Gregan delivers in 400m classic as Barr and English return

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Gregan delivers in 400m classic as Barr and English return

Brian Gregan (Clonliffe Harriers) won a top quality men’s 400m in 46.28 seconds while Thomas Barr (Ferrybank) sealed his sixth 400m hurdles title in 50.28 seconds at an engaging GloHealth National Senior Track and Field Championships in Morton Stadium (June 25-26). Full results are HERE

Barr has been battling back to fitness and made his season debut in the heats on Saturday running 52.03 and improved considerably in the final to win his sixth national title.

“All I need is races,” said Barr who confirmed he will run in the European Athletics Championships from July 6-10. The full team will be announced officially tomorrow. “I improved two seconds from the heats to the final and I hope I can keep going that way.” Jason Harvey (Crusaders) finished strongly for silver in 51.30 with Ben Kiely (Ferrybank) nabbing the bronze in 51.47.

Mark English (UCD) bagged his fourth national 800m title in 1:51.48 but will skip the Europeans to work on his fitness for the Olympics. The championships for the Donegal man were a similar scenario to Barr’s. “I’m happy with that and now I’ll get working towards Rio,” said English. Declan Murray (Clonliffe Harriers) was second in 1:51.70 with Karl Griffin (UCD) third in 1:51.83.

Siofra Cleirigh Buttner (DSD) dominated the women’s 800m passing through 400m in 58 seconds to win in 2:04.72 ahead of Louise Shanahan (Leevale) second in 2:10.02 with Alanna Lally (UCD) third in 2:10.28.   

The men’s and women’s 400m races brought the championships to a crescendo. Brian Gregan proved his mettle winning the men’s race in a big season’s best of 46.28 in the final meters. Craig Lynch (Shercock) ran a big personal best in second with 46.40 just holding off a fast finishing David Gillick (DSD) who ran 46.44. The first four men ran a European B standard – Richard Morrissey (Crusaders) ran 46.68 – while six men ran 46 seconds.

Sinead Denny (DSD) showed her battling qualities to win the women’s 400m in 53.64 to hold off Phil Healy (Bandon) in 53.78. Ciara McCallion (Clonliffe Harriers) was third in 54.48.

Jason Smyth (Derry City) and Amy Foster were the fastest over 100m running 10.71 and 11.83 respectively.

Ben Reynolds (North Down) went into the championships in search of a European B qualifier of 13.90 in the 110m Hurdles and he duly delivered winning in 13.89.

Sean Breathnach (Galway City Harriers) bagged three gold medals and one silver in the throws. He won the shot put with 17.34m, the 56lbs weight for height with 4.40m, the 56lbs weight for distance with 7.87m, and silver in the discus with 51.18m. Marco Pons (DMP) won the discus with 53.22m.

Clare Fitzgerald (Tralee Harriers) won double gold in the women’s discus and shot put – she hurled the discus 53.38m and sent the shot out to 15.07m.

Sommer Lecky won the high jump at the Tailteann Games on Saturday and returned to win the senior high jump on Sunday with 1.71m. Jaime Murtagh (Cushinstown) caused a surprise in the men’s high jump winning in 2.10m ahead of Barry Pender (St Abban’s) second with 2.05.  

Michelle Finn (Leevale) impressed in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase to win in 9:46.81 with Kerry O’Flaherty (Newcastle) having to settle for second in 9:58.81 – both are bound for Rio in the chase.

John Travers (Donore Harriers) and Ciara Mageean (UCD) won their respective 1500m in tactical fashion. Travers sprinted to victory in 4:01.19 to hold off Eoin Everard (Kilkenny City Harriers) in 4:01.32.

In the women’s race Mageean bided her time before winning comfortably in 4:24.33 to beat last year’s champion Sara Treacy (Dunboyne) who was second in 4:26.10. The Portaferry woman will now go on to the European Championships.

Alex Wright (Leevale) won the men’s 10,000m race walk in 41:11.7.  

The importance of winning a national championship was highlighted most by Conor Duffy (Glaslough Harriers) and Lily-Ann O’Hora (Dooneen) who jubilantly celebrated after winning the men’s 5,000m in 14:32.85 and the 100m hurdles in 14.36.

Results

GloHealth National Senior Track and Field Championships Day 1, Morton Stadium

Men’s

100m

1. Jason Smyth (Derry City Track Club) 10.71, 2. Jonathan Browning (Ballymena & Antrim) 10.75, 3. Christopher Sibanda (Clonliffe Harriers) 10.93

200m

1. Eanna Madden (Carrick on Shannon) 21.37, 2. Kieran Elliot (North Sligo) 21.88, 3. Eamonn Fahey (Donore Harriers) 21.95m

400m

1. Brian Gregan (Clonliffe Harriers) 46.28, 2. Craig Lynch (Shercock) 46.40, 3. David Gillick (DSD) 46.44

800m

1. Mark English (UCD) 1:51.48, 2. Declan Murray (Clonliffe Harriers) 1:51.70, 3. Karl Griffin (UCD) 1:51.83

1500m

1. John Travers (Donore Harriers) 4:01.19, 2. Eoin Everard (Kilkenny City Harriers) 4:01.32, 3. Cormac Kelly (St Abban’s) 4:02.69

5,000m

1. Conor Duffy (Glaslough Harriers) 14:32.85, 2. Conor Bradley (City of Derry) 14:33.35, 3. Colm Sheahan (Leevale) 14:33.67

10,000m

1. Brandon Hargreaves (DSD) 29:45.01, 2. Mark Christie (Mullingar Harriers) 29:45.50, 3. Mick Clohisey (Raheny Shamrock) 29:50.42

110m Hurdles

1. Ben Reynolds (North Down) 13.89, 2. Matthew Behan (Crusaders) 14.69, 3. Tom Reynolds (North Down) 14.96

400m Hurdles

1. Thomas Barr (Ferrybank) 50.28, 2. Jason Harvey (Crusaders) 51.30, 3. Ben Kiely (Ferrybank) 51.47

3,000m steeplechase

1. Rory Chesser (Ennis Track) 9:07.83, 2. David Flynn (Clonliffe Harriers) 9:08.17, 3. Emmet Jennings (DSD) 9:13.52

10,000m Race Walk

1. Alex Wright (Leevale) 41:11.17, 2. Cian McManamon (Westport) 42:07.87, 3. Brendan Boyce (Letterkenny) 42:25.17

4x100m relay

1. Emerald AC 43.13, 2. Tullamore Harriers 43.36, Menapians 43.42

4x400m relay

1. Ferrybank 3:16.07, 2. Crusaders 3:17.20, 3. Emerald 3:22.78

Long jump

1. Adam McMullen (Crusaders) 7.52m, 2. Shane Howard (Bandon) 7.35m, 3. Sam Healy (Leevale) 7.30m

Triple Jump

1. Denis Finnegan (An Riocht) 14.80m, 2. Andrii Mahin (Clonliffe Harriers) 14.39m, 3. Niall Counihan (Dooneen) 13.88m

High Jump

1. Jaime Murtagh (Cushinstown) 2.10m, 2. Barry Pender (St Abban’s) 2.05m, 3. David Cussen (Old Abbey AC) 2.00m

Pole Vault

1. Thomas Houlihan (West Waterford) 4.40m, 2. Ian Rogers (Clonliffe Harriers) 4.40m, 3. Michael Bowler (Enniscorthy) 4.20m

Hammer

1. Padraig White (Dunboyne) 61.19m, 2. Simon Galligan (Clonliffe Harriers) 59.51m, 3. Thomas Furlong (DMP AC) 57.74m

Discus

1. Marco Pons (DMP AC) 53.22m, 2. Sean Breathnach (Galway City Harriers) 51.18m, Eoin Sheridan (North Westmeath) 49.29m

Shot Put

1. Sean Breathnach (Galway City Harriers) 17.34m, 2. John Kelly (Finn Valley) 15.25m, 3. Anu Awonusi (SLOT) 14.99m

Javelin

1. Rory Gunning (Clonliffe Harriers)61.15m , 2. Stephen Rice (Sli Cualann) 60.72m, 3. Sean McBride (Lifford Strabane) 58.63m

Weight for Height 56lbs

1. Sean Breathnach 4.40m, 2. Peter Ryan (Nenagh Olympic) 4.20m, 3. John Dwyer (Templemore) 3.80m

Weight for distance

1. Sean Breathnach (Galway City Harriers) 7.87m, 2. John Dwyer (Templemore) 7.37m, 3. Peter Ryan (Nenagh Olympic) 6.98m

Women’s

100m

1. Amy Foster (City of Lisburn) 11.83, 2. Niamh Whelan (Ferrybank) 11.92, 3. Joan Healy (Bandon) 11.94

200m

1. Niamh Whelan (Ferrybank) 23.94, 2. Catherine McManus (Dublin City Harriers) 24.23, Leah Moore (Clonliffe Harriers) 24.77

400m

1. Sinead Denny (DSD) 53.64, 2. Phil Healy (Bandon) 53.78, 3. Ciara McCallion (Clonliffe Harriers) 54.48

800m

1. Siofra Cleirigh Buttner (DSD) 2:04.72, 2. Louise Shanahan (Leevale) 2:10.02, 3. Alanna Lally (UCD) 2:10.28

1500m

1. Ciara Mageean (UCD) 4:24.33, 2. Sara Treacy (Dunboyne) 4:26.10, 3. Kelly Neely (City of Lisburn) 4:27.68

5,000m

1. Deirdre Byrne (Sli Cualann) 16:07.56, 2. Shona Heaslip (An Riocht) 16:41.62, 3. Anna Reddin (Crusaders) 16:46.17

3,000m steeplechase

1. Michelle Finn (Leevale)9:46.81, 2. Kerry O’Flaherty (Newcastle) 9:58.81, 3. Elizabeth Egan (Bree) 11:49.07

5,000m Race Walk

1. Emma Prendiville (Farranfore Maine Valley A.C.) 25:15.57, 2. Veronica Burke  (Ballinasloe & District)    25:38.42, 3. Sinead O’Connor (Celbridge A.C.) 27:16.28

100m Hurdles

1. Lily-Ann O’Hora (Dooneen) 14.36, 2. Kate Taylor (St Cronan’s) 15.04, Naomi Morgan (City of Derry) 15.15

400m Hurdles

1. Kelly McGrory (Tir Chonaill) 61.23, 2. Arlene Crossan (Finn Valley) 61.39, 3. Niamh Malone (Monaghan Phoenix) 62.12

4x100m relay

1. Ferrybank 47.20, 2. Fingallians 49.24, 3. Naas 50.17

4x400m relay

1. DSD 3:52.73, 2. DCH 4:06.05, 3. Raheny Shamrock 4:08.79

Long jump

1. Imelda Morrison (Youghal) 5.88m, Saragh Buggy (St Abban’s) 5.84m, 3. Sarah McCarthy (Mid Sutton) 5.75m

Triple jump

1. Saragh Buggy (St Abban’s) 12.96m, 2. Ausra Jerumbauskyte (Clonliffe Harriers) 12.00m, 3. Laura Saulters (North Down) 11.79m

High Jump

1. Sommer Lecky (Finn Valley) 1.71m, 2. Shannon Sheehy (Cushinstown) 1.68m, 3. Anna McIlmoyle (City of Lisburn) 1.68m

Pole Vault

1. Tori Pena (Finn Valley) 4.15m, 2. Sarah Derham (Lusk AC) 3.00m, 3. Laura Cussen (Old Abbey) 2.80m

Javelin

1. Anita White (DSD) 47.89m, 2. Orlaith O’Brien (Waterford AC) 43.95m, 3. Grace Casey (Eire Og Corra Choill) 41.79m

Discus

1. Clare Fitzgerald (Tralee Harriers) 53.38m, 2. Kayleigh Cronin (Farranfore Maine Valley) 44.76m, 3. Niamh Fogarty (North Westmeath) 44.45m

Shot Put

1. Clare Fitzgerald (Tralee Harriers) 15.07m, 2. Michaela Walsh (Swinford) 14.64m, 3. Laura McSweeney (Bandon) 13.16m

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