Darragh McElhinney lives up to billing at in memorable 3,000m National Indoors final

The Glengarriff native unleashed a five-lap clinic over the final kilometre that slowly squeezed the strength and speed out of his 17-year-old rival Nick Griggs

Darragh McElhinney on his way to winning the race ahead of Nick Griggs in the final of the men's 3,000m at the 2022 Irish Life Health National Indoor Championships, National Indoor Arena, Dublin. Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy

It was a race that promised much and fully delivered – the class of Darragh McElhinney and the precocity of Nick Griggs serving up a memorable men’s 3000m clash on day one of the National Indoor Athletics Championships in Abbotstown.

With a vastly superior personal best, the pressure was firmly heaped on McElhinney’s shoulders, but if the 21-year-old UCD athlete felt it then he certainly didn’t show it. The Glengarriff native unleashed a five-lap clinic over the final kilometre that slowly squeezed the strength and speed out of his 17-year-old rival, coming home in splendid isolation in 8:02.84, with Griggs a strong second in 8:05.83.