Eaton on course for new world record

The world’s greatest all-around athlete Ashton Eaton is on course to successfully defend his heptathlon world crown and break his own world record at the same time, at the World Indoors in Sopot.

The ace American - who won the 60m at the Athlone IT Indoor Grand Prix in the run-up to these Championships - cleared 5.20 in the pole vault, the penultimate event at the Ergo Arena, to leave him nine points inside the world record he set in winning gold at Istanbul 2012.

Eaton now lies on 5699 points, with 5690 his mark at the same stage two years ago during his record-breaking display in Turkey.

While Dutchman Eelco Sintnicolaas went higher at 5.40m, it only helped him to fourth place, lying within 78 points of the medals.

A 1000 metres time inside his Istanbul mark of 2:32.78 would break his two-year-old world record.

Eaton’s wife, Brianne Theisen-Eaton of Canada, finished second yesterday in the women’s equivalent event, the pentathlon, behind Nadine Broersen of the Netherlands.

Irish athletics fans will be excited meanwhile to find out that the full name of New Zealand’s shot put bronze-medallist is actually Tomás Walsh - but will be disappointed to learn it’s not of Irish origin at all, and – as he’s confirmed to us - neither is he.

Walsh claimed third in his final behind defending champion Ryan Whiting of the United States, with Germany’s David Storl second.

While all five of Ireland’s athletes bowed out on the opening day, Athletics Ireland chiefs say they are happy with the campaign on the Baltic coast.

High performance manager Kevin Ankrom said: “The team produced solid performances coming close to their best and putting themselves in the mix.

“They have gained exposure to a world class competition environment which will stand to them in their future targets of Europeans in summer and World outdoors next year and Rio 2016”.

The last Irish medallist at a World indoors was Derval O’Rourke with 60m hurdles gold in Moscow in 2006.