Mageean marches on to European final
Ciara Mageean (UCD) battled her way to the 1500m final at the European Indoor Athletics Championships in Glasgow finishing third in her heat in 4:08.15 today (March 1).
This was Mageean’s second fastest ever time and was enough to see her as the fastest non-automatic qualifier and third fastest overall going into Sunday’s final.
The Portaferry woman ran a good tactical race and was just edged out of automatic qualification in the final meters.
“The key is recovery now and I’m really happy to make the final,” said Mageean afterwards. Athlete interviews are on Facebook HERE and Twitter HERE
Mark English (UCD) cruised into the semi-finals of the men’s 800m with a consummate display winning his heat in 1:49.38. “I’m pleased with that and I’m looking forward to tomorrow mixing it with Europe’s best 800m runners,” said English.
Conall Kirk (Annadale Striders) made his Irish debut and he finished 6th in his 800m heat in 1:50.50 while Zak Curran (DSD) had to settle for a 5th place finish in his heat in 1:49.77.
Phil Healy (Bandon) gave herself every opportunity to make the women’s 400m final running out of lane 2 in her semi-final. She ultimately had to settle for third in 53.65 and ran out of momentum in the home straight having had her legs clipped from behind.
Sommer Lecky (Finn Valley) was the first athlete in action in the evening session and she finished 13th in Group A with a best of 1.75m. She missed three attempts at 1.81m.
Joseph Ojewumi (Tallaght), Lauren Roy (City of Lisburn), Ciara Neville (Emerald) and Molly Scott (SLOT) will run in respective men and women's 60m heats in the morning (March 2) with Mark English (UCD) running the 800m semi-final in the evening.
Results
Women
400m
Heat 2
5. Sophie Becker (St Joseph’s) 53.99
Heat 3
3. Phil Healy (Bandon) 53.13
Semi-final
3. Phil Healy (Bandon) 53.65
800m
Heat 3
4. Siofra Cleirigh Buttner (DSD) 2:06.00
1500m heat 2
3. Ciara Mageean (UCD) 4:08.15
High Jump Group A
13. Sommer Lecky (Finn Valley) 1.75m
Men
400m
Heat 3
DNF Cillin Greene (Galway City Harriers)
Heat 4
5. Thomas Barr (Ferrybank) 48.22
800m
Heat 2
6. Conall Kirk (Annadale Striders) 1:50.50
Heat 3
1. Mark English (UCD) 1:49.38
Heat 4
5. Zak Curran (DSD) 1:49.77
3,000m
Heat 1
14. John Travers (Donore Harriers) 8:12.14
Heat 2
5. Sean Tobin (Clonmel) 7:56.27