Kate O’Connor was the star of day two of the 123.ie Senior National Indoor Championships at the Sport Ireland National Indoor Arena.
O’Connor produced one of the most remarkable performances of the championships in the women’s long jump.
His first round effort of 6.50m was both a personal best and a championship record. The jump moved O’Connor to third place on Ireland’s all-time list and capped a remarkable weekend following his personal best in the 60m hurdles (8.21 seconds) yesterday.
Speaking after her record-breaking performance, Kate O’Connor said:
“I trained well and I was never going to commit to something I didn’t train well in. It’s one thing to do well in training, but it’s another thing to go out and do it when you’re under the pressure of competition. You have three chances to make a good attempt at a multi-event, so I’m glad I made this jump on my first attempt.”
First senior title for Nick Griggs
The men’s 3000 final saw Nick Griggs win the gold medal. A victory for a first Irish senior title for Griggs, who stopped the clock in 8:14.52. His victory came after a final lap battle with eventual second-place finisher Darragh McElhinney (8:15.08) and third-place finisher Andrew Coscoran.
Commenting on his first senior title, Griggs said:
“It’s special to win my first senior title in circumstances where it was essentially a heat race. Who knows what the selectors will do, but I’ve secured my automatic qualification for the World Indoors. There was a lot more pressure on nationals this year, usually at nationals you can go out and enjoy it a bit more, so I’m delighted I was able to achieve my race plan.”
Women’s 3000m gold for Shanahan
Louise Shanahan timed her finish to perfection in the women’s 3000m final as she powered through the final meters to finish in 9:22.47, adding the indoor 3000m title to last year’s indoor 800m title. Shanahan crossed the finish line ahead of Zoe Toland of CNDR Track AC, who clocked 9:22.59, while Michelle Finn of Leevale AC took the bronze medal in 9:23.03.
1,500m gold medals for Holmes and Mallon
The 1500m finals were both very tactical, with both the men’s and women’s finals producing late finishes.
Lucy Holmes won the women’s title in 4:31.10 – her first senior indoor title. In the men’s final, Lughaidh Mallon launched a decisive move to overtake Luke McCann in the final strides and take gold in spectacular fashion with a winning time of 3:43.45.
400m victories for Mawdsley and Doggett
Tipperary athlete Sharlene Mawdsley showed her dominance in the women’s 400m with a composed performance to win a third consecutive national indoor title in 51.89.
The men’s 400m came down to a tight final as Seán Doggett held off Fintan Dewhirst to win his first senior indoor crown in 47.33 seconds.
Neville and Akinola winners of the 60m sprint
In the short sprints, Ciara Neville returned to the top step of the podium in the women’s 60m, winning her third national indoor title and her first since 2012. Neville’s winning time was 7.27 seconds.
In the men’s 60m final, Bori Akinola was in excellent form and successfully defended his title. His time of 6.60 seconds confirms his strong early season form as his attention now turns to the World Indoor Championships.
Other national indoor title winners
In the women’s 800m final, Hannah Seagrave won her first senior indoor title, while the winner of the men’s 800m final, Cillian Kirwan, set a championship record of 1:47.68 in winning his title.
West Waterford’s Kate Veale delivered another masterclass to claim an extraordinary tenth consecutive national indoor title in the women’s 3000m race walk. Mullingar Harriers’ Oisín Lane produced an impressive performance to win his first senior indoor crown in the men’s event.
Eric Favors broke the championships record in the men’s shot with 19.57m, while Michaela Walsh won a 9th consecutive indoor title. Michael Kent retained his men’s pole vault title with a best jump of 4.50m.
Day 2 Results
5,000m walk men
1 Oisin LANE Mullingar Harriers AC 19:39.92
2 Séamus CLARKE Moy Valley AC 20:33.19
3 Matthew GLENNON Mullingar Harriers AC 21:09.38
3000 m women’s walk
1 Kate VEALE West Waterford AC 13:50.48
2 Aisling LANE Mullingar Harriers AC 14:07.13
3 Ciara WILSON BOWEN Dundrum South Dublin AC 14:21.79
3000m women
1 Louise SHANAHAN Leevale AC 9:22.47
2 Zoé TOLAND CNDR Track AC 9:22.59
3 Michelle FINN Leevale AC 9:23.03
3000m men (A)
1 Nick GRIGGS CNDR Track AC 8:14.52
2 After McELHINNEY Bantry AC 8:15.08
3 Callum MORGAN CNDR Track AC 8:16.30
1500m women
1 Lucy HOLMES Dublin City Harriers AC 4:31.10
2 Niamh CARR Dublin City Harriers AC 4:32.39
3 Madison MOONEY Tullamore Harriers AC 4:32.80
1500m men
1 MALLON UCDAC 3:43.45
2 Luke MC CANN UCDAC 3:43.51
3 Ronan MCMAHON-STAGGS Dublin City Harriers AC 3:44.77
400m women
1 Sharlene MAWDSLEY Newport AC 51.89
2 Arlène CROSSAN Finn Valley AC 54.12
3 Jenna BREEN City of Lisburn AC 54.39
400m men
1 John DOGGETT Athenry AC 47.33
2 Fintan DEWHIRST Tyrconnell AC47.84
3 Crusaders Hugo MAGEE AC 48.92
60m women
1 Ciara NEVILLE Emerald AC 7.27
2 Precious AKPE-MOSES Blackrock (Louth) AC 7.33
3 Molly SCOTT Saint-Laurent. O’Toole AC 7.37
60m men
1 Bori AKINOLA UCDAC 6.60
2 Max O’REILLY Riverstick/Kinsale AC 6.69
3 Craig DUFFY Clonliffe Harriers AC 6.71
800m women
1 Hannah SEAGRAVE Clonliffe Harriers AC 2:07.76
2 Emma MOORE Galway City Harriers AC 2:08.06
3 Pia LANGTON Kilkenny City Harriers AC 2:09.19
800m men
1 Cillian KIRWAN Raheny Shamrock AC 1:47.68 CR
2 Callum HURLEY Ferrybank AC 1:48.37
3 Finn WOODGER Metro/St. Brigid’s AC 1:49.60
Men’s pole vault
1 Michael KENT SEN M DMPAC 4.50 2 Shane POWER St. Joseph’s AC 4.40 3 Matthew ROSSITER St. Abban’s AC 4.00
Women’s long jump
1 Katherine O’CONNOR Dundalk St. Gerard’s AC 6.50 CR
2 Lauren CALLAGHAN Finn Valley AC 6.44
3 Anna MCCAULEY City of Lisburn AC 6.05
Men’s long jump
1 Sam HEALY Leevale AC 7.56
2 Reece ADEMOLA Leevale AC 7.49
3 Ryan ONOH Cork City AC 7.11
Women’s Shot Put
1 Michaela WALSH Swinford AC 14.15
2 Caoimhe GALLEN Lifford Strabane AC 13.02
3 Niamh MADDEN Nenagh Olympic AC 12.16
Men’s Shot Put
1 Eric FAVORE Raheny Shamrock AC 19.57 CR
2 John KELLY Finn Valley AC 18.19
3 James KELLY Finn Valley AC 15.49
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