Hession happy with progress

PAUL HESSION was in sensational form at the Woodies DIY national track and field championships at Morton Stadium yesterday and promised more fireworks in his favoured 200m at next weekend’s Super Grand Prix at Crystal Palace.

Yesterday he won the 100m final in 10.26 but cursed a slow start. “I don’t know what happened at the start — I had to switch lanes at the last minute — but it was fine and I broke the championship record in both races,” he said.

“I am running in London next weekend — I have Usain Bolt, Spearman Rodney Martin and the whole works on Saturday afternoon. That will be a good way of finding out where I’m at.

He admitted: “I’m shocked to be running 10.2 for 100m because I came into the season thinking I just want to push things back a bit to be just right at Beijing. At those particular championships last year I ran 20.30 and I did not run any quicker for the rest of the season. I think this year, if I can get to Beijing in that shape it will be better.

“I did not expect to run under 20.30 before the Olympics — I am really focused on doing it there and getting through the rounds better.’’

Elsewhere Derval O’Rourke produced a very good technical race to retain her 100m hurdles title in 13.03.

“I thought I could have come out here and run under 13 seconds on my own but I didn’t. However technically I ran so much better than in Cork — the hurdles were so much better — but I did not attack in between because I was on my own and it felt a bit like a time trial,” she said.

She will be looking for an improvement in her times when she competes in either Stockholm tomorrow night or London next weekend.

“There is one lane left in London so I am waiting on news from there. I would prefer that meeting and hopefully I will get in. Stockholm is on Tuesday so hopefully I will hear soon and I can just go and pack my bag.”

She admitted she has been struggling with her technique all season but is happy things are coming right.

“Before I started working with Sean (Cahill) a few years ago I used to run very loose over the hurdles and I think this year, because I went and did something completely different and did not see Sean for a long time, I got really strong but I just went back to my old ways and for the past three weeks we have been trying to fix that,” she said.

“Today I was probably too relaxed at the start and I had to remind myself that I needed to get focused. I did not have that fired-up feeling but I think that was the quickest I have run at national championships.”

Eileen O’Keeffe, sixth in the world championships last year, stepped her Olympic preparations up a gear with a best of 72.75m and she reinforced this performance with three other throws beyond the 70m target.

“I am very happy with the series,” she said pointing out that a slight hip injury had been a worry up to a couple of weeks ago. “I did not know what to expect today so I am happy with that. I think 72 metres will get me into the final at the Olympics.”

She followed up by retaining her title in the women’s discus with a best throw of 46.44m.

Kelly Proper (Ferrybank) also had a double over the weekend. She broke the U23 record she set a week earlier when she retained her long jump with a best of 6.42m. On Saturday she won the women’s 200m impressively in 23.69 secs. In the heats of the 100m yesterday both herself and Amy Foster set new pb’s, Foster winning in 11.59 secs and Proper second in 11.65 secs. In the final Foster set a new pb of 11.54 secs when winning from Ailis McSweeney (Leevale AC) who showed a return to form with 11.64 secs.

Claire Brady (Celbridge) was third in 11.66 seconds and Kelly Proper fourth in 11.68 secs.

And Christopher Crowley (Belgooly AC) had a double in the long and high jumps — 7.22m and 2.08m.