By Perri Williams
On Saturday evening at the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon, double Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet became the first woman in history to break the 14-minute barrier for 5000m. The Kenyan clocked a new world record of 13:58.06. Just 80 minutes after Chebet's record-breaking run, Chebet’s Kenyan compatriot Olympic gold medallist Faith Kipyegon broke her own world 1500m record with 3:48.68. On this occasion there was no doubt about the authenticity of Kipyegon’s performance as she took 0.36 off the record she set in Paris last year. Unaided by pacers or speed suits or other super-duper technology as was the case with her recent exhibition attempt at the sub minute mile. 20-year-old. It does beg the question whether any future attempts at the sub 4 mark by Kipyegon could be unaided.
Dutchman Neils Laros won the Bowerman mile with Ireland’s Sarah Healy finishing 7th in the ladies 1500m, clocking 3:57.20, narrowly missing out on eclipsing her personal best of 3:57.15. In total 11 athletes ran under 4 minutes. Healy has been very consistent this season and her 7th place finish is a better reflection on her current status amongst elite athletes, the Prefontaine classic having more elite athletes together in one race than any other race so far this year. Rhasidat Adeleke finished 4th in the 400m, just not quiet hitting her form yet. Adeleke is over two seconds slower than her personal best of 49.07 that she set last year. Her season’s best is 50.42 which she set in Oslo last month. The winner was Sydney McLoughlin – Levrone in a rapid 49.43. She has a personal best of 48.74 which she set at the same location two years ago. Orla Comerford had another fine win as she clocked 12.14.
On the same day in Tullamore, where the sun did not shine as brightly nor the pole vault raised quiet to the same hight as that of Mondo Duplantis, our own athletes were testing their own form at the National u20 and u23 championships. For the u23 athletes, this competition was a pre-curser to their departure for the European u23s in two weeks’ time, the final opportunity for some to achieve a qualification standard.
U20 Competitions
There were great entry numbers in the u20 events with plenty of competitive action to keep everyone entertained. Matthew Newell (Tuam AC) gave another stand out performance breaking the National record for the 5000m walk and setting a new mark of 20:43.96. He now holds both the u18 and u20 records. Finishing 7th in last year’s u18 European’s he is currently ranked the second fastest European with a personal best of 20:34.71 recorded last month at the Connaught Championships. He is also ranked 12th in the u20 European ranking list.
Precious Akpe-Moses (Blackrock AC) was the star sprinter on the day. Recording a double in the 100m and 200m, it was the 200m where she laid down a more permanent mark. Apke-Moses crossed the line with a time of 23.66, to set a new championship record – breaking the 25 year mark of 23.93 set by Emily Maher (KCH) back in 2000. Molly Daly (KCH) finished 2nd. Apke-Moses is currently ranked 19th in Europe u20, relegating Molly Daly into 20th with her time on Saturday. Daly incidentally is ranked 3rd in the u18 European lists.
Sean Doggett set another championship record, recording 47.08 eclipsing the 47.62 set by Conor Kelly last year. Doggett had a second and a half to spare over the vastly improved Alex Cullen (KCH). These two along with Conor Kelly all have the European u20 standards. Kelly is currently ranked number 1 in Europe with Doggett ranked 9th. Erin Friel (Letterkenny) took the u20 400m title last Sunday but Maria Zakharenco was closing fast. The Kilcool AC athlete regaining some form that she lacked in the indoor season. Friel currently lies at number 4 on the u18 European ranking list.
Ellis McHugh (Ferrybank AC) set a new national junior record of 59.23 last month. Last Sunday she was once again in record breaking form. Crossing the line with 1.00.33 on the clock, she took down Nessa Millet’s 12-year-old record of 1:00.62 to set a new u20 championship record. Millet still holds the national record at 59.00. However, the Ferrybank star still has two more years at the u20 age group. McHugh is currently ranked 3rd in Europe u18.
When it comes to field events, you just cannot look past Thomas Williams with his superb Hammer throwing and Cian Crampton in the discus. Both athletes achieved gold in their respective events. Both are European u18 medallists. Crampton currently holds the national record of 58.32 which he set in Loughborough last month. Last Saturday in somewhat blustery conditions he came within 6cm of that mark, to record a new u20 championship record. He currently lies in 10th place on the European ranking list. Williams, an u18 athlete (and reigning European u18 champion) currently lies at number 1 in Europe, although he has dropped to number 6 on the 5kg list. An early season injury means he is still playing catch up. Hot on their heals is Theo Hanlon (Suncroft AC) who took gold in the shot putt. Hanlon was just 2cm shy of the championship record. He already has one B standard and is currently in the race to get the second one before the window closes later this month. If Hanlon can fix his final spin he could maximise the number of valid attempts per competition.
Conor Penney (Craughwell), always popular with audiences, continues to impress in the high jump. Fresh from a recent session with former world great Sotomayor, the Galway star cleared 2:09m just one centimetre shy of his personal best of 2:09. His performance at the weekend moved him to number 7 on the European u18 ranking list.
Dearbhla Allen (St Peters) has been superb over the steeplechase this season. Last Saturday not only did she take gold and record a new championship record (10:37.49), she also secured her fourth B standard for the European u20s next month. Pushed on by the u23s who competed in the same race, Allen was an impressive winner, with more in reserve.
In the middle-distance races, while no records were set, there were impressive performances from Cormac Dixon (Tallaght) in the 1500m, Sean Cronin (Clonliffe) in the 800m, with an exciting finish from Jennifer O’Leary and Nicole Dinan (Leevale) in the 800m. Dixon in particular looked impressive in terms of the ease at which he ran his 1,500m. Looking strong, fit and clearly with the capability to run faster times, he will head to the European u20s with some business to take care of.
U23 competitions
All eyes were on Nick Griggs (CNDR) as he stepped down to the 800m taking on specialists like Finn Wodger (MSB). Griggs bade his time for the first lap, happy to tuck in behind early leader Neil Culhane (Ace AC). The talented Tyrone native, kicked over the final 200m and threw off challenges on the home straight from Finn Wodger and Dylan McBride (City of Lisburn).
In theory the 1500m looked like CNDR’s Callum Morgan’s for the taking. However, Kilkenny’s Cathal O’Rielly had other thoughts. The race was steady not fast, so a wind up on the final lap was always on the cards. O’Rielly may not have had the fasted time in the field but he has the fastest turn of pace in middle distance races and is not the type of person you want to be in a sprint to the line with. It was an impressive final 200m from O’Rielly who took the gold from Morgan. Niall Murphy (Ennis Track) surprised many with his final lap speed, to take the bronze. The ladies 5000m race boiled down to a Roise Roberts (CNDR) and Heather Murphy (St Michaels) challenge, with Roberts getting the better of the long time leader Murphy over the final two laps. Murphy has qualified for the European u23 championships in the 10,000m. Eimear Maher (DSD) continued to impress as she took the title with a time of 4:22.80 setting a new championship record. Maher is another athlete who will head to the Europeans after a summer season that has been outstanding.
Aisling Lane (Mullingar Harriers) completed a solo effort to set a new championship record in the girls u23 walk. Lane led from start to finish and never looked under pressure with her endevours.
Anna Gavigan (LSA AC) threw a new U23 championship record of 54.20m in the discus to retain her dominance in the event. Gavigan will also head to Begen for the u23 Europeans. Patricia Walsh’s 1982 national record of 57.06m will stand a little longer.
In the high jump, Aoife O’Sullivan (Liscarroll AC) secured a new championship record of 1.81m in the U23 high jump. In the long jump former European u20 champion Elizabeth Ndudi (DSD) suffered a rare Irish defeat at the hands of Laura Fawley (Nenagh Olympic).
Alex Joyce (Tuam AC) has become a strong force in Steeplechase running. Joyce shook off the challenge from Ailish Hawkins (DCH) to cross the line for gold in a time of 10;21.89 just over half a second off Ava O’Connor’s championship record. Both Joyce and Hawkins along with O’Connor are set to compete in the European u23s this month. While World Athletics do not keep an u23 ranking list, O’Connor has run the 6th fastest u23 steeplechase this year. The men’s event proved to be disappointing for Jonas Stafford who had set out to obtain an u23 standard. Stafford however is still eligible for this event in two years’ time.