Successful first meet of season at Irishtown 
(Rooney (352) leads Murray and Merrien with Chesser behind. Photo Credits: Paul Cummins) The Irish Milers Club got off to a fantastic start to the year with 50% of the men’s 3000m field running new personal bests and some great performances in the men’s 600m and women’s 1000m in the first meeting of the year sponsored by Nike in Irishtown Stadium. Conditions were almost perfect on the night as the wind died down, the Rolling Stones and REM played in the background and the crowd gathered anticipating some good races. The 3000m field started off at a brisk pace behind pacemaker Brian Farrell with Gary Murray, Colm Rooney, Aidan Bailey, John Coghlan and Lee Merrien in the lead pack. Going through 1500m the clock read 4.05 with the field now whittled down to the four of Murray, Rooney, Merrien and Chesser. Murray took on the pace for two laps before moving aside to let Rooney take up the reins ahead of Merrien. Going into the final lap all three athletes were still together with Chesser and Fintan Mc Gee chasing hard. With 300m to go, Merrien, a twice Commonwealth Games representative, made his move with Rooney tracking him and Murray still in close attendance. With 200m it was a two horse race with Merrien and Rooney generating huge excitement amongst the appreciative crowd. Rooney unleashed his trademark kick in the final 150m to win comfortably in a new personal best time of 8.10.82 and Merrien in 8.12.91. Murray opened his season well with an 8.15.63 with Chesser just holding off the fast closing Mc Gee as they both set new personal bests. Other athletes to run personal best times on the night included Gary O’Hanlon, John Coghlan, Eoin Flynn, Dan King and James King. 
(Pacer Nic Hogan leads David Mc Carthy (367)) The 600m was equally exciting as David Mc Carthy whizzed around a lap and a half of Irishtown stadium in a new record time of 1.17.42. Pacemaker Nick Hogan took Mc Carthy through 400m in 50 seconds with Mc Carthy clipping his heels!! However he struggled slightly down the final 100m but still recorded an excellent time. Conor Healy finished second after just holding off Anthony Leglio (1.20.63 to 1.20.85) with other good performances by the rest of the field who all committed themselves to a fast pace. 
(Kerry Harty wins the IMC 1000m) Kerry Harty has been a great supporter of IMC races over the past two years and is finally showing some of her enormous potential after long periods of injury. She followed the pace for the first two laps, going through 800m in in 2.12. A tough final 200m brought her through in 2.47.65 to finish ahead of Aoife Byrne in 2.50.85 and Ciara Durkan in 2.53.22 as all three athletes went for fast times. Susan Byrne and Louise Reilly just missed out on breaking the three minute barrier in what was one of the biggest fields for an IMC women’s race in a number of years. Overall this was an excellent start to the season for many athletes and the Irish Milers Club. There were nearly as many athletes watching the races as there was competing and we would encourage athletes of all standards and ability to join the IMC and get involved in the races and the organisation. Our next meeting is been held at the Irish Schools on May 31st where there are two men’s 1500m and a women’s 800m. The men’s 1500m A race is currently been set up as an Olympic A standard attempt by our top 1500m athletes. Entry is now open by emailing Garrett Coughlan (gar@sportsmanagementireland.com). Full details and results of the meeting are on the Irish Milers Club Website www.irishmilersclub.com. Dr. Garrett Coughlan, +353 (0) 87 13 13 146 gar@sportsmanagementireland.com
(Rooney (352) leads Murray and Merrien with Chesser behind. Photo Credits: Paul Cummins) The Irish Milers Club got off to a fantastic start to the year with 50% of the men’s 3000m field running new personal bests and some great performances in the men’s 600m and women’s 1000m in the first meeting of the year sponsored by Nike in Irishtown Stadium. Conditions were almost perfect on the night as the wind died down, the Rolling Stones and REM played in the background and the crowd gathered anticipating some good races. The 3000m field started off at a brisk pace behind pacemaker Brian Farrell with Gary Murray, Colm Rooney, Aidan Bailey, John Coghlan and Lee Merrien in the lead pack. Going through 1500m the clock read 4.05 with the field now whittled down to the four of Murray, Rooney, Merrien and Chesser. Murray took on the pace for two laps before moving aside to let Rooney take up the reins ahead of Merrien. Going into the final lap all three athletes were still together with Chesser and Fintan Mc Gee chasing hard. With 300m to go, Merrien, a twice Commonwealth Games representative, made his move with Rooney tracking him and Murray still in close attendance. With 200m it was a two horse race with Merrien and Rooney generating huge excitement amongst the appreciative crowd. Rooney unleashed his trademark kick in the final 150m to win comfortably in a new personal best time of 8.10.82 and Merrien in 8.12.91. Murray opened his season well with an 8.15.63 with Chesser just holding off the fast closing Mc Gee as they both set new personal bests. Other athletes to run personal best times on the night included Gary O’Hanlon, John Coghlan, Eoin Flynn, Dan King and James King. (Pacer Nic Hogan leads David Mc Carthy (367)) The 600m was equally exciting as David Mc Carthy whizzed around a lap and a half of Irishtown stadium in a new record time of 1.17.42. Pacemaker Nick Hogan took Mc Carthy through 400m in 50 seconds with Mc Carthy clipping his heels!! However he struggled slightly down the final 100m but still recorded an excellent time. Conor Healy finished second after just holding off Anthony Leglio (1.20.63 to 1.20.85) with other good performances by the rest of the field who all committed themselves to a fast pace. (Kerry Harty wins the IMC 1000m) Kerry Harty has been a great supporter of IMC races over the past two years and is finally showing some of her enormous potential after long periods of injury. She followed the pace for the first two laps, going through 800m in in 2.12. A tough final 200m brought her through in 2.47.65 to finish ahead of Aoife Byrne in 2.50.85 and Ciara Durkan in 2.53.22 as all three athletes went for fast times. Susan Byrne and Louise Reilly just missed out on breaking the three minute barrier in what was one of the biggest fields for an IMC women’s race in a number of years. Overall this was an excellent start to the season for many athletes and the Irish Milers Club. There were nearly as many athletes watching the races as there was competing and we would encourage athletes of all standards and ability to join the IMC and get involved in the races and the organisation. Our next meeting is been held at the Irish Schools on May 31st where there are two men’s 1500m and a women’s 800m. The men’s 1500m A race is currently been set up as an Olympic A standard attempt by our top 1500m athletes. Entry is now open by emailing Garrett Coughlan (gar@sportsmanagementireland.com). Full details and results of the meeting are on the Irish Milers Club Website www.irishmilersclub.com. Dr. Garrett Coughlan, +353 (0) 87 13 13 146 gar@sportsmanagementireland.com 
