O’Rourke Qualifies for World Juniors

 

In Riga this week there was plenty of joy for Leevale’s Derval O’Rourke (left) who competed in her speciality event, the 100m hurdles.  Her time of 14.12 was inside the qualifying time for the World junior track and field championships which will be held in Santiago, Chile in mid-October.  With hurdles technique coaching from former Irish hurdles champion Seamus Power, and sprints coaching from leading sprints coach John Sheehan, success can only follow.  Meanwhile at the CanAm meet in Boston today, former Leevale athlete Ken Nason got his season into full swing with a new PB in the 800m, clocking 1:48.82 in ninth place.  Fintan McGee clocked 1:53.70.  Neville Davey finished third in the 1,500m with a time of 3:43.65, while Keith Kelly again reduced his PB in eight place with 3:44.77.  There was a great finish to the womens 800m with four runners crossing the line almost together.  And Geraldine Nolan was in there amongst them, finishing fourth in a time of 2:05.19 behind the winner’s 2:04.36. Also today, the BMC meet in London produced some interesting results.  A 4×1,500m relay for women saw Ireland finish second to Australia.  Running for Ireland were Maria Lynch (4:22.9), Elaine Fitzgerald (4:18.8), Pauline Thom (4:29.5), and Sonia O’Sullivan (4:07.9), giving a time of 17:19.9, some ten seconds behind the winners.  Colm McLean of St. Malachy’s recorded a sparkling new PB in the 800m, finishing sixth in 1:48.53.  Seamus Power was sixth in the 5,000 in 13:31.32, with Peter Matthews ninth in 13:47.18.  Sonia O’Sullivan also ran in the 5,000m which she won in a time of 15:32.62, with Valerie Vaughan of Blarney Inniscarra third in 15:42.63, and Ann Keenan Buckley fifth in 16:00.65.