Huet seals European qualification with 5,000m victory
Local athlete, Eoin Hannon (Tullamore Harriers) laid claim to a place in the team with a 7.43 victory in the junior men’s long jump.
Athletics Ireland were going on the standard of two years ago when they set their standard at 7.45m while the EAA set the standard at 7.40m.
Yesterday Hannon, schools champion at both 110m hurdles and long jump, cleared 7.43 metres twice and 7.42 on another attempt and it appears certain he will be included when the AAI announce their team for Debrecen today.
But there was no joy for Ferrybank’s Niall Tuohy who was competing in his second race in 18 hours in Tullamore where he won the 800m title in 1:52.67. He was looking for 1:51.30 having won an 800m race in 1:51.50 in Oordegem, Belgium, at 10.15pm on Saturday night.
It was unlikely on a rain-sodden track where he fought his way through a 12-strong field to lead the first 400m in just under 57 secs and then, in a repeat of the schools final, fought off a challenge from Anthony Leighio (Tallaght AC) on the final bend.
“It was never going to happen off a slow first lap,” he said. “Especially after a long night. After the race we did not get back to the hotel until 12.45am and, after having a meal and getting to bed late, we had to be up to catch a 6am flight home. I would say I only had two hours sleep.”
His training partner, David McCarthy (West Waterford), joined him on the flight back from Belgium after setting a new personal best for 1,500m at 3:46.15 but opted not to compete yesterday. He had been hoping Tuohy would be on the flight to Debrecen with him later this week.
“He was unlucky not to get the standard in Belgium last night,” he said.
There were a number of qualified athletes on parade in Tullamore.
Kelly Proper, one of five Ferrybank athletes qualified for the European junior championships, put the problems posed by a knee injury behind her when she retained her long jump title with a best of 6.02m.
Mairead Murphy, who posted her qualifying standard with a 14.14 sec performance in Oordegem, Belgium, on Saturday night, was back in time to claim the 100m hurdles title in 14.5 secs while Jessie Barr, qualified at 400m hurdles, won that title in 61.21 secs from Kalyn Sheehan, 61.79.
The French-O’Carroll twins (Dundrum/South Dublin) finished first and second in the junior women’s 1,500m, Charlotte winning in 4:29.49 from Rebecca, 4:31.85.
Andrew Ledwith (Fr Murphy’s) won the 5,000m title in 14:41.59 secs to underscore his current form.
Mark Hanrahan (Leevale) knocked chunks off his personal best as he led all the way to win the under-23 men’s 1,500m in 3:49.17.
Rory Chesser (Ennis Track Club), winner of the 5,000m in Castleisland last Monday evening, chased him for three laps but finished sixth when Paul Pollock (Abbey AC) and the Raheny pair, Mark Kirwan and Kevin Moriarty, came through. John Coghlan (Metro/St. Brigid’s AC) finished strongly to claim the junior men’s 1,500m title in 3:59.88 from Brian Markham (Ennis TC), 4:00.96 and Sam Kelly (Fingallians) 4:01.79.
Pavel Hazler (Leevale) added almost two metres to his personal best distance for the discus when winning the junior title with a best throw of 50.10m but he again fell short of the qualifying standard for the European junior championships of 53 metres.
“I have been throwing 53 metres in training so it is frustrating,” he said.
He had earlier throws of 49.74m and 49.60m before producing 50.10m on his final visit to the circle to win from Colin Quirke (Crusaders), son of former Olympian Paul Quirke, 45.77m, who goes to the European Youth Olympics, and another 17-year-old, Daniel Clifford (Farranfore/Maine Valley), 45.44.
A native of Poland, Hazler was completing a double when he won the discus having won the hammer earlier in the day with a throw of 54.01m.
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