AAI to meet with temporary chief

THE Athletics Association of Ireland (AAI) will this week meet with their interim Chief Executive.

The Irish Sports Council appointee will be in position for three months but the post of chief executive has not yet been advertised by AAI, who are restructuring the organisation at the highest level.

Clubs throughout the country will be consulted on the matter over the coming months and an EGM to clear the way for the necessary constitutional changes will be held in October.

Robert Heffernan was back in action in the first round of the 2005 IAAF Race Walking Challenge in Tijuana over the weekend when he finished ninth in a time of 1:24:35.

The Corkman, who posted his Olympic qualifying standard at the corresponding meet last year, was disappointed with the performance.

He was in the lead group at halfway but fell victim to stomach problems and faded.

However, he was just one place behind last year’s Olympic champion, Ivano Brugnetti of Italy. The race was won by Nathan Deakes of Australia in 1:21:28 from the Segura cousins from Mexico, Omar second in 1:21:45 and Bernardo, third in 1:21:46.

Colin Griffin finished 13th in 1:26:19, his highest placing and his second fastest time ever, to highlight his graduation into the top flight.

The two Irishmen will now travel to Querratarro in Mexico for a training camp, where they will be joined by Waterford’s Jamie Costin, who is recuperating from injuries sustained in the traffic accident that put paid to last year’s Olympic dream.

On the home front, Kelley Proper, a teenager from Ferrybank, broke Terri Horgan’s national senior indoor long jump record by a centimetre with a jump of 6.10m, while Jolene Byrne, who finished 17th at the world cross-country championships in St Etienne on Sunday, returns to the track with a 10k event at Barrakaldo in Spain next month.