Mageean takes silver in Italy

LISBURN’s Ciara Mageean has put Irish women’s middle distance running back on the map with a silver medal yesterday in the World Youth Championships 800m final in Sudtirol, Italy.

She clocked 2.03.07, a new Junior Irish record which smashes the old mark of 2:05.38 she set at the Irish Schools Championships in May when breaking Sonia O’Sullivan’s 1987 record of 2:05.72.

Kenya’s Cherono Koech won the race in 2.01.67 in a championship record with Britain’s Rowena Cole 2.03.83 placing third.

Mageean is still 17 but this display puts her in the top seven all-time Irish ranking list in the 800m.

Ciara will be back on the track next week when she competes in 1,500m at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Tampere, Finland.

Meanwhile Ireland’s athletes put in strong performances in the final day of competition at the World University Games in Belgrade.

In the scorching sun of the famous Red Star Stadium, Ireland’s women finished fourth in the final of the 4x400m and Deirdre Byrne came fifth in the 1,500m final with Hazel Murphy in 10th.

Murphy ran 4:20.92 minutes and after the race said: “It was very hard when it goes off very slow and your legs just can’t go as the pace increases. We did our best but it just wasn’t good enough today.”

UCD student Byrne, who ran 4:19.71 minutes was in contention with the top tier of runners until 300m to go when the front pack of three broke away at a turn of pace and Byrne dropped down the rankings.

The 4x400m team, made up of Claire Bergin, Brona Furlong, Fiona O’Friel and Joanne Cuddihy, ran 3:39.74 minutes to finish fourth in the final.

Ireland always faced a tough race with an impressive Canadian outfit winning the gold in 3:33.09, Russia taking second place and Senegal winning bronze.

Olympian from Beijing Cuddihy said: “I think everyone put in a solid performance, unfortunately there was a clear three ahead of us, but we can be proud of ourselves.”