Power struggle over as champ defends title

SEAMUS POWER defends his national inter-club cross-country title in Santry next Saturday and hopes to put a frustrating year behind him.

Twelve months ago the Clare man was in the best form of his career when he raced away from a strong field to win the inter-club title for the fourth time in Roscommon.

“I went into that race very fit. Maybe I was overloaded with training. But as the race progressed I got stronger. I left Roscommon that evening full of confidence. Look what happened the following week,” he said.

A week later he struggled through a low-key road race back in Clare.

His leg went dead.

It took a long time to diagnose the problem but treatment was slow. He had to shelve plans for an attempt at an Olympic qualifying standard in the Flora London Marathon.

He struggled back but came good and was looking forward to a sensational 10th successive national inter-county cross-country title when the injury struck again.

Since last November he has battled his way back. His father died on New Year’s Eve and it was a traumatic time for one of Ireland’s best-loved athletes.

“I got back training again on January 6,” he recalled.

“And since then things could hardly be better. I have been more or less pain free. I secured a gear contract with Puma and right now I am just delighted to be running again.”

After the nationals he plans to run in the Ballycotton 10.

Meanwhile, after their record-breaking performances in Sheffield over the weekend Leevale girls Derval O’Rourke, who smashed her 60m hurdles record and Ailis McSweeney, who broke Michelle Carroll’s old national 60m record, will be putting the finishing touches to their preparations for the European indoor championships over the coming weeks.

O’Rourke is hoping to get a preview of the Europeans by getting into the big meet in Madrid.

But Ailis McSweeney may take a rest after a hectic schedule that brought her a succession of personal best performances in the lead-up to the AAA championships.

She said: “I felt tired during the week and did not train. This was my ninth competition so maybe now I can take two weeks off and just train.

“I will be talking to my coach, John Sheehan, when I get home this evening and we will see where we can go from here.”