Cork return for O’Rourke after World glory
It will be her first public appearance on the track since her sensational victory in the 60m hurdles final at the World Indoor Championships in Moscow.
Her return has been delayed by a groin injury but treatment from Gerard Hartmann appears to have solved the problem. “She is ready to rock and roll,” coach Jim Kilty said yesterday. “She has had some really good quality hurdles sessions over the past three weeks.
“This will be her first race of the year and I would hope people will realise that.”
After Cork, she will fly to Athens for a meeting on Monday night but she has turned down an invitation to compete in Lucerne on Wednesday.
“After Athens, we would like to be able to get in a couple of training sessions and then maybe she can get into the meeting in Paris the following weekend,” he said. “The aim at the moment is to get back on the racing circuit, then go under 13 seconds and then break the Irish record.”
Among the opposition on Saturday will be Haiti’s Nadine Faustin-Parker, who has been third three times at The Mardyke, the UK champion, Sarah Claxton, and her compatriot, Jemma Bennett, Lucie Martincova from the Czech Republic, the Italian champion, Micol Cattaneo.
Moushami Robinson, the newly crowned American 400m champion, has been added to an already star-studded line-up for the women’s 200m.
“Originally she wanted to compete in the 400m here but with that field full we allowed her into the 200m,” meet director Dick Hodgins said yesterday.
While the 400m (50.38 secs) is her prime event, she has a best of 23.25 secs for 200m.
Ireland’s sprinters will be well represented by Anna Boyle, Ailish McSweeney and Emily Maher, while Ciara Sheehy, who has been improving with every outing, is looking forward to the 200m.
“Her times are coming down nicely,” coach Jim Kilty confirmed. “We will be hoping for a reasonably good lane and, with conditions right, we could be looking at a time of around 23.3 secs.”
Linda Byrne (4:18.59) and UCC student, Orla Drumm (4:19.59) had impressive performances at the BMC meet in Solihull over the weekend and will be anxious for more of the same when they line up for the women’s 1,500m. Olesia Tyurina (Russia), Justine Leslan (Poland), Sonja Roman (Slovenia), Lisa Corcoran (Australia), Hayley Ovens (Great Britain), Caroline Chepkwony (Kenya) and former World Universities champion, Eloywe Wellings, offer a formidable foreign line-up with Aoife Byrne and Sinead Delahunty Evans completing the home challenge.
There was official confirmation from Alistair Cragg’s agent, Mark Wetmore, at the weekend that the European indoor 3,000m champion is ready to lead a star-studded field in the men’s 3,000m.
Danny Lincoln, who won the steeplechase at the US championships, is another definite starter alongside last year’s winner, Craig Mottram, and Nick McCormack, who won the 1,500m last year. Other contenders include Spanish athlete Pablo Villabos, and two Kenyans Moses Kipsiro and Boaz Cheboiywo.
Mark Carroll, national record holder at 3,000m, 5,000m and 10,000m, has chosen this event for his final track race before reverting to the road racing circuit.
David Campbell from the St. Coca’s club in Kilcock posted his European qualifying standard at Solihull on Saturday running two seconds inside his previous best with a 1:46.99 sec 800m that places him 9th on the all time list just ahead of 1956 Olympic 1,500m champion, Ronnie Delany.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
