Athletes sharpen up for big summer
The elite have their eyes on qualification for the European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam and the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro while the club athletes are looking to get into pb shape for the road and track and field.
Those eyeing spots on the 4x400m relay team have set flight to Portugal, Spain and the United States. Thomas Barr (Ferrybank) has gone to Torremelinos in Spain alongside his UL training crew, with coaches Drew and Haley Harrisson, as he prepares for the 400m hurdles and also a spot on the relay team. National 4x100m senior relay coach Shane McCormack also has a group there which includes Bandon’s Phil Healy.
Brian Gregan, Dara Kervick and Timmy Crowe (all Clonliffe Harriers) with coach John Shields have gone to Orlando, Florida to the New Balance track at the ESPN World Sports Complex. They will be joined by Brian Murphy and Richard Morrissey (both Crusaders) after they first train for a spell in Phoenix. They will then eye some races at the Tom Jones Memorial Classic on April 22nd. Crusaders pair Adam McMullen, long jump, and Jason Harvey, 400m hurdles, are among those also set to go to Florida training.
Another 4x400m relay contender Craig Lynch (Shercock) has gone for a training camp in Monte Gordo with his training group and coach Jeremy Lyons. DSD’s Zak Curran is looking at Tenerife for training. Marcus Lawler (SLOT) has been with a group training alongside Zak Irwin (Sligo) in Albufeira.
There are a host of athletes dotted across warm weather training with some of the distance athletes looking at altitude training. The walkers led by Robert Heffernan (Togher) are set to go on a training camp in Ifrane, Morrocco. Meanwhile, an AAI Endurance squad are in Spala, Poland headed by National Junior Endurance Coach Steven Macklin.
For the 4x400m relay runners some key meets include the Diamond League meeting in Doha on May 6th and Luzern on June 14th. The 4x100m relay squads will potentially compete in Geneva on June 11th.
Picture credit: Sportsfile