Irish mens team set new national record in 4 x 400m relay

It was a very good day for the Irish relay teams today with both the men and women setting national records. The mens team in the 4 x 400m relay finished in 3rd place in the second heat in a time of 3m 03.57s. That was a new national record and broke the old record of 3:03.73 which was set in the European Championships in Munich in 1992.

The order they ran in and their splits were...
 BrianGregan 45.86...Brian Murphy 46.75...Ricard Morrissey 45.56...Thomas Barr 45.21

This is the race video....

Mark English of Ireland wins European Bronze in Zurich

At the European Athletic Championships in Zurich this evening, Mark English from Donegal finished 3rd in the mens 800m final to take a bronze medal. It really was a magnificent performance from the 21 year old.

Here is the race video....


Here is a post race interview with Mark English from Will Downing...


What a great talent......and still only 21 years old.

Photo from James Veale of West Waterford AC

Will Rob Heffernan be getting a European Bronze or Silver?

Last Wednesday, it was announced that Rob Heffernan should be getting a bronze medal after the Russian Stanislav Emelyanov was caught for doping. Rob had finished 4th in the 20k walk race at the European Championships in Barcelona in 2010.

Now the spotlight has changed to the Italian Alex Schwazer who isn't exactly squeaky clean having been excluded from the 2012 Summer Olympics in London after an "adverse result" from a doping test. After that, Schwazer said "My career is finished...I wanted to be stronger for this Olympics, I made a mistake" and then announced his retirement from athletics.


This article in Italian appeared online yesterday...shown via Google Translate so the grammar may be off a bit but you get the gist.

ANSA) - Bolzano, 31 Jul - After the news of the gold medal taken away at the Russian European champion Stanislav Emelyanov for doping and reassigned to Alex Schwarzer, the prosecutor in Bolzano proceed with investigations to ensure that the athlete is not presented in its South Tyrol Once irregularities in the biological passport even for the period of the Europeans in the summer of 2010. Meanwhile, with regard to the investigation of London 2012, the Prosecution could announce the conclusion of the investigation next week.

Rob Heffernan to get another bronze medal due to Russian getting caught?

There is news at the moment that the Russian race walker Stanislav Emelyanov has been caught due to violations to his biological passport. His results since before 2010 will no longer be counted.

In 2010 at the European Championships in Barcelona, Emelyanov won the 20 km walking race. Rob Heffernan finished 4th in that race. If the suspension is confirmed then Rob should be moved up in 3rd place and a bronze medal.

15:45...From Rob Heffernan on Twitter...
Unofficially being told that I  am going to receive the BRONZE medal for Euro Champs 2010 20km after Russian has been done for drugs.

Feidhlim Kelly writing for the Irish Examiner has an interesting article about it HERE

Athletics Ireland announce selection standard for 2014 European Championships

Athletics Ireland have just announced the standards required to qualify for the European Athletics Championships in Zurich, Switzerland in August 2014.

For most events, the qualifying period runs from the 1st of January to the 21st of July 2014. The athlete in most cases either has obtain one 'A' standard or if they are a named 'Development Athlete' then they need two 'B' performances.

The full info can be seen HERE

Fionnuala Britton finishes 4th in 10,000m Euro final

Fionnula Britton has finished in 4th place in the final of the 10,000m at the European Track and Field Championships in Helsinki, Finland. Having done a lot of the hard work by running at the front in the early stages of the race, her pace slowed in the last few laps as she lost contention with the leading three runners.

Fionnuala's time of 32:05 was well down on her personal best time of 31:29. It's worth noting however that this was only her second 10,000m race on a track and she did finish 4th in Europe. In the post race interview below, it's obvious that she is disappointed with her performance.

Irish results on Day 1 of the European Championships...Wed 27th June 2012

These are the results of the Irish athletes on day 1 of the European Track and Field Championships in Helsinki....

Amy Foster (City of Lisburn AC) was the first Irish athlete in action at the 2012 European Track and Field Championships. Amy's time in the 100m was 11.58 seconds, just 8 hundredths of a second slower than her seasons best time of 11.50. Unfortunately, this was too slow and she doesn't progress to the next round.

Thomas Barr (Ferrybank AC) has just qualified from heat #4 in the 400m hurdles with a seasons best time of 50.59. Thomas finished sixth at the 2011 European Juniors and broke the Irish national junior record on no less than three occasions last season and is making his Irish senior debut in Helsinki.

In heat #6 of the the 400m hurdles, Jason Harvey finished in 5th place with a time of 51.83 seconds. This is slower than his seasons best time of 51.67 which he set last May.

Double Para-Olympian Jason Smyth (City of Derry) finished 4th in the second heat of the mens 100m to qualify for the next round. His time was 10.47 seconds, down on his 10.24 set Clermont, Florida in May.  He will now run in the 100m semi-finals at 6.20pm Irish time.

Brian Gregan (Clonliffe Harriers) wins the first heat in the mens 400m in a new personal best time of 45.63 seconds. This is an improvement on his previous best time of 45.91. (Update....some of the winners of other heats have been disqualified. Brian has the fastest time from the heats).......Post race interview....."I'm really happy that I managed to get a PB on this tough track. Now I'm just going to relax and chill out before trhe next round."

Jessie Barr (Ferrybank AC), sister of Thomas finished 3rd in the second heat of the women’s 400m hurdles in a time of 56.30. Her PB is 56.16 which was set last May and had moved her to third on the Irish all time lists.

Joanne Cuddidy is disqualified after it looked like she had qualified in 3rd place in her heat (52.20).
From Athletics Ireland...."Joanne Cuddihy is unfortunately disqualified after stepping out of her lane in heat 4 of the women's 400m. Team management and Joanne viewed the tape which showed she clearly stepped inside lane four. Joanne accepted the decision but is understandable devastated. If it wasn't for the stumble Cuddihy believed she could of won the heat. She will now turn her intentions to the relay for redemption."

Jason Smyth bows out in the men 100m semi-final with a time of 10.52 seconds, slightly slower than his 10.47 earlier in the day. The slowest qualifier was 10.30 seconds while Jason Smyth's personal best time for 100m is 10.22 seconds which he set last May.

So that's the end of the first day of the European Track and Field Championships. From an Irish point of view, it was a day of mixed fortunes. Jason Smyth bowed out in the 100m semi-final even though on paper at least, he was fast enough to make the final. Joanne Cuddihy was disqualified in her heat of the 400m when she put her foot out of lane. Supposedly, the track is built around a football pitch and as a result has some tight corners. Indeed, throughout the day, there was a significant number of athletes disqualified due to lane infringements.

With due respect to St.Finbarr's AC, the term 'Go on the Barr's' has taken one a completely new lease of life with the brother and sister pair of Thomas and Jessie Barr both making it through their heats ;o)

Performance of the day though must go to Brian Gregan who not only won his heat in the mens 400m but also set a PB in the process. As the fastest qualifier in the heats, he must be seen now as a possible medal hope.

More action tomorrow...

Looking ahead to the European Championships...Wed 27th June - Sun 1st July 2012

Outside of the Olympics, the second most important competition this year is of course the European Track and Field Championships. This is starting on Wednesday, the 27th of June and runs until Sunday, the 1st of July.

A complete schedule of events can be seen HERE

Ireland is sending a team of 26 athletes to the championships with some having a very real chance of getting amongst the medals.

Here is a selection of the athletes as previewed by Athletics Ireland...

Fionnuala Britton (Kilcoole AC).........2011 European Cross Country Champion..."Britton has been in great form all year recording personal bests over the 5,000m and 10,000m distances. Britton’s time of 31.22.29 for the 10,000m back in May moved her to fourth on the Irish all time list. The time also ranks Britton in third place in Europe based on seasonal best performances. This is the first time that Britton will contest the 10,000m at a major championship having previously competed in the 3000m steeplechase."

Joanne Cuddihy (Kilkenny City Harriers)...Irish Record Holder..."Cuddihy will compete over 400m after what has been a very successful year so far for the Kilkenny athlete over the one lap distance. Cuddihy has been training and competing in Australia for the majority of the year, running a seasonal best time of 51.43 back in May to secure her place on the team. The last time these championships were held in Barcelona in 2010, Cuddihy was eliminated at the semi final stage of the competition. In Helsinki Cuddihy will aim to go one better and challenge for a top position."

Steven Colvert (Crusaders AC)..."Colvert has been selected to run in the 200m after making a big break through this year, becoming the National U23 Record Holder over 100m (10.35) and 200m (20.57). Colvert’s 200m time eclipsed the old mark (20.61) held by his training partner Paul Hession. On the basis of his current form Colvert has the potential to make a big impression in Helsinki and make the final."

Jason Smyth (City of Derry)...Double Para-Olympian..."Smyth is named in the team after running 10.24 in Clermont, Florida in May. Smyth also has a wind assisted 10.17 to his name this year. Smyth is in great shape this year and will target a place in the 100m final at these championships."

Amy Foster (North Down AC)..."Foster has been selected to compete in the 100m and 200m events. Foster tops the 2012 Irish rankings in the 100m with a time of 11.50 and has also ran an even quicker 11.32 this season, however this performance was wind assisted. Foster has also run 23.97 for the 200m which puts her in second place on the 2012 Irish rankings behind team mate Joanne Cuddihy."
Mark Kenneally (Clonliffe Harriers)..."Kenneally who has been nominated for Olympic marathon selection will compete in the 10,000m. Kenneally ran a personal best of 28.33.12 for 10,000m in May to qualify for Helsinki."

Ciara Mageean (U.C.D AC) and Orla Drumn (U.C.C AC)..."Both are both selected for the 1500m. Mageean the 2010 World junior silver medalist over 1500m will be making her senior Irish debut in Helsinki. Meanwhile Drumm has been in fantastic form all season setting a personal best of 4.09.05 in May to qualify for the championships. "

Tori Pena (Finn Valley AC)..."Pena will be the sole Irish representative. Pena set a new Irish pole vault record of 4.52m in April to gain selection for these championships. The record ranks Pena in tenth place on the 2012 European rankings going into Helsinki."

The women’s 4×400m team includes Irish record holder Joanne Cuddihy (KCH AC) and regulars, Marian Heffernan (Togher AC), Claire Bergin (DSD AC) Michelle Carey (Dublin Striders AC) and Jessie Barr (Ferrybank AC). The new additions include Catriona Cuddihy sister of Joanne (Kilkenny City Harriers AC) and Joanna Mills (Ballymena and Antrim AC). The squad has a seasonal best time of 3:30.61, which they ran in Poland at the beginning of June. These championships offer the squad a further opportunity to improve their time and ranking in order to secure Olympic qualification.

Irish record holder’s Deirdre Ryan (Dundrum South Dublin AC) and Derval O’Rourke (Leevale AC) will not compete in Helsinki, both preferring to focus all their intentions on the upcoming London Olympic Games.

IRISH TEAM FOR HELSINKI
Men's 100m: Jason Smyth (City of Derry).
200m: Steven Colvert (Crusaders) and Paul Hession (Athenry).
400m: Brian Gregan (Clonliffe).
110m Hurdles: Ben Reynolds (N Down).
400m Hurdles: Thomas Barr (Ferrybank), Jason Harvey (UUJ).
1500m: Paul Robinson (St Coca's).
10,000m: Mark Kenneally (Clonliffe), David Rooney (Raheny).
4x400m: David Gillick (DSD), Brian Gregan, B Murphy (Crusaders), Thomas Barr, Jason Harvey (UUJ), Tim Crowe (Dooneen).
Women's 100m: Amy Foster (North Down).
400m: Joanne Cuddihy (Kilkenny CH).
400m Hurdles: Jessie Barr (Ferrybank).
1500m: Ciara Mageean (UCD), Orla Drumm (UCC).
Steeplechase: Stephanie Reilly (Sli Chulainn).
10,000m: Fionnuala Britton (Kilcoole).
Pole Vault: Tori Pena (Finn Valley).
4x400m: Joanne Cuddihy, C Bergin (DSD), Marian Heffernan (Togher), Michelle Carey (Dublin Striders), Catriona Cuddihy (KCH), Joanne Mills (B&A).

The selection process has not been without controversy as some athletes who appear to have reached the qualifying standard were not included. More details in this piece in the Irish Independent.

RTE Radio interview with Derval O'Rourke...

On the 3rd of April, RTE Radio had a short six minute interview with Irish 100 metre hurdler Derval O'Rourke from Cork. They discussed her preparation for the Olympic Games in London as well as the possibility of doing the European Championships in Helsinki at the end of June.

The interview can be found HERE .........It starts around 17:00 and lasts until 23:15.

Derval O'Rourke finishes 4th in Paris...

Derval O'Rourke of Leevale AC finished 4th in the final of the womens 60m hurdles at the European Indoor Championships today. Her time of 7:96 was a seasons best having run 7:98 and 8:07 in heats earlier in the day.

Considering she had a recent injury, finishing 4th in Europe is an excellent performance.

Marian Heffernan of Togher AC was in the 1st round heats of the women’s 400m this morning. Marian finished in 5th place in a time of 54:94, which is slower than the 54:00 she produced to win the Irish Indoor title two weeks ago. She almost qualified for the semi-finals as one of the fastest losers but was just out by 3/1000’s of a second.

The highlights of today's action can be seen on the RTE Player HERE

Coverage and commentary on Derval starts at 1:37 and lasts until 24:40. If you just want to see her in the final, go to 15:30

The section about Marian Heffernan can be seen from 35:50 to 39:20

Interview with Derval O'Rourke on RTE television

After her recent silver medal performance over the 100 metres hurdles at the European Championships, Derval O'Rourke was interviewed on the Saturday Night with Miriam show on RTE 1.


The interview lasts for the first 11 minutes. The link is HERE