Athletics: Ciara Neville sends only positive signal

Irish athletics faces some challenges after a difficult European Indoor Championships in Belgrade but there were some green shoots with Ciara Neville gaining valuable experience at her first senior championship.

The Emerald sprint star bowed bowed out in the semi-finals with an 8th place finish in 7.49 seconds but there was much to ponder on the overall performances.

“Yeah it was great,” said Neville on the experience. “It was a bit nerve wracking but it was really exciting. Just getting to the semi-finals was a big deal for me so I’m pleased.

“It’s been great. Everyone has been so welcoming. I really enjoyed it even though it was surreal.

The 17-year-old will have learned a lot from her first senior championship in what will hopefully be only the beginning of her international career.

“Hopefully it will make me more hungry in the coming years and see if I can come back here again and do better,” she concluded.

Bandon’s Phil Healy brought a busy weekend to a close with a sixth-place finish in her 60m semi-final in 7.40, not enough to advance to the final.

“I’m not delighted with the time, but it was a busy championships with a lot of races. I have to be happy overall,” she said having also competed in the 400m heats.

Many of the Irish athletes will be busy going back to the drawing board ahead of the summer. Ciara Mageean (UCD) limped off the track in the women’s 1500m with 400m remaining as Great Britain’s Laura Muir dominated to win in a championship record of 4:02.39. The classy Scot returned to win the 3,000m in another championships record of 8:35.67.

“I don’t have any answers and all I can say is I’m sorry for that display. That’s not me out there,” said a flummoxed Mageean. In truth the Portaferry woman hasn’t been in good form this indoor season for a variety of reasons. She will have to return to the drawing board much like many of the Irish athletes who didn’t perform to their standard.

Team manager Patsy McGonagle reflected on a disappointing championship for Ireland. “Overall the impact of the group in squad terms was disappointing,” said the veteran team manager from Donegal. “Each will have learned from exposure to a European championship competitive environment and with their coaches’ build on that as they regroup and move on.

“The small Irish squad that completed their indoor season here in Belgrade were left with much on which they will no doubt reflect as they refocus for the outdoor period in the summer months the highlight of which will undoubtedly be the World Champs in London in August.” There will be work to do for the new Director of High Performance of Athletics Ireland that is currently in the interview process.

Meanwhile in Athlone at the Irish Life Health National Masters Championships, Joe Gough (West Waterford) continued his age-defying performances winning the M65 400 and 800m in 60.43 and 2:17.18 respectively. Sligo’s Dermot McDermott was another classy winner in the M35 800m in 2:03.17.