Limerick Athletics - Weekly news update

SCHOOLS’ INTERNATIONAL

DARRAGH Whelan proved just as adept on the international as the domestic stage as he made an exceptional debut in an Irish vest in the SIAB Schools Cross Country International, at Callender Park, Falkirk last weekend.

His time of 12:58 gave him victory by a margin of 12 seconds in the Junior Boys race, having trailed at the beginning of the final (1500m) lap. This was Ireland’s first male victory in this competition since 2018.

Darragh also helped Ireland to the ‘Country’ Silver medal! Well done Darragh!

Ellen Goggin, of Dooneen AC, and Crescent College Comprehensive, was 15th in the Junior Girls with Dooneen Clubmate Ella Grace Osborne not far behind. Their performances helped Ireland win team silver with Freya Renton.

WORLD INDOORS

LIMERICK sprint hurdler Sarah Lavin missed out on a place in the final of the women's 60m hurdles at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in China on Sunday.

Lisnagry Olympian Lavin finished seventh in her stacked semi-final in a time of 8.14 at Nanjing.

The top two finishers advanced automatically, while the two fastest qualifiers across the three semi-finals, also progressed to the final later in the day.

Thirty year-old Lavin, of Emerald AC, clipped the first hurdle and was always facing an uphill battle to qualify after that. 
The semi-final was won by Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska in 7.79 ahead of Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent (8.00) and China’s Wu Yanni (8.01).

Lavin, who is coached by Noelle Morrissey, had been hoping to make the World Indoor Athletics Championship final for a third time having finished seventh in Belgrade in 2022 and achieving a fifth place last year in Glasgow.

The Limerick woman had booked her place in the semi-final in Nanjing after finishing second in her first round heat on Sunday in a time of 8.04.

Former Castletroy College student Lavin had finished fourth in the women's 60m hurdles final at the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn in the Netherlands earlier this month.