Deirdre Ryan has continued her fantastic return to form with a new national outdoor record of 1.92m at the AAA’s Championships in Manchester at the weekend. The massive leap of 1.92m was enough to win the AAA’s title but also secure the IAAF ‘B’ standard for the World Championships in Osaka next year. Also at the AAA’s Fionnuala Britton ran a new personal best by a small margin to come second in the steeple chase. Fionnuala has made impressive improvement in the 3000SC this year improving her personal best by a massive margin of almost 13 seconds. Fionnuala’s Sli Cualann team mate Roisin McGettigan also coming back to excellent form ran an impressive 4:11.71 in the 1500m in Ghent, finishing 6th in a quality field. This performance gains her European Qualification in the 1500m to add to her 3000SC qualification and is getting close to her personal best which she set of 4:10.34 in 2003. Also in Ghent David Gillick ran 46.38 to finish second. Eileen O’Keeffe took the hammer title with a throw of 65.62, in Manchester, beating Britain’s Shirley Webb. Joanne Cuddihy ran another personal best of 23.57 in the 200m final to finish 3rd, this is the European Championship 200m qualifier for Joanne to add to her 400m time. Paul Brizzel posted a sub 21 performance of 20.95 in the final of the 200m in Manchester taking 5th in the race. Gary Ryan also in the 200m ran an excellent 21.05 to make the final but did not run. Gary has had injury problems in 2006 but is showing that he is serious about his place on the team for Gothenburg. The 200m promises to be an excellent race at the National Championships in Santry next weekend. The Irish squad won both the 5K walks, Ann Loughnane continuing her winning form to take the women’s 5K in a seasons best time of 22.54 and the men’s race was won by Colin Griffin in a time of 19.43 and Jamie Costin was second in a time of 19.54. For further information please contact Elaine Fitzgerald, Athletics Ireland 087-9782478