O’Hara Through to Hammer Final at World Junior Championships

O'Hara into Finals

Emma O’Hara was the undoubted star for the Irish on day one at the World Junior Championships in Eugene, Oregon – the hammer thrower breaking new ground by qualifying for tomorrow night’s final with a best effort of 57.17 metres.

“It’s amazing,” she said afterwards, the Galway City Harrier still visibly overcome with emotion at her achievement. “I thought it was all over after I finished throwing; I didn’t think it would be good enough for qualification. I didn’t throw great, to be honest, but 57 metres is moving in the right direction.”

O’Hara will compete in the women’s hammer throw final tomorrow night at 1:30am Irish time, and with the pressure off, she hopes to go into new territory once more. “I’m going to PB tomorrow,” she said.

Elsewhere on day one  in the women’s 800m,  both Aislinn Crossey and Síofra Cléirigh-Buttner were in action and produced solid performances but unfortunately it was not good enough to progress and both eliminated in their respective heats.

Crossey finished seventh in her heat in 2:08.06. ”I put myself in good position,” said Crossey. “I felt good after 600, but the legs just weren’t there in the home straight. It’s been an amazing experience, though.”

In the final 800 heat, Dundrum South Dublin’s Síofra Cléirigh-Buttner was also below her best when finishing fifth in 2:08.50. “I’m disappointed with that,” said Cléirigh-Buttner. “I didn’t think I did anything wrong during the race. I put myself in the right position, but I just couldn’t go with it in the last 200.”

Cléirigh-Buttner will also compete in the women’s 1500m heats on Thursday, which take place at 8:15pm Irish time on Friday.