Big Limerick interest at World Athletics Indoor Championships this weekend

TWO Limerick-based athletes are members of the Ireland team competing at the World Athletics Indoor Championships which take place at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow from today, Friday, March 1 until Sunday, March 3.

The Irish team are joining over 600 athletes from 130 nations, which includes a star-studded entry list containing twenty reigning world champions and seven gold medallists from the Tokyo Olympics.

Lisnagry hurdler Sarah Lavin gets her campaign in the women's 60m hurdles at the World Indoor Athletics Championships underway on Sunday morning. The Emerald AC athlete has travelled to Glasgow on the back of a string of outstanding performances, most recently clocking an equal PB of 7.91 on her way to claiming her sixth national indoor 60m hurdles title.

The opening round heats of the 60m hurdles, featuring Lavin, are set to begin from 10.25am and will be live on Virgin Media TV.

Lavin, who is coached by Noelle Morrissey, once again will face a world class field, but will be looking to replicate her appearance in the 60m hurdles final at the 2022 World Indoor Championships.  

The national 100m hurdles record holder has already set a personal best over the shorter distance this indoor season. In recent years Lavin has improved 0.14 from opener to her season’s best which bodes well for another huge weekend for one of Ireland’s most consistent championships performers.

Sarah Lavin's Emerald AC club mate Roisin Harrison is a member of the women’s 4x400m relay squad at this weekend's World Indoor Athletics Championships.

Harrison is joined on the team by Sharlene Mawdsley, of Newport AC,  who was one of Ireland’s standout performers at last year’s World Athletics Championships in Budapest as well as Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrock AC), Phil Healy (Bandon AC), Rachel McCann (North Down AC), and Lauren Cadden (Sligo AC). The heats of the women's 4x400m relay get underway from 11.38am on Sunday.