Athletics Ireland has announced that for the first time they will be sending a team to compete in the European Marathon Cup at the European Track and Field Championships in Zurich in August.Paul Pollock (Annadale Striders AC) will lead the men’s team and Nicola Duncan (Galway City Harriers AC) will lead the women’s team.
The Marathon Cup is a team marathon competition run in conjunction with the European championships Marathon with the results based on the national team’s three fastest finishers.
Pollock will be joined by Sean Hehir (Rathfarnham WSAF), Tomas Frazier (St Malachy’s AC) and Kevin Seaward (St Malachy’s AC). The members of the Irish women’s team include Maria McCambridge (Dundrum South Dublin AC), Barbara Sanchez (Clonliffe Harriers AC) and Claire McCarthy (Leevale AC).
National Endurance Coach Chris Jones said “It is a big step forward for us to be sending teams to compete in the men’s and women’s marathon cup competition at the European Championships. We have worked closely with the marathon mission squad to ensure that our eight athletes will be competitive in Zurich.”
In preparation for Zurich, Pollock has produced a number of encouraging performances lately including a half marathon personal best of 62.09 at the World Half Marathon Championships in March. He also ran an impressive time of 28.32.18 for 10,000m at the Payton Jordon Invitational Meeting in California last weekend which was inside the standard for the 10k for the European Championships (28.35)
Sean Hehir (Rathfarnham WSAF) is the current national marathon champion and will be joined by road race specialist Frazier and Seaward to make up a strong men’s team in Zurich.
There was heartbreak for Duncan at the World Half Marathon Championships when she was forced to pull out due to injury. However she bounced back in spectacular fashion when she ran a stunning new personal best of 2.33.28 in the London Marathon on April 13th. She is joined on the Irish women’s team by Maria McCambridge, Barbara Sanchez, and Claire McCarthy.
McCambridge is the 2013 Irish marathon champion and has represented Ireland to the very highest level on the roads, track and cross country over the last decade. McCarthy finished second in the Dublin Marathon last October and Sanchez is coming off a fifth place finish in the Seville Marathon in February.
European Championships Marathon Team Selections
Men
Paul Pollock (Annadale Striders AC) Coach: Andy Hobdell
Sean Hehir (Rathfarnham AC) Dick Hooper
Thomas Frazer (St Malachy’s AC) Tony Houchin
Kevin Seaward (St Malachy’s AC)
Women
Nicola Duncan (Galway City Harriers AC) Coach: Nick Anderson
Barbara Sanchez (Clonliffe Harriers AC) Sebastien Locteau
Maria Cambridge (Dundrum South Dublin AC)
Claire McCarthy (Leevale AC) Donie Walsh
Qualification Standards for the European Track and Field Championships
Selection Policy
The selection policy for the European Track and Field Championships looks to raise performance standards for Irish Athletes.
This selection philosophy is in-line with High Performance Vision of ‘More athletes winning on the World Stage’.
A Standards
• The A standards were determined by reviewing previous performances at European Championships combined with the progression standards outlined in the Athlete Carding Scheme.
• The qualifications standards set provide an opportunity for an athlete selected to achieve a top 8 -12 placing at the championships.
• An athlete will be considered for selection if they have achieved an A standard within the qualification period.
B Standards
• The B standards apply to carded development athletes only.
• Development athletes are defined in the Athlete Carding Scheme as aged 24 and under and as having Olympic potential in 2016/2020 and as having hit specific performance targets twice and placed at major championships.
• The Selectors may however, in their sole discretion, identify individuals who are not carded as ‘Development Athletes’ and consider them for selection based on the B standards
• A development athlete must achieve the standard twice within the qualification period to be considered for selection.
• The B standards are the European Athletics qualifications standards
Qualification Period
• 1 January 2013 to 5 May 2014: Marathon
• 1 January 2013 to 19 May 2014: 50k Walk
• 1 January 2014 to 21 July 2014: All Others
Eligibility
• Must compete in the Senior Track and Field Championships
• Be a member of Athletics Ireland
• Fill out National Declaration form
