Hession lays down marker for Beijing

PAUL HESSION ran the fastest ever 200m — unfortunately wind-assisted — by an Irishman when finishing third at last night’s international athletics meeting in Thessalonika.

The Athenry man, who holds the national record at 20.30 secs ran 20.26 secs with a wind reading of +3 metres for third place. The race was won by Brian Dzingai (Zimbabwe) in 20.06 secs with Brendan Christian, who just pipped Hession at the Bislett Games in Oslo, second in 20.16 secs. The athlete who was fourth, Arustosios Gousis (Greece), finished eighth in the final of the 200m at last year’s world championships in Osaka.

“From that point of view it was a very good result,” Hession said. “The guys who were in there are going to be in contention of places in the final of the 200m at the Olympic Games so it was a very good race to be in.”