Ciara Mageean wins Gold in the Women's 1500m at the European Championships

Ciara Mageean finished first in the Women's 1500m final to take Gold for Ireland in the European Championships in Rome.

Medal ceremony...

Ciara Mageean breaks her own 1500m indoor national record

Irish international Ciara Mageean has just broken her own national indoor 1500m record at the AIT International Grand Prix indoor meet in Athlone on Wed 13th Feb 2019.

Her latest time of 4m 06.78s was almost two seconds ahead of her old record which she set back in 2016. Not only is she the fastest Irish woman over the distance but she is the only one to break 4m10s!

Usually records on the track are broken by fractions of a second but to take almost two seconds off her old time just shows what great shape she is in.

New record...
1 4.06.78 NR Ciara Mageean AIT Int GP Athlone 13 Feb 2019

Previous table before today...
1 4:08.66 NR Ciara Mageean 168/56 Karlsruhe 6 Feb 2016
2 4:11.06+ NR Sinéad Evans NBG    New York NY 8 Jan 2000
3 4:11.07 Rose-Anne Galligan AIT GP Athlone 17 Feb 2016
4 4:11.27 Sonia O'Sullivan WC Lisboa 10 Mar 2001
5 4:11.31+ Roísín McGettigan Reebok Boston MA 7 Feb 2009
6 4:12.50 Geraldine Hendricken NC Belfast 16 Feb 2003
7 4:13.16 Claire Tarplee XL-Galan Stockholm 21 Feb 2013
8 4:13.96 Fionnuala McCormack NC Athlone 17 Feb 2013
9 4:14.2a Mary Purcell EC Sindelfingen 2 Mar 1980
10 4:14.54 Emma Mitchell Athlone 21 Feb 2018
11 4:14.63 Kelly Neely NC Belfast 7 Feb 2010
11 4:14.63 Kerry O'Flaherty Athlone 15 Feb 2017

Video below...

Ireland's Sarah Healy Wins 1500m Gold At Euro Youth Olympics

Ireland's Sarah Healy ran a personal best of 4:19.85 in the 1500m at the Euopean Youth Olympics to take gold.

Sarah is in the black/navy shorts in lane 1.

Video by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

15 year old Sophie O'Sullivan wins U17 National Title

Just four days after winning an 800m race at the Morton Games, 15 year old Sophie O'Sullivan was back in action in Tullamore in the National Juvenile Championships.  This time representing Ballymore Cobh AC, Sophie finished first in the U17 1500m race.

1500m U17 Women ;
Rank    Lane    ID    Name    Team    Cat    Result    Info
1    1    429    O'SULLIVAN Sophie    Ballymore Cobh A.C.        4:41.80   
2    11    149    GALLAGHER Maeve    Swinford A.C.        4:46.20   
3    14    684    MCEVOY Annie    Kilkenny City Harriers A.C.        4:52.91

Sophies mother Sonia O'Sullivan won the same race 32 years ago back in 1985 as can be seen from the medal below...

First 4 in Paralympic 1500m final run faster than winning time at Olympics!

One of the most remarkable races at the Paralympics has been the Men's 1500m in the T13 category.

There are three classes for visually impaired runners – T11, T12 and T13 – the higher the number, the less severe the impairment is.

Note the times for the first 4 below...

Amazingly, the top 4 finishers were faster than the winning time for the 1500m at the Olympics!

While perhaps the times at the Olympics were a bit slower due to it being more of a tactical race, it still highlights the high standards that these Paralympic athletes have.

Race video below...

WHAT A RUN, BAKA ABDELLATIF #RioRecords!! Congrats Algeria! #Gold #Rio2016 #Athletics #Paralympics https://t.co/rRxzyDQHpv

— IPC Athletics (@IPCAthletics) September 11, 2016

Ciara Mageean records new 1500m PB in Paris

Ireland's Ciara Mageean was in action on Saturday evening in the women's 1500m at the IAAF Diamond League Athletics Meeting in Paris. With her stated aim of trying for a new personal best, she duly delivered with a time of 4m 01.46s.

While the 9th place position might look disappointing, the field was packed with some of the world's best 1500m athletes. This should be seen as a stepping stone as she hopefully improves in the years ahead.

Ciara's time now puts her into 2nd place in the Irish all time list. Here are the current top 10...

1500 m
1 3:58.85 Sonia O'Sullivan     1    Herc    Monaco    25 Jul 1995
2 4:01.46 Ciara Mageean     9    Diamond League Paris 27 Aug 2016
3 4:02.08 Geraldine Hendricken    3     GPF Paris    14 Sep 2002
4 4:04.22 Sinéad Evans         10    VD Bruxelles 28 Aug 1998
...4 4:06.49 Ciara Mageean    5    Rieti 2015 Rieti    13 Sep 2015
5 4:06.69 Monica Joyce         7    Zürich    18 Aug 1982
6 4:07.56 Freda Davoren     2    Cuxhaven 19 Jul 2003
7 4:08.63 Mary Purcell         5h4    Olympics Montréal 28 Jul 1976
8 4:08.89 Deirdre Byrne     7    KBC-Nacht    Heusden 20 Jul 2008
9 4:09.12 Elaine Fitzgerald     2    PapG    Arnhem 10 Jul 1999
10 4:09.95 Orla Drumm         6    Anhalt    Dessau 25 May 2012

As you can see, Ciara's previous best time was 4:06.49 which was set in September of 2015. Her new time is 5 seconds faster which is a huge jump at this level. Only Sonia O'Sullivan has run a faster time.

The chart below shows the times a bit clearer and you can see the relative difference.

Race video...

Ciara Mageean wins Bronze in the 1500m at the European Athletics Championships

After a few years of injury, Ciara Mageean from Partoferry in Co.Down was in action today in the final of the womens 1500m at the European Athletics Championships. In what was a slow tactical race, Ciara put in a blistering final 100m to pass others to take the Bronze medal.

Ciara Mageean's lung-busting run to clinch bronze (and very nearly silver) at the European Championships. #RTEsporthttps://t.co/qw4H51jjcN

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) July 10, 2016

She is now clearly one of the top European 1500m athletes and still only 24 years old. What a talent!

Full race...


Post race interview with Will Downing...

Irish Medallists at the European Athletics Championships...
1958 Ronnie Delany BRONZE 1500m
1969 Frank Murphy SILVER 1500m
1978 Eamonn Coghlan SILVER 1500m
1994 Sonia O'Sullivan GOLD 3000m
1998 Sonia O'Sullivan GOLD 10,000m
1998 Sonia O'Sullivan GOLD 5000m
1998 Mark Carroll BRONZE 5000m
2002 Sonia O'Sullivan SILVER 5000m
2002 Sonia O'Sullivan SILVER 10,000m
2006 Derval O’Rourke SILVER 100m Hurdles
2010 Derval O’Rourke SILVER 100m Hurdles
2010 Robert Heffernan BRONZE 20km Walk
2014 Mark English BRONZE 800m
2016 Ciara Mageean BRONZE 1500m

Ciara Mageean sets new Irish 1500m record in Germany

One of Ireland's rising track stars Ciara Mageean broke the Irish Indoor 1500m record in a race in Karlsruhe, Germany last Saturday the 6th of Feb 2016.

Ciara who is aged just 23 years old finished third in the race in a time of 4m 08.66 seconds, over two seconds ahead of the previous 16 year old record of 4m 11.06s which was set by Sinéad Evans in New York in Jan 2000.

After showing some great promise a few years back, she has been plagued in recent years by injuries. Coached by former Olympic marathon runner Jerry Kiernan, she is now back to showing her true form with her new PB an improvement by a massive 9 seconds! Her time now qualifies her for the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Oregon in March and already has a qualifying time for the Olympics in Rio.

1500 m Indoors...Times for the Top 10 Irish Women
1 4:08.66    NR Ciara Mageean    Karlsruhe    6 Feb 2016
2 4:11.06    NR Sinéad Evans    New York NY    8 Jan 2000
3 4:11.27    Sonia O'Sullivan    Lisboa    10 Mar 2001
4 4:11.31    Roísín McGettigan    Reebok    Boston MA 7 Feb 2009
5 4:12.50     Geraldine Hendricken Belfast 16 Feb 2003
6 4:12.72     Rose-Anne Galligan Valencia 27 Feb 2010
7 4:13.16     Claire Tarplee Stockholm    21 Feb 2013
8 4:13.96     Fionnuala McCormack Athlone 17 Feb 2013
9 4:14.2     Mary Purcell Sindelfingen     2 Mar 1980
10 4:14.63   Kelly Neely Belfast     7 Feb 2010

The video clip below shows Ciara in the 1500m race in Karlruhe.....she is on the inside in the red shorts...


As you can see, she gets a bit boxed in the final stages but comes through strongly in the end to take third.

Irish athletes qualify for World Indoor Championships...

The Athletics Ireland Open Games were held at the new indoor track in Athlone over the weekend with two Irish athletes qualifying for the World Indoor Championships in Poland in early March.

In the mens 800m, Mark English (UCD AC) set a new Irish Men’s Senior Indoor Record of 1:46.82. The previous record of 1:47.21 which was held by Daniel Caulfield has stood for 13 years. This time was also inside the qualification time of 1:47.00 for the World Indoors. Mark who is just 20 years old also set a new U23 Irish Indoor record in the process.

Mark English #239 on the way to setting a new Irish indoor record...Pic : Kieran Carlin of Finn Valley AC

800 metre Sen Men International
1 KUPERS Thijem        Holland        1:46.78   
2 ENGLISH Mark        U.C.D. A.C.        1:46.82   
3 RODRIGUEZ Alex        Spain        1:48.05   

In a post race interview, Mark English said....“I had it in the back of my head that I wanted to run the World Indoor standard, I obviously got an Irish Record along with that, so that was a huge bonus to get that too. I’m coming away from here with a lot learnt and I’m very happy with that performance.”

Coach Chris Jones with David McCarthy

In the 1500m, David McCarthy of West Waterford AC finished in a time of 3:39.14, inside the World Indoor Standard of 3:41.00. He has already ran the qualifying time for the 3000m.

1500 meter Sen Men International
1 HOUOLUSA Jakub        CZE        3:38.79   
2 David McCarthy        West Waterford    Sen    3:39.14   
3 COGHLAN John        Metro/St. Brigid's A.C.        3:43.31   

Speaking after the race he said: “It was good. I ran in Vienna on Wednesday night and I ran 3:42 and it felt so tough and rough because the race was so crowded I was being pushed all over the place – all my energy was taking up trying to stay on my feet. The target for today was just to run fast and keep my energy for racing”

Some of the Cork results...

60 metre Sen Women
1 FOSTER Amy        City of Lisburn AC        7.40  
2 HEALY Phil        Bandon A.C.        7.43    
3 MCMANUS Catherine        Celtic DCH A.C.        7.59  
4 NIAMH Whelan        Ferrybank A.C.        7.62  
5 HEALY Joan        Bandon A.C.        7.65

800 metre Sen Women
1 FURLONG Brona        Slaney Olympic A.C.        2:13.60   
2 RAFTER Eileen        Tullamore Harriers A.C.        2:16.06   
3 O'SHEA Rachael        West Muskerry A.C.        2:16.11   

60m Hurdles 0,84m Sen Women
1 MCMANUS Catherine        Celtic DCH A.C.        8.64   
2   DUBO Orlane        Galway City Harriers A.C.        9.73   
3   HOWARD Roisin        Bandon A.C.        9.95   

Shot Put 4,000kg Sen Women
Pos    ID    Name    PB    Team    Cat    Result    Rank    1    2    3    4    5    6
MESLOH Sarah        Ballon Rathoe A.C.        13.00    1    13.00    12.68    12.70     X           
DALY Shauna        St. Abbans A.C.        10.50    2    10.06    10.02    10.50    10.29           
HOWARD Roisin        Bandon A.C.        10.33    3    9.69    10.33    9.82     X           
   
Long Jump Sen Men
Name    PB    Team    Cat    Result    Rank    1    2    3    4    5    6
MCMULLEN Adam        Crusaders A.C.        7.28    1    7.15    6.91    7.28    7.21           
GUILLON Benjamin    Leevale A.C.        7.09    2    7.04     X     X    7.09           
FAHEY Eamonn        Donore Harriers        6.76    3     X    6.56    6.73    6.76  

Full results HERE

Genzebe Dibaba from Ethiopia runs new indoor 1500m world record

At the IAAF Indoor 1500m race in Karlsruhe, Germany over the weekend, Genzebe Dibaba from Ethiopia set a new world record by running 3m 55.17s. This was a huge three seconds faster than the old record of 3m 58.28s set by Yelena Soboleva of Russia back in 2006.

Here are the top 10 indoor times...
1  3:55.17  Genzebe Dibaba     ETH  Karlsruhe       01.02.2014
2  3:58.28  Yelena Soboleva    RUS  Moskva          18.02.2006
3  3:58.40  Abebe Arigawi      SWE  Stockholm       21.02.2013
4  3:59.75  Gelete Burka       ETH  Valencia        09.03.2008
5  3:59.79  Maryam Yusuf Jamal BRN  Valencia        09.03.2008
6  3:59.98  Regina Jacobs      USA  Boston          01.02.2003
7  4:00.13  Genzebe Dibaba     ETH  Karlsruhe       12.02.2012
8  4:00.2+  Mary Slaney        USA  Houston         16.02.1980
9  4:00.27+ Doina Melinte      ROU  East Rutherford 09.02.1990
10 4:00.72  Natalya Gorelova   RUS  Moskva          27.02.2003

The splits below show even splits for the new world record in italics compared to what Dibaba actually ran. As you can see, she was about 4 seconds behind at 800m/1000m before putting in a very fast second half.
200m    31    31 / 400m    1:02     1:03 / 600m    1:35     1:34 / 800m    2:09    2:05 / 1000m    2:41    2:37 / 1200m    3:10    3:08 / 1400m    3:40     3:39 / Finish    3:55     3:55

Video in German...

Irish athletes Paul Robinson, Mark Englsh and Laura Crowe in European races this weekend

On Friday evening the 6th of September, Paul Robinson finished 3rd in the mens 'B' 800m race at the Diamond League meeting in Brussels, Belgium. His time of 1:46.06 was only 0.2 seconds his personal best.

800m B race in Brussels
1 JOHNSON Brandon USA 1:45.45
2 CRONJE Johan RSA 1:45.85
3 ROBINSON Paul IRL 1:46.06
4 RIMMER Michael GBR 1:46.19
5 MANZANO Leonel USA 1:46.31
6 JAMAA Samir MAR 1:46.70
7 BENEDETTI Giordano ITA 1:48.15
8 VAN DEN BROECK Jan BEL 1:49.43
9 BALHAN Pierre BEL 1:50.30

On Sunday the 8th of September at the IAAF Challenge in Rieti, Italy, both Paul Robinson and Mark English were in action. In the mens 800m race, Mark English finished 4th in an impressive time of 1:44.89, just five one-hundredths of a second slower than his personal best.

Rieti IAAF World Challenge (ITA)...07-08.09.2013 - B
800m MEN :
1.    Musaeb Abdulrahman BALLA    (QAT    )    1:43.93 PB
2.    Edwin Kiplagat MELI    (KEN)     1:44.49    SB
3.    Brandon JOHNSON    (USA)     1:44.55   
4.    Mark ENGLISH    (IRL)     1:44.89   
5.    Tamás KAZI    (HUN)     1:45.37    PB
6.    Michael RIMMER    (GBR)     1:46.09   
7.    James EICHBERGER    (MEX)     1:47.07   

In the mens 1500m race, Paul Robinson set a new personal best time of 3:35.22. This was over 2 seconds faster than his previous best of 3:37.66 which was set in Belfast last June. That is a huge jump in terms of performance which moves Paul from 16th to 6th on the Irish all time list. Just to put it in perspective, Eamonn Coghlan is now 8th on that list.

1500m MEN :
1.    Silas KIPLAGAT    (KEN)     3:30.13    SB
2.    Johan CRONJE    (RSA)     3:31.93    PB
3.    Mohamed MOUSTAOUI    (MAR    )    3:32.08    SB
4.    Nick WILLIS    (NZL)     3:32.57    SB
5.    Augustine Kiprono CHOGE    (KEN)     3:33.21    SB
6.    David TORRENCE    (USA)     3:33.23    PB
7.    Krzysztof ŻEBROWSKI    (POL)     3:35.07    PB
8.    Paul ROBINSON    (IRL)     3:35.22    PB
9.    Zane ROBERTSON    (NZL)     3:35.45    PB
10.    Jonathan Kiplimo SAWE    (KEN)     3:40.83   
11.    Abdellah HAIDANE    (ITA)     3:41.96    SB
12.    Miles BATTY    (USA)     3:45.75   
13.    Leonel MANZANO    (USA)     3:48.83    

In the womens 800m race, Laura Crowe of An Ríocht AC set a new personal best time of 2:00.93, a big jump up from her previous best time of 2:02.63 which was set in Dublin in July. This new time now moves Laura from 8th to 4th on the Irish all time list.

  
800m WOMEN :
1.    Caster SEMENYA    (RSA)     1:58.92    SB
2.    Nelly JEPKOSGEI    (KEN)     1:59.40    PB
3.    Nataliya LUPU    (UKR)     1:59.52   
4.    Hannah ENGLAND    (GBR)     2:00.39    SB
5.    Zoe BUCKMAN    (AUS)     2:00.93    PB
6.    Laura CROWE    (IRL)     2:00.93    PB
7.    Anna ROSTKOWSKA    (POL)     2:01.34    SB
8.    Renata PLIŚ    (POL)     2:01.48    SB
9.    Mary KURIA    (KEN)     2:01.90   
10.    Lea WALLACE    (USA)     2:03.13     

With the track season now coming to a close, Both Laura Crowe and Rose-Ann Galligan have both come with a second of breaking the two minute barrier. Will 2014 be the year when the first Irish woman goes sub two??