Brilliant Becker and Roy hit Euro standards

Brilliant Becker and Roy hit Euro standards

Sophie Becker (St Joseph’s) and Lauren Roy (City of Lisburn) starred at the Irish Life Health AAI Games running European Indoor qualifying times over 400m and 60m respectively in Abbotstown today (February 2).

Full results of the event are HERE

Laure Roy was first to clock a European standard at the event winning the 60m in 7.39 for a personal best and edging Ciara Neville (Emerald) who ran 7.41.

Sophie Becker put in a consummate display to get to the break first and win the women’s 400m in 53.66 ahead of Beechmount’s Davicia Patterson in 54.29.

Earlier in the day Alex Wright (Leevale) walked to a new national record of 11:06.69 in the 3,000m race walk.

There was some good runs over 800m with Nadia Power (Templeogue) winning the women’s race in 2:07.28 and Conall Kirk (Annadale Striders) the men’s in 1:49.69 edging Mark Milner (Tullamore Harriers) in 1:49.75.  

The meet was building to a crescendo towards the end with some good 1500m races lined up and Thomas Barr’s (Ferrybank) appearance in the 400m hurdles indoors.

Sarah Healy (Blackrock) held on strongly from the front to win the women’s 1500m in 4:17.78 ahead of Amy O’Donoghue (Emerald) in 4:18.82 with Kelly Neely (City of Lisburn) third in a new W40 national record of 4:23.36.

In the men’s 1500m John Travers (Donore Harriers) produced a gritty kick to win in 3:44.56 with Cian McPhillips (Longford) producing a national youth record of 3:46.42 in fifth.

Then it was time for the hurdles to be put out on the track and Thomas Barr had a facile win in the end in 52.81. Matthew Behan (Crusaders) was the fastest sprint hurdler on the day winning the men’s 60m hurdles in 7.97 seconds.

In the jumps, Ruby Millet (St.Abbans A.C.) got the qualifying standard for the European U20 championships in Boras with 6.15m. Her clubmate Saragh Buggy won the triple jump with 13.11m. Shane Howard (Bandon) won a good men’s long jump competition with 7.38m.

There was a host of qualifying standards, A and B, for the underage championships, European U20 and U23, highlighted by the 4x400m U20 women’s and men’s teams clocking 3:45.27 and 3:16.78.

Shauna McMahon (Blackrock) won the women’s shot put with 12.54m.