Tomorrow marks the culmination of the American collegiate cross-country season, when the 79th NCAA championships take place at Terre Haute, hosted by Indiana State University.

Leevale AC retained their women’s title at the Glohealth National Road Relays, in Dublin, yesterday, while hosts, Raheny, won the men’s race.

Dick Hodgins, former athlete and Cork City Sports administrator

The Leevale Sports showcased some of Ireland’s best talent on Saturday with Marcus Lawler leading the way, clocking 21.14 seconds in the 200m, while Matthew Behan broke the national junior record in the 110m hurdles.

Sonia O’Sullivan returns to the Leevale Sports today for the first time since 1987 when she was aiming to qualify for the European Junior Track and Field Championships.

A late withdrawal from the National Indoor Championships, Ciarán Ó Lionaird reflects instead on the dunes of Owenahincha — and Tallahassee in Florida. 

Leevale AC’s men and DSD women proved themselves to be the best in the country when they emerged victorious at the GloHealth National League Final at Tullamore Harriers Stadium yesterday.

Rob Heffernan will lead an Irish team of 25 athlete’s to Zurich for next months Europeans, which take place from August 12 – 17.

Robert Heffernan was placed 23rd (1:21:00) over 20km at the IAAF World Race Walking Cup in Taicang, China yesterday.

Athletics: Sarah Lavin was named female athlete of the meet at the Leevale T&F promotion at the Cork IT yesterday in unusual circumstances.

I always notice people out running. It’s probably because I’m a runner and I’m more tuned in to running than most but whatever the reason I always spot them.

Kelly Proper joined Rob Heffernan as Ireland's most decorated indoor champion at today’s Woodies DIY national indoor championships.

Robert Heffernan crowned a fairytale season when he was named Athlete of the Year at the National Athletics Awards at the Crowne Plaza in Dublin yesterday.

The opening event at the new home of Cork cross-country at Riverstick was marked with an absorbing men’s senior race which saw East Cork regain the title from holders Leevale for their 10th win in 12 years.

With favourable weather forecast, some exciting performances are expected today when the Leevale club promote the first day of a two-day programme of athletics.

Robert Heffernan put on a masterclass of race walking to win his 15th national title but felt the atmosphere ‘dead’ on day one of the Woodie’s DIY National Indoor Championships in Athlone on Saturday.

They may have waited all of a decade to reclaim the Cork county senior cross-country crown from East Cork, but Leevale did it in style yesterday at Carrignavar and for good measure, the city club also won the women’s title along with providing the winners of the two individual races.

A 32-year-old IT worker won her second consecutive Evening Echo Women’s Mini Marathon in Cork yesterday, just one week after she added the Killarney Mini Marathon to her belt.

Strong wind at Santry Stadium played a telling factor on Day One of the 2012 Woodies DIY National Track and Field Championships today.

While some fine early season sprinting and a number of exciting finishes were the highlights of the Leevale Track & Field meeting at Cork IT on Saturday, the big upset of the day came in the women’s 1500m, where European Junior silver medallist Ciara Mageean had to settle for second behind Orla Drumm.

Two-time European silver medallist Derval O'Rourke achieved the qualifying times for both this year's World Championships and the 2012 Olympics at a meeting in Switzerland yesterday.

NATIONAL champion, Sergiu Ciobanu shaved 20 seconds off the course record which he set last year to retain the Bord Gáis Energy Cork City Marathon title yesterday in 2:25:34 and now sets his sights on Olympic qualification.

CHRIS MINTERN (Coláiste Chríost Rí) warmed up for next weekend’s attempt to win the national triathlon title in Fingal by winning the intermediate 3,000m title at the opening session of the South Munster Schools track and field championships at the CIT track in Bishopstown yesterday.

DERVAL O’ROURKE and Leevale clubmate Ailis McSweeney were two very determined ladies walking out of Santry Stadium on Tuesday night, according to coach Sean Cahill.

Mary Cullen broke away from the field in the final 400 metres to win gold in the 1500 metres final at the Woodie's DIY Irish Indoor Championships in Belfast.

DERVAL O’ROURKE bids to claim national titles in the AAA championships in Birmingham on Saturday and the Woodies DIY Irish indoor championships in Belfast’s Odyssey Arena on Sunday.

DEFENDING champion, Patrick Maher (Leevale AC) will be among the stars in action at the Woodies DIY AAI national junior indoor championships in Nenagh tomorrow.

AILIS McSWEENEY was chuffed when Derval O’Rourke arrived around with a bouquet of flowers on Thursday night.

PATRICK MAHER (Davis College, Mallow), who has the national junior 400m hurdles record and qualification for the world junior championships under his belt, will bid for a double in the 400m hurdles and 400m flat at the Munster Schools Championships at the CIT Track in Bishopstown on Saturday.

EDMUND O’HALLORAN (St Francis College, Rochestown) wants to join his Leevale clubmate, Patrick Maher, at the world junior championships in Canada and yesterday he took another step towards fulfiling his ambition when he got his schools campaign off to a flyer with an emphatic victory in the 110m hurdles at the South Munster Schools championships at the Cork IT Track in Bishopstown.

MARATHON man Martin Fagan believes he can land a medal at the European Championships if he is selected for the showpiece event.

DERVAL O’ROURKE will be one of the stars in action when her club, Leevale AC, stages its Annual Sports at the CIT track, Bishopstown, on April 18.

ALISTAIR CRAGG will get his place on the Irish senior men’s team for the SPAR European cross-country championships if he proves his fitness in tomorrow’s 5k road race in San Jose.

Olive Loughnane of Loughrea AC was named Athlete of the Year at tonight’s National Athletics Awards in Dublin.

EUROPEAN cross-country champion Sergey Lebid will defend his title at this year’s championships in Dublin. The Ukrainian will be aiming to win his ninth crown at Santry Demesne, Dublin on December 13.

PAUL HESSION bids to keep his unbeaten four-year record at the Mardyke intact when he competes in tomorrow’s Cork City Sports (2pm).

MARK CARROLL, who held national records from 3,000m to 10,000m and represented Ireland on the track at every level up to and including two Olympic Games, will make a belated European cross-country championship debut in Brussels next month.

PAUL HESSION was in sensational form at the Woodies DIY national track and field championships at Morton Stadium yesterday and promised more fireworks in his favoured 200m at next weekend’s Super Grand Prix at Crystal Palace.

DERVAL O’ROURKE is hoping that the home fans will give her the lift she needs in advance of the Olympic Games when she returns to The Mardyke — where it all began for her — for today’s Cork City Sports.

THE final of the intermediate boys’ hurdles will provide the closest and possibly the most exciting finish of the day at the KitKat Munster Schools track and field championships at the UL track in Limerick tomorrow when Patrick Maher (Davis College, Mallow) and Edmund O’Halloran (St Francis College, Rochestown) renew rivalry.

ROBERT HEFFERNAN faces his first big test of Olympic year when he lines up for the first leg of the IAAF Race Walking Challenge in Chihuahua, northern Mexico, on Saturday.

DERVAL O’ROURKE finally confirmed that she won’t be defending her 60m hurdles title at the World Championships in Valencia next week after a disappointing run in Tampere.