Coscoran and Robinson Secure European 1500m Final Places
Andrew Coscoran and Paul Robinson made a superb start to the European Indoor Championships for team Ireland this evening having booked their places in the 1500m final in brutal qualification conditions.
Coscoran secured his place in the final with a fast-finishing 3rd place in the second of the 1500m heats. The Star of the Seas AC man negotiated his way through the field before coming home with a strong late charge up the inside to cross the line in 3:39:00.
Paul Robinson of St. Cocas AC will join Coscoran in the final tomorrow evening having also finished 3rd to claim a fastest qualifier spot. Robinson showed his experience and finished powerfully down the home straight to come home in 3:40:07. The final is set for 20.35pm Irish time tomorrow and will be broadcast live on RTE2.
Luke McCann also impressed on his senior international debut, and will feel a little unlucky not to be making it a trio of Irish athletes in the 1500m final. The UCD athlete battling bravely to get into position before being clipped coming around the final home bend to eventually finish 5th in 3.41.25.
Michelle Finn was also in action in heat 1 of the 3000m this evening and finished just outside her 3000m PB. The Leevale AC athlete came home in 9th place in a time of 9.05.44 which was not enough to progress to the final. Finn will now be focusing her attention on the outdoor season as she looks to track towards Tokyo.
Day 2: Friday March 5th
Day 2 will start with a bang tomorrow morning with Phil Healy, Sophie Becker, and Sharlene Mawdsley opening their championships in round 1 of the 400m at 10.22am (Irish time). Recent 800m record breakers Siofra Cleirigh Buttner and Nadia Power will go in round 1 of the 800m alongside Georgia Hartigan at 12.00pm (Irish time).
The men’s 800 is set to start at 18.55pm where we’ll see Irish 800m record holder Mark English line up with recent rivals Cian McPhillips and John Fitzsimons.
All eyes will then turn to the Men’s 1500m final as Robinson and Coscoran take to the track at 20.35pm.