There was a record-breaking weekend of athletics on the track, coming with impeccable timing as the Irish team prepares for this week’s European Indoor Championships in Turkey.
On Saturday afternoon in Birmingham, Andrew Coscoran broke the Irish 1500m record with a blistering 3.33.49 at the World Indoor Tour Meet.
Coscoran’s time smashed the 3:35.40 indoor record set by Marcus O’Sullivan in 1988, while also bettering Ray Flynn’s outdoor 3.33.50 set in Oslo in 1982.
“Huge congratulations to Andrew on his marvellous race today and on becoming the fastest-ever Irishman over 1500m,” said Flynn after seeing his 40-year-old record finally taken from him.
Coscoran finished one place (3rd) ahead of his international teammate Luke McCann who also crossed the finish inside the old indoor record, clocking a personal best of 3.34.76 for fourth place.
Both now head for the European Indoor Championships.
Later on Saturday night Rhasidat Adeleke broke her own Irish record for the women’s 400 metres by winning the Big 12 Conference final in Lubbock Texas in a time of 50.33 seconds.
It moves her to 13th on the world indoor all-time list and makes her a leading contender for the 400m title at next month’s NCAA Indoor Championships.
It also moves her to second place in the World Women’s Indoor 400-metre rankings behind Femke Bol of the Netherlands.
Just three weeks ago, the 20-year-old had set a new Irish best performance over 400m to become the fastest Irish woman in history – smashing the Irish record of Karen Shinkins which had stood for 21 years (51.58 back in 2002).
Adeleke has continued on from her remarkable 2022 form which saw her set Irish records at 60m, 200m, 300m and 400m at the age of 19. The Tallaght AC athlete has already reached new heights this season, smashing the Irish 200m record with 22.52 in January before lowering the 400m record.
