Third spot for Britton in Karlsruhe

Fionnuala Britton had a fine third place finish over 3,000m in Karlsruhe on Saturday evening, running a personal best of 8:55.22 behind Meseret Defar’s 8:35.28 as a host of Irish athletes competed around the globe.

Britton’s debut on the boards this season qualified her for the European Indoor Championships in Gothenburg which will be her first indoor international championships. Her next race will be in Stockholm on February 21st.

Cork and Leevale’s Derval O’Rourke and Ciarán Ó Lionaird also made their indoor bows competing in Athlone and Boston respectively. O’Rourke ran 7.54 in a mixed 60m race at the Leinster Indoor Championships at the AIT arena in Athlone and was satisfied with her performance. “I’m happy with that,” admitted O’Rourke. “I had a good start and just tightened up towards the end.” The former world indoor champion had been struggling with illness but her promising run bodes well for the rest of the indoor season. Her training partner Ailis McSweeney finished fourth over the same distance in Gent in 7.61.