Irish athletes make major push to retain League One status

Ireland are well on course to retaining League One status the European team championships, held in Dublin today.

A partisan home crowd willed the Irish team forward where Brian Gregan and Tori Pena were the star performers.

Brian Gregan delivered on his position as favourite by winning the 400 meters in a time of 46:32.

“I came in here as favourite which was a lot of pressure, but I turned it around and got that all important win,” said Gregan.

London 2012 Olympian Tori Pena got into a battle until the last jump with Czech Republic’s Svobodova Jirina, losing out on the final jump.

“I thought I could win that especially in typical Irish weather,” revealed the California-born Pena.

“I had to make a couple of adjusts, espically my run up due to the weather.”

Pena dismissed suggestions the Irish would end day two in a relegation battle saying: “We’ve a young team, but everyone is stepping up to the plate and with this crowd, we’ll do well”.

It was women’s day in Santry for the Irish with the relay team, Jessie Barr and Laura Crowe all registering good performances.

The all Munster 4x100 meter women’s relay team surprised everyone finishing third, displacing strong Swedish and Portuguese teams.

The Irish team of Ailish McSweeney, Niamh Whelan, Sarah Lavin and Phil Healy clocked a time of 44:82 to take third behind, Czech Republic and Switzerland.

Kerry international debutant Laura Crowe held off former European cross country champion, Portugal’s Jessica Agusto, to take fourth.

“I am disappointed to not get third,” revealed Crowe, who added: “I thought I had that in me.”

The 800 meter runner made her distance debut over 3,000 metres and stated that her aim was still to break Sonia O’Sullivan's long-standing 800 metre record.

Waterford’s Jessie Barr battled through the 400 metres hurdles to take third position and will now look to add to the irish performance in tomorrow’s 4x400 metre relay.

The second day of action in Santry will see senior international debuts for teenagers Marcus Lawler and Sarah Lavin.

The Irish finished the day on 139 points. A further 81 points should be enough for Ireland to retain their standing in League One.