In-form Chamney chases Olympic standard at Lucerne meet
Chamney had all but abandoned a serious onslaught on the A standard as he went into this race at the weekend.
“To be honest I did not believe I would run so well,” he admitted yesterday, as he rested in Venice, en route to Lucerne. “There was a thunderstorm all day and the meet was delayed for 45 minutes.
“By the time the race came around, I had decided I would just go out and run it and enjoy myself but it turned out a lot better than I expected.”
The race was won by Jonathan Johnson (USA) in 1:46.14 from Lachlan Renshaw (Australia), 1:46.42 and Brandon Shaw (USA) in 1:46.64.
“I felt so good during the race — so relaxed — I feel, on reflection, I could have got the standard. I think I had been putting too much pressure on myself all season,” said Chamney.
“I had originally intended to run in Liege this week but immediately after the race I got in touch with Terry McHugh, the Irish javelin record holder, who runs the meet in Lucerne and, thankfully, he was able to get me into the 800m there.
“It is a very strong field that includes Gary Reed, the silver medallist at the world championships in Osaka last year and another very good Canadian. I would expect the race to be won well inside the A standard and I would hope to be the right side of 1:46 myself.”
Ireland’s other top 800m runner, Dave Campbell, finished ninth in Lignano in 1:47.66 to indicate that he is on the way back after a period of persistent injury. Last year he ran his pb in Lignano despite pulling out a painful tooth himself before the race. He went on to win the 1,500m at Cork City Sports and then the 800m/1,500m double at the national championships.
He hopes to defend the 800m title at the national championships next weekend.
“I have spoken to Athletics Ireland and, from the conversation, they will allow me to compete in a meet in Heusden at the weekend if I don’t get the time in Lucerne. They would obviously want me to have another shot at qualification. Hopefully it won’t come to that,” he said.
Joanne Cuddihy has withdrawn from tomorrow night’s meeting in Lucerne. She is currently training in Limerick where she is also doing some rehab with renowned sports injury therapist Gerard Hartmann.
Roisin McGettigan got her Olympic build-up into gear in Athens at the weekend when she finished fourth behind two Kenyans and an Ethiopian in the 3,000m steeplechase in 9:30.56. The race was won by Eunice Jepkorir in 9:26.56.
After his brilliant performance at the Golden Gala in Rome on Friday night when he finished sixth in the 400m from Lane 1, David Gillick has opted to run the 200m at the national championships next weekend.
