Team Arrives Dublin Airport Monday 1155 on EI 265 Amazing is the only word to describe the 2007 indoor season. Since the start of the year a long list of athletes have set new PB’s in their own particular events. The standards have increased and the same athletes have put pressure on themselves to repeat and improve on their own achievements. For many it is new territory. The three days of the European Indoor championships in Birmingham saw an elite group of thirteen Irish athletes perform at the highest level. Not all will have been pleased by their performances, but every one of them made a big effort and each and every one of them can look forward to an even better outdoor season. David Gillick ran just one 400m race in his build up to Birmingham. He won that with a new Irish record. His three races in Birmingham showed absolute determination. He was not going to be beaten and it showed, especially in the semi final. After his brilliant victory he really showed what the win meant to him. Like Derval O’Rourke in Gothenburg he celebrated in style. He was thrilled and delighted. And so was everyone who witnessed it. And his new Irish record of 45.52 showed just how hard he was prepared to push himself in order to retain his title. Afterwards he spoke about what it meant to him. It ended two years of frustration and included a bout of depression after his performance in Gothenburg. “Chuffed†is a word he used three times in his interview with Greg Allen (whose live updates were much appreciated at the All Ireland schools cross country) and that’s the kind of language that tells us he is settling in well in Loughborough where he is based! Paul Hession became the first Irish athlete to reach a sprint final at a major championships and he finished seventh. He lowered the Irish record to a brilliant 6.61in an event three times shorter than his favoured 200m distance. Anna Boyle was another to set a new Irish record, reducing her own record to 7.30. Alistair Cragg looked a little off form in the final of the 3,000m, sitting off the pace for much of the race. The good thing about it is that he is gradually regaining the form that won him a European indoor title two years ago. Mark Carroll and Mark Christie never made it to the 3,000m final and that must have been a big disappointment to them. They will bounce back both have the perfect opportunity on Saturday next at the national inter club cross country championships in Sligo. Once again James Nolan made it to the final and then gave it his best shot to finish seventh. He was DQ’d for some minor infringement but was quickly reinstated after intervention by team manager Patsy McGonagle. Liam Reale and Gareth Turnbull both had off days in their heats of the 1,500m but they can look forward to better days. Thomas Chamney and David McCarthy came very close to making the 800m final, but their fourth place finishes meant they missed out by just one place. Deirdre Ryan finished ninth in the high jump and can look forward to going much higher as the year progresses. Mary Cullen was another to record a seventh place finish. She ran a good race in the 3,000m and closed on the leaders at one stage but couldn’t maintain the effort. She has the national inter club cross country championships in her home town of Sligo next Saturday to look forward to. Well done to everyone who competed in Birmingham. Each member of the team showed commitment and determination, and their performances will be a massive boost to all the up and coming Irish athletes.
