Gayter from Teeside also forced to quite, Kerry-based Austrian Thomas Bubendorfer finished second with an impressive total of 126 miles.
Aisling Coppinger in her first 24-hour race finished best of the women.
Winning the 12-hour race with a total of 65 miles was Dubliner Sean Burke, while first in the 24-hour relay with a total of 181 miles was Donadea Running Club.
Runners, joggers and walkers are all welcome at the annual St. James’s Hospital Liberties 6.5km Fun Run on Thursday July 19 (7.45pm). Start is at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, with music and fun from 6.30 pm and a full warm-up conducted by the hospital’s chartered physiotherapists. Online entry is €21; see www.stjames.ie/funrun/. Every cent raised goes the hospital.
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