Hession plays it cool ahead of Barcelona

WITH the majority of the Irish athletes due to fly into Barcelona today, Paul Hession has opted to remain at the training camp in Murcia until Monday, the day before the European Championships get under way.

The Athenry sprinter – one of Ireland’s big medal hopes – wants to keep as relaxed as possible in advance of the heats of the 200m which get underway at 10.30am (Irish time) on Thursday. “I’m definitely excited and looking forward to it,” he said. “I just need to keep as calm and as relaxed as possible over the next six days.”

Throughout the season he has been creeping quietly into the Euro medal mix. He ran his first 200m at the Samsung Diamond League meeting in Rome and finished third in 20.60 secs behind Walter Dix and Wallace Spearmon. Then he posted what was the fastest time by a European at that point when he won the 200m at the European Team Championships in Budapest in 20.46 secs.