Leading US athletes warm-up for ‘worlds’ at Cork Sports

SEVERAL leading US athletes are eyeing the BUPA Cork City Sports on July 5 in their lead up to the world championships in Paris.

Ireland’s premier international athletics meeting attracted a new interest when it was awarded EAA Permit status and now it stands just short of Grand Prix level.

Last year athletes from 37 nations competed at The Mardyke and City Sports Chairman, Dick Hodgins, said yesterday this figure may well be exceeded this year. The US athletes who have expressed an interest in competing include the newly crowned world indoor sprint champion, Justin Gatlin, who has run 10.05 seconds for 100m and an even more impressive 19.96 for 200m.