Hero Sonia O’Sullivan returns to Leevale Sports

Sonia O’Sullivan returns to the Leevale Sports today for the first time since 1987 when she was aiming to qualify for the European Junior Track and Field Championships.

Twenty eight years on, she will play the role of spectator as she looks forward to seeing the next generation make their mark in Bishopstown.

“The last time I was at the Leevale Sports was 1987 aiming to qualify for the European juniors at the Mardyke (now Sonia O’Sullivan) track,” said O’Sullivan of the event, which now takes place at the Cork IT track.

“I ran just under 9:40 (for 3,000m) that day. I’m looking forward to seeing the Irish junior girls get their season started ahead of European junior championships, European youth and world youth championships this summer.”

The senior and junior programme take place today — the juvenile programme is on tomorrow — with plenty of exciting races in store.

Leevale’s Louise Shanahan faces Nadia Power (Templeogue) in the senior women’s 800m and both will have their eyes set on getting a standard (A - 2:07.00/ B - 2:09.50) for the European juniors in Sweden in July.

Shanahan is the 2013 European Youth Olympic champion and will be looking to put in a good performance. Both have recently returned from an Athletics Ireland warm weather training camp in Portugal. Niamh Malone (Monaghan Phoenix) will also be in the mix and is aiming for European youth qualifying of 2:11.50.

Other distance starlets in action will be Caoimhe Harrington (Bantry AC) and Rhona Pierce (Leevale) in the 3,000m.

The junior women’s 100m hurdles is set for a three-way tussle between Shannon Sheehy, Elizabeth Morland (both Cushinstown) and Molly Scott (St Laurence O’Toole). 14.15 seconds is the standard for the European Youth Olympic Festival in Tblisi, Georgia in July and is within reach. Sam Healy (Leevale) leads the way in an equally high-quality junior men’s 110m hurdles where Jack Rudden-Kelly (Donore Harriers) and Daniel Ryan (Moycarkey Coolcroo) will also feature.

Healy will be aiming for the European junior A standard of 14.25. Ryan will also compete in the senior men’s long jump. In the sprints Molly Scott (SLOT) and Ara Freeman (Sli Cualann) will duel in the senior women’s 100m. Newport’s Sharlene Mawdsley is the lead entrant in the 200m.

Aaron McGlynn (Finn Valley) has travelled from Donegal for the senior men’s 400m chasing the Euro youth standard of 50.0 seconds. Kieran Elliott (North Sligo) heads the 200m entries. Action gets underway at 11.30am with live results on www.leevale.org.