Sarah Lavin, Seán Doggett and Luke McCann Lead Irish Action Indoors This Weekend

Irish athletes are spread across Europe and the United States this weekend as the indoor season continues to gather momentum, with a mix of established internationals, emerging talents and returning names all in action.

Sarah Lavin faces a busy few days on the indoor circuit, lining up twice across the weekend as her strong early season continues. The Emerald AC hurdler competes first at the World Indoor Gold meeting in Madrid on Friday night before heading to Karlsruhe for the INIT Indoor Meeting on Sunday. Lavin has already having a very solid season, opening her campaign with a second place finish over 60 metres hurdles in Paris, where her 7.98 clocking secured an automatic qualifying standard for the World Indoor Championships in Toruń. A midweek outing in Ostrava did not fall her way, with a heat exit, but the back to back entries this weekend offer an immediate chance to reset.

Saturday brings Irish interest in Kaunas, where Seán Doggett opens his indoor campaign in the men’s 400 metres at the Cosma Indoor Cup. Doggett first came to wider attention at the European Championships in Rome last in 2024, becoming the youngest Irish athlete ever to compete at a senior European Championships at just 17 years of age as part of the men’s 4x400 metres relay squad. Since then, he has continued to make steady progress outdoors, breaking a long standing school's record over 400 metres with a 47.20 clocking last season and reaching the final over 400 metres at the European Under 20 Championships in Finland also.

Also on Saturday, James Gormley remains stateside as he takes on the men’s 1000 metres at the Doc Hale Invitational in Blacksburg, Virginia. It is Gormley’s second indoor race of the season following a solid seventh place finish at the John Thomas Terrier Classic last weekend, where he clocked 3:26.20

The final Irish athlete competing abroad on Sunday is in Dortmund, where Luke McCann is set to return to competition over 1500 metres. McCann has endured a lengthy absence from racing after picking up a knee injury in Switzerland in autumn 2024, later diagnosed as osteochondritis dissecans, which required surgery. Having missed the entirety of the 2025 season, his name on the start list in Germany marks a significant step in his return to competition as he eases back into racing after a long rehabilitation period.

Euro Club Cross Country Championships

The European Club Cross Country Championships take place in Albufeira on Sunday, with Irish clubs earning their places through strong performances at the national championships. In the senior men’s race, Candour Track Club and Mullingar Harriers will represent Ireland, while the senior women’s contest features Finn Valley AC and Leevale. At under 20 level, Clonliffe Harriers and Donore Harriers line up in the men’s race, while the under 20 women’s competition has a distinctly local feel, with Lagan Valley and Willowfield making it an all Belfast affair on the European stage. Irish involvement is rounded out in the mixed relay, where Dublin City Harriers and Ennis Track Club are set to compete.

National Indoor League Round 2

Back on home soil, attention turns to Athlone on Sunday for round two of the National Indoor League, with club battles continuing to take shape across both competitions. In the women’s standings, Dublin City Harriers come into round two leading on 42 points, holding a six point advantage over Donore Harriers on 36, with Sli Cualann a further five points back in third on 31. The men’s competition is similarly poised, with Clonliffe Harriers leading on 37 points, nine and a half clear of Nenagh Olympic on 26.5, while North Down AC remain firmly in the mix on 25 and a half points, leaving plenty still to be settled as clubs return to the track.

Between individual races abroad, club representation on the European cross country stage and another crucial round of the National Indoor League, it is a weekend that blends depth with variety across the Irish athletics scene.