The Irish team are now in Santiago, Chile, for the beginning of the 8th IAAF World Junior Championships in Athletics. Derval O’Rourke represent’s Leevale’s interests and is first into action today when the heats of the 100m hurdles take place. She is the Irish champion, and also holds the Irish record for the event. Former Irish international hurdler Seamus Power has her primed to perfection as she enters today’s competition. At a recent international in Bath she was in cracking form, reducing her Irish record as she won impressively. Also joining Derval is Leevale’s club sprints coach, John Sheehan. John has guided Derval in her sprinting, as well as coaching Donal McCarthy to a place in the 4x100m relay at the Olympics, after earlier in the year setting a new Irish record for the 60m indoors. John travels to Chile as coach to the Irish team, his first such appointment, and a very well deserved one also. Congratulations and best of luck to both! The full squad is: Gordon Kennedy of Tullamore (400 metres), Tony Lilley of Togher AC (800 metres), Conor Sweeney of St Malachy’s Belfast (1,500 metres), Liam Reale of Limerick (3,000 metres steeplechase), Tim Flannery of Nenagh (110 metre hurdles), Emily Maher of Kilkenny (100 and 200 metres), Martina McCarthy of Dublin City Harriers and Jo-Ann Cuddihy of Kilkenny (both 400 metres), Derval O’Rourke of Leevale (100 metre hurdles) and Eileen O’Keeffe of Kikenny (hammer).