Ó Lionáird makes comeback at Cork City Sports

By Alan Smith

Ciarán Ó Lionáird made a relatively successful comeback to competitive action at the 61st Cork City Sports tonight, finishing fifth in an ultra competitive mile-long race with a time of 3:58.84.

The Corkman’s preparation for the Olympics hasn’t been ideal having spent the bulk of his season recovering from an Achilles injury he picked up in March, but he jogged off after finishing the race, which was won by Ryan Gregson of Australia in 3:57.98

With time at a premium heading towards the games, Ó Lionáird needed a positive performance and it was no surprise to see him undergoing a light training session at the end of the meet.

Local fans were also keeping an eye on medal hopeful Robert Heffernan, who will compete in the 20km and 50km events in his fourth games next month, and unsurprisingly he claimed first place with consummate ease.

Heffernan stayed on the shoulder of early pacesetter Jacub Jelonek in the opening two laps but soon pulled clear and ended up winning with a time of 11:14.29.

In the women’s race, meanwhile, Olive Loughnane was first to cross the finish line in a time of 12.36:27, smashing the meet record she set two years ago. She will walk in the 20km in London.

In the sprints, Joanne Cuddihy was pipped on the line by Keisha Baker and Shericka Williams as she finished third in the very competitive women’s 400m with a time of 51.86 but admitted afterwards that she had experimented in the opening 200 metres.

The Kilkenny City Harriers star returns to Spain in the morning for a week to continue her preparations for London.

Elsewhere, a meet record was set in the men’s 400m when Rabah Yousif won with ease earlier on in the evening with a time of 45.30, while Luke Fagan won the 100m in 10.43 ahead of Ireland’s Steven Colvert (10.71) with the Great Britain sprinter also winning the 200m.

Me'lisa Barber won the women’s 100m with Ireland’s Kelly Proper finishing up in third place.