OLIVE LOUGHNANE expressed satisfaction with preparations for the World Championships in South Korea after covering the 3,000m walk in 12:52.85 — 15 seconds faster than last year.

LAST year Robert Heffernan had to watch from the stands as his Irish international team-mate, Jamie Costin (West Waterford), claimed the title and the national 3,000m record at Cork City Sports so it is hardly surprising that the Togher man wants to return and reclaim the limelight at the CIT Track on July 2.

MARIAN HEFFERNAN has been added to the Irish team for next week’s European indoor championships in Paris.

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 has finished first in the senior women’s race at the Woodie’s DIY Inter County Cross Country Championships at Kilbeggan this afternoon.

ROISÍN McGETTIGAN, who broke one of Sonia O’Sullivan’s old records when she finished fourth in the Reebok Women’s Mile at the Boston indoor meeting on Saturday, has been included in the Irish team for next month’s European Indoor Championships in Turin.

MARTIN FAGAN will go to the line among the favourites for tomorrow’s senior men’s race at the European cross-country championships in Brussels but the Mullingar Harrier knows it will be difficult to improve on last year’s seventh placing in Toro.

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.

Ireland's Alistair Cragg placed a disappointing seventh in the two-mile event at tonight's IAAF London Super Grand Prix at Crystal Palace.

ATHLETICS IRELAND last night announced their provisional team for this year’s World Championships, in Osaka, Japan (August 25 — September 2).

MARY CULLEN is ready to challenge for a medal in the senior women’s race at the SPAR European cross-country championships at San Giorgio su Legnana, near Milan, tomorrow but would be happy with a place in the top five or six.

THERE are 35 weeks ahead of us in which we will find out a lot about Enda Kenny. About his wherewithal. About his competence as a leader. About his credibility as a potential Taoiseach of the country. About his winnability.

Joanne Cuddihy announced herself as the new star of Irish athletics in Santry today as she added the 400 metres title to the 200m gold she won yesterday at the Woodie's DIY National Track and Field Championships.

MANDATORY micro-chipping of dogs was called for yesterday in a bid to prevent lethal attacks on sheep.

SERGIY LEBID stole the show with a devastating last lap surge to claim his fifth successive title - and his sixth in all - at the SPAR European cross-country championships in Tilburg, overcoming the challenge of Spain’s Alberto Garcia, the European 5,000m champion who only returned from a two-year ban for a positive drugs test last March.

National cross country champion Jolene Byrne came from third on the final bend to take the 1500 metres title at the Woodies DIY Irish Track and Field championships. But she almost surrendered the gold in the final strides at Morton Stadium, Santry.

EIGHT sportspeople have been named in the Athletics Ireland’s World Class Panel, a key component of the Association’s new Performance Plan.

Caroline O’Dohertyon the ongoing development controversy.