Four Irish Through to Semifinals at European Indoor Championships
DAY ONE European Indoor Athletics Championships
Updated with evening session
800m
European Outdoor 800m Medallist Mark English (UCD AC) made qualification into tomorrow’s semi-final (17.25 Irish Time) look easy at the European Indoor Athletics Championships in Prague this morning, winning in 1.48.10. Despite settling at the back of the field he moved his way up to leaders with ease to time his kick past the leaders nicely with 100m to go, coasting down the home straight in confident style in the fastest time of all qualifiers. He will be joined by Declan Murray (Clonliffe Harriers) who finished second in his heat in 1.49.69 to also gain an automatic qualification spot.
Ciara Everard (UCD AC) also made the cut, producing a season’s best of 2.02.54 to finish third in her 800m heat, just off her Irish Records of 2.02.54. The time was quick enough to secure a fastest qualification spot into tomorrow's semi-final at 17.00 and her time ranks her seventh overall with six spots in the final up for grabs.
400m
Dara Kervick (Clonlfife Harriers AC) won his 400m Heat in the morning session, commanding from start to finish corssing the line in 47.06 to ensure a spot in the semi-final and an outside lane. In the semi-final he produced his 3rd fastest time ever of 46.96 to finish 4th. His time was the 7th fastest overall in the semi-finals, a very solid performance in his first major senior champs and no doubt more to come from him.
60m Hurdles
Earlier in the morning in his first major championships Leitrim’s Gerard O’Donnell (Carrick On Suir AC) finished sixth in Heat one of the 60m Hurdles in 8.06 seconds. Despite losing technique and clipping hurdles, he recorded his 4th fastest time over the distance but it wasn’t good enough to progress to semi-finals. A personal best performance of 7.73 would have guaranteed him a spot in the semi-final.
3000m
Paul Pollock (Annadale Striders AC) put himself in the mix in the opening laps of the Men's 3k but faded as to the back of the field as the pace picked up in the closing laps to finish 10th but he did record a personal best of 7:58.78 .
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