by Perri Williams
It has been another extraordinary week in Irish Athletics. With the deadline for Tokyo now passed (Sunday 24th August), we await tomorrow’s publication of the most recent quota rankings by World Athletics (Road to Tokyo). There will of course be dropouts, athletes making rankings in several events but choosing only to focus on one and then there are those injured. While some of our athletes are well within the safety net and have already achieved A or double B standards, others secured last-minute races this week, in an effort to get past the qualifying criteria and pop safely into the ranking.
This week alone, athletes were racing in Diamond Leagues, Continental Tours, National Championships and of course our Juvenile Team popped up to Scotland, most of whom donned the green for the very first time.
The week started with the announcement from Rhasidat Adeleke stating that she will not be completing in Tokyo. An announcement that sparked conversations from many quarters. It was disappointing from the perspective of Irish athletics not to have Adeleke compete in Tokyo. Aside from her individual performance, which she appears to have struggled with this year, she would have been a tremendous asset to the relay teams. Femke Bol (Netherlands) announced earlier this year that she too would opt out of some major championships on an individual level, which she did – the European and World Indoors. She did however compete for the Netherlands in the relays.
Tooting Bec and Lausanne
The first race of the week was the Diamond League in Lausanne and the British Milers Club meet in Tooting Bec. In Tooting there was another showdown between Alex O’Neill (Limerick Track Club) and Sarah Healy (UCD) with O’Neill once again coming in ahead of Healy. More significantly were the times that both ladies recorded. A 2.00.18 personal best from O’Neill saw her record not only a personal best, but also the fastest time by an Irish lady this year. Healy with her 2.00.19 recorded the second fastest. Other notable performances in Tooting included a season’s best for Nick Griggs (CNDR) in the 1500m with a time of 3:35.25 and another good run by Shane Bracken (Swinford) and Callum Morgan (CNDR) over the same distance. Kevin McGrath (Bohermeen) set a new personal best of 3:45.65 with Amy O’Donohue (DSD) recording a personal best of 4:13.22 in the ladies 1500m, just one second behind Laura Nicholson (Bandon AC).
A few days later at the Bury St Edmonds BMC meet four Irish athletes were again in action. Kevin McGrath (Bohermeen) finished 3rd in the men ‘s A mile race in 4:05.90 while Colin P Smith (Mullingar) was 7th with 4:12.14. In the men’s 800m A race Andrew Thompson (North Belfast) was 3rd with 1:46.66. One place behind him was Brhane Gebrebrhan (Annadale Striders) with 1:48.50.
Brian Fay (Raheny) has started to show improvements again this season, going within 7 seconds of his national 5000m record. He will not be happy with his performance in the Lausanne Diamond League last Wednesday as trotted home, in a performance that does not do him justice. The change of coaches does seem to have paid off this season and one would hope this blip will be hurdled and we will see Fay tackle his Irish record in the near future.
Favors throws another Seasons Best
Eric Favours seems to be warming up nicely as the road to Tokyo nears its end. At the U series meet in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania, the Raheny Shamrocks athlete threw 20.75m to secure victory over South African Chris Van Niekerk. This is a new season’s best for Favours and improves upon the 20.48 that he threw at the same venue two weeks ago. Favours is currently inside the quota for the World Championships – but only just – as he sits 35th out of 36 athletes. We will eagerly await the World Athletics Road to Tokyo updates tomorrow to verify his current position.
Niamh Fogarty was back in action in Denmark over the weekend. The Raheny athlete threw a best of 55.65, which ranked her third of the competitors. In the shot putt a 5th round throw of 15.08m was a personal best and a new Irish lead for 2025. It secured her a ranking of second in the event and finally gets her over that magic 15m mark.
Lagan Valley Fab 5
Having domestic competitions still running in August ensures some of our top athletes do not have to endure the hassle of travelling abroad, thereby disrupting their training schedules. The Lagan Valley Fab 5 was supported by some of our top athletes. The vastly improved Kate Doherty (DSD) won the 400m in 54.41 ahead of Phil Healy (Bandon AC) and Kelly McGrory (Tir Connaill). McGrory of course is making a comeback from injury. Jack Raferty (Donore) and Cillian Greene (GCH) battled it out in the men’s 400m. It was Raferty who crossed the line first with a time of 45.57 ahead of Greene with 46.64. Denise Toner (City of Lisburn) shows no signs of advancing in her master’s years as she topped the ladies one mile event with a creditable 5.06.77.
Brussels Diamond League
It was off to Brussels for the second diamond league of the week, where Andrew Coscoran (Star of the Sea) took part in the 1500m. It was always going to be a fast race as American Yared Nuguse who finished fourth in the US trials is on a bit to gain his only other ticket to Tokyo – a win in the Diamond League final in Zurich this week. Testing his opponents and maintaining a strong pace was his only option. Nuguse finished third with 20-year-old Niels Laros, the recently crowned European u23 champion over 800m and 5000m taking the victory in 3.30.58 – a season’s best. Laros and his coach have decided what his event(s) will be for Tokyo but are remaining tight lipped until the Dutch federation make their final selection announcement.
Andrew Coscoran finished 13th with a time of 3:35.76, one which he will be less than happy with. Coscoran currently has an automatic qualification in the 1500m and a B standard for the 5000m. He currently lies 36th out of 42 athletes in the World Athletics 5000m ranking list. He sits at 43rd out of a quota of 56 in the 1500m rankings. Cathal Doyle is at number 36 and is also qualified by entry standard.
Norway and Scotland
The final two track races of last week were The Final Call Tokyo event in Norway and the Scottish National Championships. Darragh McIlhenny (Bantry AC) and Nick Griggs (CNDR) made one last effort to secure entry to Tokyo. For McIlhenny he is tantalizingly close to the A standard with a time of 13.02.06, which is of course a B standard and lies just outside of the ranking list at 43rd with 42 being the quota for the 5000m event. Griggs best of 13.05.75 places him at 56th, fourteen places outside the quota. Both were making a last effort to change their rankings and times. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be and neither were on target by the halfway point. It remains to be seen what decision Athletics Ireland makes regarding selection in the coming weeks and more importantly the two athletes ranking on the World Athletics Road to Tokyo list.
At the Scottish National Senior Championships, four Irish senior athletes were in action. John Kelly, the good humoured, ever smiling Finn Valley AC shot putter won the Shot Putt with an effort of 17.51m. Laura Frawley (Nenagh) whose younger sister Aine was part of the Athletics Ireland u17 Development team, won her high jump with a leap of 1.63m. It was such a close call for Lauren Callaghan (Finn Valley) as she finished second in the long jump with a leap of 6.14m, only 2cm off the gold. Finally, Sam Healy (Leevale AC) finish 3rd in the Long Jump with another big 7m leap, of 7.37.
Our Juveniles
Here at Run Republic we have already covered our Juveniles in a separate report. Do take a look and see what amazing young athletes we have on the rise and hopefully we will see grace the tracks as elites in years to come.
Antrim Coast Half Marathon
The road racing scene has pick up with just 9 weeks to go to the Dublin City Marathon. While we acknowledge the amazing job clubs throughout the country are doing with their own road race series, time and space runs out to mention all of them. We will however focus on the Antrim Coast Half Marathon, a major race within the Irish road racing scene and one that also attracts internationals.
Known for its scenic beauty and fast times the race attracted over 4,000 runners. The winner was Geoffrey KAMWOROR (Kenya) in a time of 59.51 with Tadesse GETAHON (Isreal) second in 61.20. The third placed athlete was Phil SESEMANN (GB) in 61.22. First Irishman home was Ryan Creech (Leevale) in 64.48. The anticipated dual between Kamworor and Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei did not materialise. Kamworor, the three times world half marathon had an easy victory over Getahon. Michael Harty (East Cork) finished 12th in 65.34 setting a new masters record, surpassing the previous record held by Brian Maher (Kilkenny City Harriers) by 21 seconds. The 45-year-old was the second Irishman home.
Mizan ALEM (Ethiopia) won the ladies event in 65.38 with Loice CHEMNUNG (Kenya) coming second in a time of 66.06. Third went to Senayet GETACHEW (Ethiopia) almost a minute ahead of Norways Karolina Grovdal with a time of 66.33. Alem – the 2021 u20 5000m champion easily dispensed with the opposition to cross the line in 65.38. The first Irish lady home was Hannah Gilliland with a time of 77.29.
