Gregan – will he run?
After their eye -catching runs over 800m at the London Anniversary Games, both Rose Anne Galligan and Mark English will run the 400m at this weekend’s Woodie’s DIY National Track and Field Championships.
Galligan of Newbridge AC broke Sonia O’Sullivan’s record of 2:00.69 when she ran 2:00.58 for sixth place and a World Championships B standard in the women’s 800m. Fellow Irish international Laura Crowe had brought the field though the first lap in 57.21 – but Galligan will have to run a lot faster than that if she is to beat DSD pair Jennifer Carey and Sinead Denny in Sunday’s 400m at Santry.
UCD’s Mark English was just .02 off the Irish record when he finished sixth in the men’s 800m in 1:44.84 – a World Championships A standard. It means his old rival Paul Robinson of St Coca’s is now firm favourite to win the 800m assuming he lines out; Robinson’s name is also down for the 1500m.
So what are the other likely highlights this weekend?
On Saturday, the must see events are the women’s 5000m, where Maria McCambridge of DSD leads the entry, and the 200m races. Entered in the men’s 200m is Clonliffe’s Brian Gregan who is battling a foot injury since the World University Games and may not be fit. All the sprints will be close, with youngsters Phil Healy from Bandon and St LOT’s Marcus Lawler taking on the more experienced campaigners led by Amy Foster of Lisburn and Steven Colvert of Crusaders.
Saturday begins with the 400m hurdles where Thomas and Jessie Barr of Ferrybank are likely to make it a family double.
The high hurdlers are first out on Sunday, with Irish junior record holder Sarah Lavin on Emerald going for her first women’s 100m hurdles title.
In the throws, Tomas Rauktas of Clonliffe threw 54.32 in the discus at the Dublin Graded League in Tallaght last Wednesday to put him firmly top of the rankings ahead of Colin Quirke of Crusaders and Marco Pons. His 15.88 also means that he is third ranked for the shot behind Quirke on 17.14 and Sean Breathnach on 16.04
* RTE2 will show a 45-minute package from Santry at 8.15pm on Monday July 29.
Wednesday July 24
Dublin Graded T-F League 7, Tallaght (full result at www.dublinathletics.com)
Men – 100m: 1 Keith Doherty (Tallaght) 11.23, 2 Eoin Doherty (Tallaght) 11.43, 3 Ferdia Kenny (Sli Cualann) 11.46. B2: Sean Bolger (Tallaght) 11.41. 1500m: 1 Emmett Dunleavy (Sligo) 3:54.1H, 2 Aaron Hanlon (Clonliffe) 3:54.8H, 3 Gideon Kirui (Ballyfin) 3:55.1H, 4 Mitchel Byrne Rathfarnham WSAF) 3:55.3H, 5 Andrew Coscoran (Star of the Sea) 3:55.8H. Masters’ Mile: James Cloney ( St Killian’s) 4:40.71. Discus: Tomas Rauktas (Clonliffe) 54.32. Shot: Rauktas 15.88.
Women – 100m: Bronwyn Keogh (Fingallians) 12.96. 1500m: 1 Niamh Donnelly (Celtic DCH) 4:44.73, 2 Grace O’Rourke (DSD) 4:48.89, 3 Leona O’Reilly (Liffey Valley) 4:50.27. Masters’ Mile: Mary Leech (Drogheda & Dist) 5:37.16. Discus: Anne Marie Torsney (Fingallians) 29.05. Shot: 4kg – Geraldine Stewart (Tir Chonaill) 10.90. 3kg – Torsney 11.25.
No comments yet.