High Quality Competition Expected at the GloHealth Open Indoor Games

The indoor season kicks into overdrive this weekend with many of Ireland’s top International athletes competing at the GloHealth AAI Open Indoor Games in Athlone this Sunday (February 1st). The event will be streamed live from 11.45 am with full details available here: Live Streaming

The full entry list is availabe here: Entry List

Timetable

Sprints

2014 national senior indoor 60m champion Amy Foster (City of Lisburn AC) will make her seasonal debut on the boards this Sunday. Foster was in remarkable form last indoor season winning the national title and running a personal best of 7.32 seconds. Foster will have one eye on the 7.36 second qualifying time required for the European Indoor Championships in Prague.

Multiple national champion and Irish long jump record holder Kelly Proper (Ferrybank AC) will contest the 200m and long Jump where she will start as favourite in both. Sean Lawlor (Donore Harriers AC) who won the GloHealth Junior 200m title last weekend headlines a large entry in the men’s 200m. Reigning  senior 400m indoor champion Sinead Denny (Dundrum South Dublin AC) makes her 2015 debut over that distance. A high quality men’s 400m is expected with the likes of Dara Kervick (Clonliffe Harriers AC), Paul Murphy (Ferrybank AC), Timmy Crowe (Clonliffe Harriers AC) and Zak Irwin (Sligo AC) all in the line-up.

National outdoor 110m hurdles champion Gerard O’Donnell (Carrick on-Shannon AC) contests the 60m hurdles with Catherine McManus (Celtic DCH) the likely favourite in the women’s equivalent.

Middle Distance/Walks

Irish middle distance athletes will be out in force in Athlone with an abundance of talent spread across the 800m, 1500m and 3,000m events.

After a recent spell of warm weather training in South Africa Ciara Everard (UCD AC) takes on the 800m in a season where the European Indoors is the likely target. World junior semi-finalist Karl Griffin (UCD AC) contests the men’s event where he will come against International athlete Wouter Ploeger of the Netherlands. Danny Mooney (Letterkenny AC) who ran 3.43 for 1,500m last weekend will be in search of even quicker times this Sunday.

The women’s 3,000m features Sara Treacy (Dunboyne AC) and Ann-Marie McGlynn (Letterkenny AC), two members of the bronze medal winning European cross country team. Fresh from his 3.59 mile time in New York John Travers (Donore Harriers AC) goes in the men’s 3,000m.

Brendan Boyce (Letterkenny AC) and Leevale AC duo Alex Wright and Luke Hickey are set to battle it out in the 3k Walk.

Field Events

2.20m high jumper Kourosh Foroughi (Star of the Sea AC) is the star attraction in the men’s high jump event. Recent Irish junior 60m hurdles junior record holder Sam Healy (Leevale AC) and 2014 national indoor champion Adam McMullen (Crusaders AC) lock horns in the men’s long jump. Irish record holder Kelly Proper will be in search of big leap in the women’s event.

Sean Breathnach (Galway City Harriers AC) and Claire Fitzgerald (Tralee Harriers AC) will target big throws in the shot putt.

Declan Murray to Replace John Travers on Irish DMR Team

Declan Murray (Clonliffe Harriers AC) will replace John Travers (Donore Harriers AC) on the Irish team for the Distance Medley Relay (DMR) at the New Balance Indoor Games on the 31st of January.  The decision has been made for John Travers not to travel with the Irish team as a precautionary measure due to an injury niggle. Instead Travers will race at home in the 3,000m at the GloHealth AAI Open Indoor Games on the 1st of February. Murray will now join European 800m Bronze Medallist Mark English (UCD AC), Brian Gregan (Clonliffe Harriers AC) and Ciaran O’Lionaird as they compete against other International and US teams in the exciting DMR event.

European Indoor Championships Relay Team

Athletics Ireland is delighted to announce that European Athletics have invited an Irish 4x400m men’s relay team to compete in the 2015 European Indoor Championships in Prague.

Get More with GloHealth

Don’t forget that Athletics Ireland members get more with GloHealth. Kids and adults get €30 cash back on their Athletics Ireland membership with GloHealth’s Family & Kids’ Health package. Adults can also get this benefit on the Sports Cover package. For more about how to switch to GloHealth, call 1890 714 714 or visit GloHealth.ie