Róisin makes it to Turin

ROISÍN McGETTIGAN, who broke one of Sonia O’Sullivan’s old records when she finished fourth in the Reebok Women’s Mile at the Boston indoor meeting on Saturday, has been included in the Irish team for next month’s European Indoor Championships in Turin.

The Wicklow woman, a finalist in the Olympic steeplechase in Beijing last year, ran 4:30.06 for fourth behind Ethiopian Sentagehu Eigu and her split time at 1,500m was inside European qualifying standard.

Mary Cullen, a member of Ray Treacy’s elite group based in Providence, is also included. She went to within a second of another of Sonia’s records when finishing second in the women’s 5,000m at the same meeting in 15:18.34. The North Sligo athlete joins Deirdre Byrne, who posted her qualifying standard for 3,000m winning the national indoor title at the Irish indoor championships at The Odyssey on Saturday night.

Derval O’Rourke, who got her qualifying standard out of the way at the weekend, goes in the 60m hurdles. Kelly Proper who had a double at the Odyssey where she equalled her long jump national record and went on to win the 200m, is named along with Deirdre Ryan who recently set a new indoor high jump record at 1.93m.

Paul Hession is the only male athlete named in the team so far. A finalist in the 60m in Birmingham two years ago, he is among the medal favourites.

David Gillick, twice European indoor 400m champion, said at the weekend he wants to defend his title but it depends on an upcoming race. He went to Birmingham and retained the title he won in Madrid in 2005 without having a competitive race. He has until March 1 to decide whether he wants to be included in the team.

Ireland team (manager Patsy McGonagle): Men’s 60m: Paul Hession (Athenry AC); Women’s 400m: Marian Andrews (Togher AC) and Brona Furlong (Slaneyside); Women’s 1,500m: Roisin McGettigan (Sli Cualann); Women’s 3,000m: Mary Cullen (North Sligo) and Deirdre Byrne (Sli Cualann); 60m Hurdles, Derval O’Rourke (Leevale); High Jump: Deirdre Ryan (DSD); Women’s Long Jump: Kelly Proper (Ferrybank); 4 x 400m: Marian Andrews, Brona Furlong, Gemma Hynes, Claire Bergin, Christine McMahon.