Record holder McKee targets Mardyke for his ‘comeback’

PAUL McKEE came through his first 400m race since 2003 without any problems on Tuesday night and now has his sights set firmly on the BUPA Cork City Sports at The Mardyke on July 2.

“That will be my first big 400m race - my comeback,” he said reflecting on the race at the Antrim Forum when he ran 48.2 secs in blustery, cold conditions.

“But I went through the first 200m in 22.2 secs and that is as fast as I have been running in training,” the Irish record holder said. “When I hit 300m I began to feel the pinch but that’s because I have not been running over the distance.”

In fact his last big 400m race was at the world championships in Paris two years ago when he lined up suffering from a leg injury that had plagued him throughout the outdoor season.

“Cork is going to be my next big race. I want to get in a few weeks of uninterrupted training, then get in a 100m, a couple of 200m races and I might do a 400m at the Bangor meet. I will then run in a 4 x 400m relay at a league match in England before Cork.

The USA’s Alan Webb is a recent confirmation for The Mardyke showpiece and while he specialises in the 1,500m/mile, he has opted for what is shaping up to be a world class 800m.

He will go to the line in Cork with a personal best of 1:46.09 from last year for 800m and, while he will be dropping in distance from his favourite event, he showed his class when he stepped up to two miles last week and ran 8:11.

Ricky Soos from Great Britain, who ran 1:45.70 last year was also confirmed as a definite starter in the 800m yesterday, as was last year’s winner, Glody Dube (Botswana). James Nolan is also among the entries but he may opt for 1,500m and there are also a couple of good Kenyans in the line-up as well as a Russian.

The two Olympic champions featured on the programme, double gold medallist Kelly Holmes and long jump champion, Dwight Phillips, were winners in Glasgow at the weekend.

And the field for the men’s long jump in Cork was strengthened yesterday with the inclusion of Gable Garenamotse from Botswana who has a best of 8.26m.

Tickets are now on sale from Tony O’Connell’s, 85 North Main Street.