MASTERS ATHLETES SET TO DESCEND ON TULLAMORE
The 123.ie National Masters Track and Field Championships take place in Tullamore this Sunday (Aug 4th), with almost 500 athletes set to take to competition across the action-packed eight-hour schedule.
This weekend competition comes hot on the heels of a wonderful night at Morton Stadium earlier in the week where three new World Master Women’s 4x800m Relay Records were broken on the final night of The Dublin Graded Track Series.
The over 35 team of Michelle Cox (Newbridge AC), Eimear English (Dunboyne AC), Laura Frey and Fiona Gettings (Longford AC) combined to break the world record (9:25.27) held by the USA since 2011.
The over 45 team of Maria Dunne (St Laurence O’Toole AC), Maria McCambridge (DSD), Denise Egan (Ferbane AC), and Denise Toner (Monaghan AC) posted a combined time of 9:26.49 to better the old record set by 17 seconds.
The over 70 team of Bridget McCabe, (Mullingar Harriers), Eileen Kenny (Athlone AC), Margaret Glavey (Mayo AC), and Mary Lynch (Raheny Shamrock AC) broke the record held by a German team since 2013 with 13:27.00.
Action on both the track and in the field gets underway from 10am this weekend, with a host of those record-breaking athletes set to return in their pursuit of national glory.
Gemma Thompson (Spartans) W35 will be one of the star sprinters on show with the Derry athlete looking to back up her indoor 60m and 200m titles with the 100m and 200m outdoor titles, while Avril Dillon (Dundrum South Dublin) W40 looks set to target the 100m sprint this weekend.
Ger Cremin (An Riocht) M45 has been unstoppable over the short hurdles in recent years, and he’ll look to go for gold once again in the 110mh from 2.10pm.
Fiona Kehoe (Kilmore AC) W40 is set to focus on the 800m this weekend and looks a leading contender alongside Michelle Cox (Newbridge AC) and Fiona Gettings (Longford AC), while Sue McDonald (Newbridge AC) W35 will look to double up in the 800m and 1500m alongside Eimear English (Dunboyne AC).
Denise Toner (Clones AC) W45 will also look to double up in the 1500m and 800m, while Maria Dunne (St Laurance O’Toole AC) W45 is set to go in the 800m and 400m.
The record-breaking Margaret Glavey (Mayo AC) looks set to take her place in the W70 800m.
The men’s 5000m is set for a 2.40pm start and could be one of the races of the day. Conroy brothers, Brian and Stephen, will look to win their respective categories. Both come into the weekend in flying form on the back of helping Clane AC to the recent 10-mile title on the road.
2004 Olympian Maria McCambridge (Dundrum South Dublin AC) looks a leading favourite for the W45 3000m title.
There will be no shortage of intriguing battles in the field events with Erika Jouzapuite (Blackrock Louth) W40 poised to put in another bold showing in high jump and long jump.
Olga Nedvede (Dooneen AC) W35 looks set to take her place in the women’s javelin, WFD, and discus competitions and look’s the one to beat.
*Records subject to ratification.
