CHAMPIONSHIP RECORDS FALL AS LAVIN IN SEVENTH HEAVEN

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CHAMPIONSHIP RECORDS FALL AS LAVIN IN SEVENTH HEAVEN

22 February 2025

A sold-out Sport Ireland National Indoor Arena was treated to a host of exhilarating performances on the opening day of the 123.ie National Senior Indoor Championships (Feb 22^nd).

Sarah Lavin (Emerald AC) claimed her SEVENTH national indoor 60m hurdles title, while THREE Championship records fell across the 1500m Sarah Healy (4:12.37 CR), 200m Marcus Lawler (20.74CR), and WFD Kotryna Pacerinskaite (8.30 CR).

Marcus Lawler (Conliffe Harriers) looked back to his brilliant best on his way to breaking the 200m championship record with a stunning 20.74. Lawler has been in flying form this indoor season, backing up his 20.80 from earlier this month to break Mark Smyth’s 20.77 championship record.

Speaking after the race Lawler said: “I was the form runner coming into these championships and I had a couple of PBs along the way, but it’s a long time since I picked up a national title, so I’m delighted. I’m 30 in a couple of days time and that’s an indoor PB in a championship record, so I’m thrilled”.

Adam Murphy (Tinryland AC) was second in 21.75, with Luke Timlin (Crusaders AC) third in 21.76 to round out the men’s 200m podium.

Katie Bergin (Moyne AC) stormed to her first national senior indoor title with a superb personal best performance in the 200m final to cross in 24.03. Kate O’Connell (Lucan Harriers AC) 24.41 and Molly Hourihan (U.C.D. AC) 24.42 stayed on powerfully but ultimately had to settle for silver and bronze respectfully.

Sarah Lavin (Emerald AC) claimed this year’s 60m hurdles title in a winning time of 8.11 ahead of the St Laurence O’Toole duo of Molly Scott 8.34 and Arabella Adekoya 8.71. Lavin clipped her opening hurdle but recovered superbly to continue her national championship winning run as she hones in on another European indoor championships.

The men’s 60m hurdles went the way of Adam Nolan (St Laurence O’Toole AC) who successfully defended his 2024 gold with a 7.95 performance to finish ahead of the fast-finishing Sean Carmody (Leevale AC) 8.33 and Emmanuel Osas Ratoath AC 8.40.

Sarah Healy (UCD AC) looked imperious in the heats of the women’s 1500m, posting a championship record of 4:12.37 CR. The UCD athlete will be back for tomorrow’s final which is set for a 3.15pm start.

Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC) 52.86, Cliodhna Manning (Kilkenny City Harriers AC) 54.02, Lauren Cadden (Sligo AC) 54.05, Rachel McCann (North Down AC) 53.63, Phil Healy (Bandon AC) 53.98, and Arlene Crossan (Finn Valley AC) all progressed to tomorrow’s stacked women’s 400m final.

Conor Kelly (Derry Track Club) set a new national U20 record of 46.63 with a breathtaking run in the semi-final of the men’s 400. Kelly, who bettered the long-standing U20 record of David McCarthy, will be join in tomorrow’s 400m decider by David Bosch (U.C.D. AC) 48.21, Hugo Magee (Fast Twitch AC) 48.38, Jack Raftery (Donore Harriers) 47.55, Sean Doggett (Athenry AC) 48.39, and Padraic Hassett (Nenagh Olympic AC) 49.12.

Louise Shanahan (Leevale AC) eased her way through to tomorrow’s 800m final, doing no more than required to clock 2:13.06. Pia Langton (Kilkenny City Harriers AC) was fastest of the qualifiers in 2:12.37.

Cathal O’Reilly (Kilkenny City Harriers AC) was fastest of the men’s 800m, posting 1:53.13 in what now looks like a wide-open event in the absence of Mark English and Cian McPhillips.

Micheal Power (West Waterford AC) was fastest of the men’s 1500m qualifiers, clocking 3:56.14. Olympian Cathal Doyle (Clonliffe Harriers) also safely progressed to tomorrow’s 1500m medal decider with a comfortable looking 3:56.53.

The women’s high jump competition was billed as potentially one of the best contests of the weekend and it didn’t disappoint with Sommer Lecky (Finn Valley) and Tara O’Connor (Dundalk St Gerards) both clearing 1.81m. Lecky would ultimately claim gold on countback with Aoife O’Sullivan (Liscarroll AC) continuing her super indoor season to take bronze with 1.75m.

A resurgent Ciaran Connolly (Le Chéile AC) returned from over two years of injury woes to take the senior men’s title with a clearance of 2.00m. Lorcan Murphy (Dundrum South Dublin AC) took silver with 1.95, and Emmanuel Osas (Ratoath AC) bronze with 1.90.

Saragh Buggy (St Abbans) secured her 23^rd national senior title in the triple jump, taking the 2025 gold with a best of 12.85m. Daphni Doulaptsi Teeuwen (Raheny Shamrock AC) was second with 12.44, and Anna Ryan (Moycarkey Coolcroo A) third in 12.11.

David Onwudiwe (Ennis Track AC) produced a huge first round jump in the men’s triple to walk away with gold thanks to his best and only qualifying leap of 14.29m. Colm Bourke (Raheny Shamrock AC) 14.13m took silver, with Denis Finnegan (An Ríocht AC) bronze 13.59m.

Michael Healy (Leevale AC) went away with another men’s WFD title with a throw of 8.78m, while Kotryna Pacerinskaite (Fanahan Mc Sweeney AC) also retained her WFD title, bettering her own championships record with a huge throw of 8.30 CR.

The 4x200m relays rounded out today’s action with Tallaght AC taking the men’s gold in 1:29.72, with DSD taking the women’s title in 1:40.96.

A second helping of championship action will follow tomorrow with star names including Sarah Healy, Cathal Doyle, Sharlene Mawdsley, and Irish 60m record-holder Israel Olatunde set to take to competition. Day 2 will get underway from 12pm with the heats of the 60m and the men’s pole vault getting proceedings up and running.

Finals Results Summary:

Women’s 200m

1 Katie BERGIN Moyne A.C. 24.03

2 Kate O’CONNELL Lucan Harriers A.C. 24.41

3 Molly HOURIHAN U.C.D. A.C. 24.42

Men’s 200m

1 Marcus LAWLER Clonliffe Harriers A.C. 20.74 CR

2 Adam MURPHY Tinryland A.C. 21.75

3 Luke TIMLIN Crusaders A.C. 21.76

Women’s 60mH

1 Sarah LAVIN Emerald A.C. 8.11

2 Molly SCOTT St. L. O’Toole A.C. 8.34