Darragh McElhinney (UCD AC) delivered a stunning sub-25-second final 200m to claim the men's 3000m title in a 7.49.18 championship record in a thrilling first day of action at the 123.ie National Senior Indoor Championships.
Raheny Shamrock's Mark Smyth posted a superb championship record of 20.77 to claim the men’s 200m title while Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC) was in sublime form in the women's 200m final at the Sport Ireland National Indoor Arena today.
The men's 3000m was one of the most anticipated races of the day and didn’t disappoint.
McElhinney sat in the slipstream of the eventual second place finisher Nick Griggs (Mid Ulster AC) for much of the race, with the pair stretching clear of the field over the opening laps.
Ultimately though, it was McElhinney’s final kick that sealed the title, with Griggs bravely staying on for silver in 7.55.75.
Smyth had impressed in the earlier in the men’s 200m, heats, and in the absence of Robert O’Donnell of Galway City Harriers who pulled out after his 20.97 in the morning’s heats, the Raheny star never looked like being beaten as he rounded the final bend ahead of Olympian Marcus Lawler who would have to settle for second in 21.17.
Mawdsley was just as impressive throughout her rounds of the 200m today, setting a personal best in the morning’s heat (23.61) before going on to better that time in the final to cross in 23.50PB which moved her up one place to sixtth on the Irish all-time list indoors.
The Tipperary star has been flying over 400m in recent weeks and today’s 200m time, which ranks as her fastest indoors or outdoors, is sure to have her full of confidence heading into a big couple of weeks having already secured automatic qualification for the 400m in Istanbul.
Hurdle star Sarah Lavin (Emerald AC) continued her consistent start to 2023 to take the women’s 60m hurdles title in 8.03, while Matthew Behan (Crisaders AC) bounced back to retain the men’s title in 8.10.
Olympian David Kenny (Farronfore Main Valley) posted another impressive early season performance to claim the men’s 5k walk title in 19.11.43, while Kate Veale (West Waterford AC) stormed clear if the field to claim the women’s 3k walk with an indoor PB of 14.40.46.
Mark English (1.52.88) and Nadia Power (2.13.28) safely negotiated the heats of today’s 800 meters, while Phil Healy (Bandon AC) and Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrock) set up a mouth-watering 400m decider for tomorrow as they safely advanced to the 400m final.
Jack Raftery (Donore Harriers) impressed in qualifying for the men’s 400m with a 48.02.
The field events provided a host of outstanding performances across the day, including a championship record of 13.25m for Sarah Buggy (St Abbans) in the triple jump which went agonisingly close to Taneisha Scanlon’s national record of 13.28. It marked the St Abbans athlete’s 20th national title (indoor and outdoors).
