Results Summary from National Senior T&F Championships Day 2 2020
Titles for Phil Healy, David Cussen andDarragh McElhinney
Athletics Ireland National Senior T&F Championships 2020 - Day 2
Morton Stadium, Santry, Dublin
Sunday August 23rd 2020
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| Phil Healy, Bandon AC, Women's 100m Champion | David Cussen, Old Abbey AC, Men's High Jump Champion | Darragh McElhinney, UCD AC and Glengarriff, AC, Men's 5000m Champion |
| Photos: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile | ||
Results of Athletics Ireland Registered Events - May 2016 to date
Race Calendar / Fixtures List - Athletics Ireland Registered Events
Conditions were tough again today, with, for the second successive day, strong winds, and again Cork Athletes came to the fore. There were several examples in the distance races where front running didn't pay dividends, given the windy conditions, where the pack was prepared to go easier and make a late surge, or let the leader take the brunt of the headwinds along the finishing straight. The most dramatic finish came in the Men's 1500m (see video of finish, below), where long time leader Sean Tobin was denied in dramatic fashion, right at the death, when winner Paul Robinson's determination brought him right up to Tobin, only to fall just before the line, but the momentum of his fall led him to break the finish line first and claim the title
There was another dramatic finish in the Women's 400m, where West Muskerry AC's Grainne Moynihan gave pre-race favourite Sophie Becker the fright of her life, coming with a great finish to claim the Silver.
Phil Healy, Bandon AC, claimed 100m Gold but had to work hard for is, saying afterwards that she was "left in the blocks". Phil's sister Joan Healy, Leevale AC, was pipped for Silver in a photo finish.
Old Abbery's David Cussen took High Jump Gold, with room to spare, while Liscarroll AC's Aoife O'Sullivan took Silver in the Women's High Jump
As mentioned earlier, it wasn't a day for the front runners - one Cork runner benefitted, whole anothe lost out. In the 5000m, former Bantry AC man Darragh McElhinney, now with UCD AC, and coached by Emmet Dunleavy, ran a comfortable race, staying in John Travers slipstream, along with Efrem Gidey, who fell back in the closing laps. Darragh made his decisive move in the final 150m. In contrast, Michelle Finn, Leevale AC, made a brave effort and led the women's 1500m from early on, but was caught with 150m left, and had to settled for fourth. No doubt yesterday's 5000m final, along with the 1500m heat several hours later, took it's toll. Honourable mention also goes to Togher AC's Liam Harris, who was fourth in the Men's 1500m.
Grainne Moynihan, West Muskerry AC
Michelle Finn, Leevale AC, leads Women's 1500m Final
Phil Healy, Bandon AC
Videos
Phil Healy Interview
Last 200m of Men's 1500m Final
Athletics Ireland National Senior T&F Championships 2020 - Day 2 Report
Robinson's Return: thrilling 1500m highlights excellent nationals
Paul Robinson (St Coca’s) won a thrilling finish in the men’s 1500m from Sean Tobin (Clonmel) in 3:43.90 to 3:43.92 to highlight the Irish Life Health National Senior & U23 Athletics Championships today (August 23).
Sean Tobin made a brave bid for victory from the gun and got a big gap on the field and split the field. Robinson had to eventually cover and reel him in which he did with 100m to go and it looked like Tobin’s fate was sealed. The Clonmel man responded with 50m to go and it was shoulder to shoulder to the finish – a lunge from Robinson got the win and years of frustration through injury were washed away.
Day 2 started with multi-event heroine, Kate O’Connor (St Gerard’s Dundalk), winning the javelin with 49.24m that also gave her the gold medal in the U23 age group. Aoibhinn McMahon (Blackrock) was second with 37.72m and Ciara McHugh Murphy (Claremorris) third with 36.73m.
O’Connor had a sharp turnaround for the high jump where Sommer Lecky (Finn Valley) continued her winning streak with a best of 1.79m – and U23 gold. Sixteen-year-old Aoife O’Sullivan (Liscarroll) was second with a best of 1.76m and O’Connor (St Gerard’s Dundalk) third with a best clearance of 1.73m.
In the men’s high jump, David Cussen (Old Abbey), impressed with a 2.17m personal best clearance. Kourosh Foroughi (Star of the Sea) made a welcome return to competition to win silver with 2.05m and Ciaran Connolly (Le Cheile) was third, and first U23, with 2.00m. There was good depth in the competition with a number of athletes clearing 1.95m.
It was a fourth javelin title for Stephen Rice (Clonliffe Harriers) in what was a vicious enough crosswind throwing a best of 72.73m. Conor Cusack (Lake District) had a good second with 62.96m, just ahead of Rory Gunning (Clonliffe Harriers) with 62.16m.
Nessa Millet (St Abban’s) was a strong winner of the women’s 400m hurdles in 59.52 to retain. her title. Karen Dunne (Bohermeen) went from fourth to second with a strong finish in 61.42 while Niamh Malone won the bronze, and the U23 title, in 61.55.
Matthew Behan’s (Crusaders) celebration said it all in the men’s 400m hurdles. Predominantly a 110m hurdler to date the Crusaders man had a breakthrough run clocking 52.7 with Cathal Locke (Dooneen) second and
Darragh McElhinney (UCD) was in superb form to win gold on the double, senior and U23, in 13:56.00 as he tracked the front-running tactics of John Travers (Donore Harriers) until the last 200m. Travers opened a gap on the inside and McElhinney pounced powerfully for gold with the Donore Harrier having to settle for second in 13:57.11. It was a fine win for McElhinney in his first year out of the U20 age category. Similarly, Efrem Gidey (Clonliffe Harriers), just out of U20 rounded out the podium with 14:17.89.
Phil Healy (Bandon) felt she was left in the blocks but her strength came through to win the women’s 100m in 11.71. Sarah Lavin (Emerald) came through strongly also for second in 11.83. Joan Healy (Leevale) ran 11.85 to edge Molly Scott (SLOT) who was an agonising fourth having led for the first half of the race and also finished on 11.85 but was slower in the thousandths of a second.
Stephen Gaffney (UCD) was a powerful winner of the men’s 100m title in 10.63 from Marcus Lawler (SLOT) in 10.79 and Dean Adams (Ballymena & Antrim) in 10.81.
Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrock) held on at the finish to win the women’s 400m in 54.06 from Grainne Moynihan (West Muskerry) in 54.22 with Rachel McCann (North Down) third in 55.81.
Chris O’Donnell (North Sligo) won the men’s 400m with a strong last 100m in 47.12. Andrew Mellon (Crusaders) who ran a hard 300m to give himself a chance of victory but had to settle for second in 47.35 with Paul Murphy (Ferrybank) having a fine run in third in 47.64.
Top 3 results
Irish Life Health National Senior & U23 Athletics Championships Day 1 & 2
Women
100m
Phil Healy (Bandon) 11.71, 2. Sarah Lavin (Emerald) 11.83, 3. Joan Healy (Leevale) 11.85
400m
Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrock) 54.06, 2. Grainne Moynihan (West Muskerry) 54.22, 3. Rachel McCann (North Down) 55.81
1500m
Amy O’Donoghue (Emerald) 4:21.51, 2. Iseult O’Donnell (Raheny Shamrock) 4:23.18, 3. Ellie Hartnett (UCD) 4:23.20
400m hurdles
Nessa Millet (St Abban’s) 59.52, 2. Karen Dunne (Bohermeen) 61.42, 3. Niamh Malone U23 (Monaghan Phoenix) 61.55
5,000m
Michelle Finn (Leevale) 16:37.49, 2. Sinead O’Connor (Leevale) 16:47.40, 3. Claire Fagan U23 (Mullingar Harriers) 16:48.26
U20 5,000m
Holly Brennan (Cilles AC) 18:15.64, 2. Celine Gavin (Celtic DCH) 18:19.47, 3. Aoife Coffey (Lucan Harriers) 18:29.47
High jump
Sommer Lecky U23 (Finn Valley) 1.79m, 2. Aoife O’Sullivan (Liscarroll) 1.76m, 3. Kate O’Connor U23 (St Gerard’s Dundalk) 1.73m
Long jump
Saragh Buggy (St Abban’s) 6.09m, 2. Sophie Meredith (St Mary’s Limerick) 5.96m, 3. Sarah McCarthy (Mid Sutton) 5.94m
Hammer
Nicola Tuthill (Bandon) 60.04m, 2. Ciara Sheehy (Emerald) 49.37m, 3. Megan Moynihan (West Muskerry) 48.80m
Javelin
Kate O’Connor U23 (St Gerard’s Dundalk) 49.24m, 2. Aoibhin McMahon (Blackrock) 37.72m, 3. Ciara McHugh Murphy (Claremorris) 36.73m
Men
100m
Stephen Gaffney (UCD) 10.63, 2. Marcus Lawler (SLOT) 10.79, 3. Dean Adams (Ballymena & Antrim) 10.81
400m
Chris O’Donnell (North Sligo) 47.12, 2. Andrew Mellon (Crusaders) 47.35, 3. Paul Murphy (Ferrybank) 47.64
1500m
Paul Robinson (St Coca’s) 3:43.90, 2. Sean Tobin (Clonmel) 3:43.92, 3. Andrew Coscoran (Star of the Sea) 3:48.40
5,000m
Darragh McEhlinney U23 (UCD) 13:56.00, 2. John Travers (Donore Harriers) 13:57.11, 3. Efrem Gidey U23 (Clonliffe Harriers) 14:17.89
U20 5,000m
Michael Morgan (Sligo) 15:56.22, 2. Aaron Smith (Cilles) 15:58.05, 3. James Hyland (Raheny Shamrock) 15:59.51
400m hurdles
Matthew Behan (Crusaders) 52.47, 2. Cathal Locke U23 (Doonen) 52.75, 3. Jason Harvey (Crusaders)
High jump
David Cussen (Old Abbey) 2.17m, 2. Kourosh Foroughi (Star of the Sea) 2.05m, 3. Ciaran Connolly U23 (Le Cheile) 2.00m
Long jump
Shane Howard (Bandon) 7.44m, 2. Adam McMullen (Crusaders) 7.31m, 3. Ben Fisher U23 (City of Lisburn) 7.24m
Hammer
Brendan O’Donnell U23 (Lifford Strabane) 64.62m, 2. Adam King (Iveragh AC) 63.98m, 3. Simon Galligan (Clonliffe Harriers) 62.28m
Javelin
Stephen Rice (Clonliffe Harriers) 72.73m, 2. Conor Cusack (Lake District) 62.96m, 3. Rory Gunning (Clonliffe Harriers) 62.16m
Weight for Height 50lbs
Sean Breathnach (Galway City Harriers) 4.60m, 2. John Dwyer (Templemore) 4.00m, 3. Damian Crawford (Lifford Strabane) 3.20m
U23 Weight for Height 35lbs
Sean Mockler (Moycarkey Coolcroo) 5.00m, 2. Padraig O’Callaghan (Leevale) 4.40m, 3. Darryl Crawford (Lifford Strabane) 4.00m
Results
David Cussen, Old Abbey AC, wins Men's High Jump
Mens 100m - Heat 1
Mens 100m - Heat 2
Mens 100m - Heat 6
Mens 1500m Final
Womens 1500m Final
Mens 5000m
Mens High Jump
Mens Javelin
Womens 100m Final
Womens 100m - Heat 1
Womens 100m - Heat 2
Womens 400m
Women's High Jump - Positions only - Performances not posted
Womens Javelin
