Each weekend we take a look back on the sporting highs from across Ireland and around the world through the medium of numbers.
This weekend we look at record-breaking performance on the track, unenviable records in rugby, the turning of the page in Gaelic Games and more…
100
It was Italy’s 100th defeat in the Guinness Six Nations, their 35th in a row and their latest in a run that extends over the past seven years, home and away. Ireland’s win keeps them on track for a top-two finish in the Championship but the manner of the defeat for the Italians, compounded by them finishing the game with only 12 players on the field does little for the integrity of the tournament. With one out of every three games that make up a Six Nations weekend being little more than a training exercise.
83
Ireland’s Senior Men’s Basketball team scored their second win of the FIBA Eurobasket Pre-Qualifier campaign with an 83-75 win over Cyprus at the National Basketball Arena on Sunday night. The game was brought to overtime by an equalising basket for the visitors with two seconds left on the click but Ireland powered ahead in the additional time.
7.19
Molly Scott stole the show with a record-breaking 7.19 60-meter performance on day 2 of the Irish Life Health National Senior Indoor Championships.
The 7.19 time retakes the Irish national senior record that Rhasidat Adeleke (7.21) had claimed from Scott earlier this indoor season, and makes her once again the fastest ever Irish female sprinter.
8:53.67
Records were being set at the other end of the distance scale as well with a new U23 national record from Sarah Healy in the 3000m (8:53:67), securing the first gold medal of the day with a brilliant display of solo running for the last 1000m.
7
It was said that Gaelic Games were becoming uncompetitive and that Dublin in the men’s Football and Limerick in the Hurling were so far ahead that they might win ten all Ireland’s in a row. Between them, the two have now played seven games across their respective divisions in the Allianz Football and Hurling Leagues and have been beaten in all seven. Sport can be a fickle business.
21
No goals in 120 minutes then 21 consecutive converted penalties at Wembley Stadium with Liverpool and Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher scoring the last of them before his opposite number for Chelsea missed and handed the first trophy of the domestic season in England, the Carabao Cup to Liverpool.
