AILIS McSWEENEY (Leevale AC) stormed to a new personal best performance with a sensational 7.32 sec victory in the women’s 60m — just two hundredths of a second off the national record — at the Woodies DIY Irish Indoor championships at the Odyssey Arena yesterday.

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.

The 2011 Woodie's DIY Irish Indoor Championships got underway at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast today. The highlight was the women's 3,000 metres walk which was won by Laura Reynolds from Mohill AC.

ROBERT HEFFERNAN set the track ablaze in the Odyssey Arena a few years ago when he set a new Irish record for the 5,000m walk at 18mins 51secs and if he can reproduce his training form at the Woodies DIY Irish Indoor Athletics Championships in Belfast tonight, fans can expect fireworks.

DERVAL O’ROURKE has withdrawn from next weekend’s Woodies DIY All-Ireland indoor championships at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast but her coach, Sean Cahill, insists there is no need for concern.

THE fallout from David Gillick’s disappointing performance in the 400m final on Friday night may have cost the Irish men’s 4x400m relay team a place in yesterday’s final and possible qualification for next year’s world championships in Korea.

Both of the Ireland women's relay teams just missed out on qualification for their respective finals at the European Championships in Barcelona this morning, but they had the consolation of setting new national records.

The Ireland women's relay team just missed out on a place in the 4x100 metres relay final at the European Championships in Barcelona this morning.

ROBERT HEFFERNAN is a warrior and a fighter and he will win a medal at the Olympic Games in London 2012, according to his coach, Ivonne Cassin.

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

DERVAL O’ROURKE bounced back from a disappointing disqualification in Barcelona on Friday night to claim her eighth 100m hurdles title and equal Susan Smith’s record at the Woodies DIY National senior championships at Morton Stadium yesterday.

PAUL HESSION underscored his European championship credentials in a fighting finish with arch rival, Brendan Christian (Antigua & Barbuda), in the men’s 200m that ended in a dead heat at Cork City Sports on Saturday.

DERVAL O’ROURKE diverted to Dublin en route from Thessalonika on Thursday night for an early morning check-up with Mark McCabe in advance of her appearance today at the Cork City Sports.

HOMETOWN favourite Derval O’Rourke is set to line out at the Cork City sports tomorrow, after overcoming injury concerns in Thessalonika on Wednesday night, according to her coach, Sean Cahill.

DERVAL O’ROURKE, who has yet to win at Cork City Sports, again faces a huge assignment when she lines up alongside Olympic bronze medallist Priscilla Lopes-Schlep from Canada in the 100m hurdles at the CIT Track on Saturday.

Team manager Patsy McGonagle hailed the efforts of Ireland's top track and field stars as they finished a very credible eighth in the European Team Championships 1st League event in Budapest.

DERVAL O’ROURKE is set to share star billing with world silver medallist, Olive Loughnane, at Cork City Sports at the CIT Track in Bishopstown on July 3.

SPEEDSTERS Derval O’Rourke and Paul Hession head up a strong Irish side to travel to Budapest for the second European Team Championships on June 19-20.

DERVAL O’ROURKE will be back on one of her old stomping grounds on Sunday when she lines up for the 100m at the Leevale Open Sports at the Cork IT complex in Bishopstown.

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.

DAVID GILLICK suffered a massive double blow at the world indoor championships at the Aspire Dome in Doha on Saturday.

DAVID GILLICK believes he is in with ‘a shout’ of a medal in today’s 400m final at the world indoor championships in Doha (3.05pm, Irish).

THE Irish team have settled into their base in Doha in advance of the world indoor championships which get under way tomorrow morning.

THE surprise inclusion of a men’s 4 x 400m relay team alongside medal hopefuls, David Gillick and Derval O’Rourke, on the Irish team for the world indoor championships in Doha (March 12, 13, 14) is aimed at the future and, in particular, this year’s European outdoor championships in Barcelona, according to team manager Patsy McGonagle.

PAUL HESSION may have lost his winning streak but he maintained his form in Lucerne last night where he finished fifth in the 200m in 20.75 secs.

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

THE awesome presence of Olympic 400m champion, Christine Ohuruogu, will add an air of excitement to this weekend’s Woodies DIY Irish Indoor Championships at The Odyssey in Belfast, where she will begin the build-up to the defence of her world title in Berlin next August.

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.