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Woodie's DIY Announces Sponsorship of
National T&F Championships
9 July 2004
Woodie's DIY and Garden Centres,
the market leader in DIY retailing in
Ireland, has announced that it is to sponsor the forthcoming 132nd
Senior
Track and Field Championships of Ireland for the second
consecutive year.
The Championships will take place at Morton Stadium, Santry, on
July 24th
and 25th 2004.
Commenting on the announcement, Mr Ray Colman, Chief Executive,
Woodie's DIY said: "Ireland's strong tradition of producing world
class athletes is reflected in the skills of the top Irish
contenders competing at this year's Championships. Woodie's DIY is
delighted to continue to support the
work of the Athletics Association of Ireland by sponsoring the
2004 Track
and Field Championships."
Athletics in Ireland is on a high with the approaching Olympics.
Alistair
Cragg looks set to emerge as the brightest Irish distance runner
since the
glory days of Eamonn Coghlan, Marcus O Sullivan and John
Tracey. His
ability to run a fast pace from the gun as well as possessing a
blazing
sprint finish saw him triumph over Kenyan Olympic 1500m
Champion, Noah
Ngeny, this year. Based in Arkansas University in the U.S.,
Cragg has
already won a host of US Collegiate titles. This year he
broke Frank
O'Mara's long standing Irish Indoor record for 3000m, a time the
Limerick
man set when winning the world title in 1991.
Last year's indoor sensation, 24 year old Ciara Sheehy, will be
hoping to
match her performances of 2003, as will James Nolan, the country's
finest
middle distance runner. Paul Brizzel, fondly known as 'Bionic
Brizzel', is
heading for his second Olympic Games and will hope to
surpass his
performance of 2003. Paul is the current holder of the Irish record
for the
100m and 200m, and will be strong contender for Olympic medals
this year.
Competition at this year's Woodie's DIY Track and Field
Championship is
expected to be red hot, as it is the last competitive showcase for
many of
Ireland's top athletes prior to the Olympic Games in Athens.
Ray Colman, Chief Executive, Woodie's DIY, spoke on the
partnership with
Athletics Ireland: "Woodie's DIY now has 18 stores nationwide and
we are
delighted to be associated with a sport that draws members from
towns the
length and breadth of Ireland."
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