The 123.ie National Masters Indoor Championships returned to the TUS International Arena in Athlone today (Sunday, March 15th, 2026), featuring a strong turnout of athletes from across Ireland. Following the inspiration of recent international successes and a record-breaking number of entries, the event showcased the depth and competitive spirit of the Irish masters circuit.
Sprints and Hurdles
The sprint events produced thrilling finishes and high-quality performances. In the 60m, Adina Gheorghiu (DSD AC) successfully defended her national title, winning the W50 final in 8.35. In the M40 60m, David Miller (Strabane A.C.) took the national title with a time of 7.26 seconds, building on his gold medal performance from the 2025 championships. In the W40 60m, Sinead O’Connor (Metro/St. Brigids A.C.) took the gold while Snezana Bechtina (Clonliffe Harriers) delivered a high-quality performance to take the silver medal this year, following her national title victory in 2025. Lucianne Hughes (Kilcoole A.C.) successfully retained her W45 60m title, clocking 8.48 to improve upon her 2025 winning performance.
Over the hurdles, the technical standards were high across all categories. Avril Dillon (Dundrum South Dublin AC) impressed in the W45 60m hurdles with a winning time of 9.07. In the M45 60m hurdles, Ger Cremin (An Ríocht A.C.) secured a victory in 9.27 seconds. The M50 60m hurdles saw a fierce battle for the podium, with Kevin Byrne (Dundrum South Dublin A.C.) taking the title in 10.29 seconds, just ahead of silver medalist Kevin Leahy (Dundrum South Dublin A.C.), while Patrick Carr (Craughwell A.C.) completed the podium.
200m and 400m
The 200m and 400m events featured intense racing across age categories. Keith Pollard (St. Laurence O’Toole A.C.) clocked 23.96 to secure the M45 200m title. In the women’s sprints, Sinead O’Connor (Metro/St. Brigids A.C.) achieved a dominant double, winning the W40 200m in 26.36, after earlier taking the W40 60m title. Snezana Bechtina (Clonliffe Harriers) pushed her all the way to secure the silver in both events. In the M80 400m, John MacDermott (Sligo A.C.) finished in 1:15.51.
Middle Distance
Caitriona Devine (Finn Valley AC) took the gold medal in the W50 1500m. In a highly competitive M50 1500m, Mark O’Shea (Drogheda and District A.C.) secured victory with a tactical kick in the final lap to clock 4:18.04. Meanwhile, Fiona Kehoe (Kilmore A.C.) dictated the pace throughout the W40 3000m, crossing the line in 10:15.56. In the M65 1500m, Tom O’Connor (Liffey Valley A.C.) claimed the gold medal with a time of 5:18.05, finishing ahead of silver medallist Diarmuid Doyle (Clonliffe Harriers A.C.), while John J. Cannon (Tír Chonaill A.C.) secured the bronze. Cannon added to his haul in the M65 800m, where he took another bronze medal, following gold medallist Noel Murphy (Kilkenny City Harriers A.C.) and silver medallist Diarmuid Doyle (Clonliffe Harriers A.C.). Turning to the walks, Ross Alexander (Coolquill A.C.) continued his dominance, successfully defending his National 3000m walk title (M45), winning in 14:22.57.
Field Events
Athletes rose to the occasion in the technical events, with many successfully defending their titles. In the shot put, Brendan Staunton (Mayo A.C.) reclaimed the M40 gold with a throw of 12.33m, while Damian Crawford (Lifford-Strabane A.C.) defended his title by winning the M55 category with 11.30m followed by Mark Doherty in second with 9.97m and bronze medallist Adrian Beare (9.22m). It was a notable step up for Doherty, who had finished in third place last year and successfully improved his positioning this time around. In the jumps, Tom McKelvey (Tír Chonaill A.C.) showcased his versatility by securing double gold in the M50 long jump at 5.19m and the triple jump at 10.04m.
In the women’s field events, the W65 weight-for-distance competition saw Lucy Moore (Dundrum South Dublin A.C.) take the gold with a throw of 5.55m, followed by Mary Barrett (Loughrea A.C.) with 5.33m, and Mary Breen (St. Joseph’s A.C.) with 3.12m. The high jump saw impressive clearances across age categories, notably Michelle During (City of Derry A.C.) clearing 1.56m in the W40, Siobheal Murray (Ratoath A.C.) reaching 1.40m in the W55, and Edel Maguire (Clonliffe Harriers A.C.) clearing 1.35m in the W65. Additionally, Barbara Tapia secured victory in the W50 pole vault with a clearance of 2.80m.
Relays and Records
The day concluded with a historic performance in the Mixed O65 4x200m relay. The team of Shane Sheridan, Edel Maguire, Deirdre McFerran, and Shane Toolan combined to clock 2:00.85. This time, subject to ratification, eclipses the previous World Record.
The day’s atmosphere was a testament to the enduring competitive spirit of the domestic masters circuit, which continues to be fuelled by ongoing international success.
- Full list of Results Link
