Ireland’s golden era of athletics continued over the weekend with records tumbling across Europe and the United States.
Sarah Healy has set a new Irish 3,000m indoor record with an 8:36.06 performance at the World Indoor Tour Meet in Metz, France this afternoon (Feb 3rd).
Healy crossed in second place behind Hirut Meshesha of Ethiopia who set a world leading time of 8:28:46 to take the win.
Healy’s performance betters Mary Cullen’s 2009 national record (8:43.74) by an astonishing seven seconds. The time also moves Healy up to second on the overall Irish all-time 3,000m list behind Sonia O’Sullivan’s 8:21:64.
Today’s result secured the 3,000m qualification standard for the upcoming World Indoor Championships in Glasgow (March 1 – 3), with Healy already having secured qualification in the 1500m.
Darragh McElhinney also produced an outstanding 3,000m performance at the same meeting clocking a 7:39.92 personal best to go second on the all-time list indoors.
The Bantry athlete, who also finished second in the race, moves into second on the Irish all time list indoors ahead of the legendary Frank O’Mara. The time also edges him ever closer to the Alistair Cragg’s 3,000m indoor record of 7:38.59 which has stood since 2004.
Nick Griggs was also in action in the same race in Metz, claiming McElhinney’s U23 3,000m record with a personal best of his own. The Candour Track Club athlete crossed the finish in 6th place in a time of 7:45.57.
Then on Sunday night Mark English set a new Irish indoor 600m record at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Meet in Boston.
The Finn Valley AC athlete won the men’s 600m in a time of 1:16.64 to better Zac Curran’s 2016 600m record time of 1:17.52.
The 17-time Irish senior champion will next look to defend his national 800m at the upcoming national senior indoor championships which take place at the Sport Ireland National Indoor Arena across February 17th and 18th.
Attention for English will then turn to the World Indoor Championships which take place in Glasgow – where he won a European Indoor bronze in 2019.
Also in action at the Boston Meet were Irish endurance stars Brian Fay (3rd) and Andrew Coscoran (5th) who secured top five finishes in the stacked men’s 3,000m.
Alistair Cragg’s 3000m indoor record of 7:38:59 was threatened for the second time this weekend with Fay (7:40:09 pb) and Coscoran (7:40:36 pb) moving up to third and fourth on the Irish all-time indoor list as a result of last night’s performances.
Have we ever had such depth of talent across so many distances in athletics?
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