A tremendous year for Ireland, says team manager

GILLIAN O’SULLIVAN’S silver medal in the 20k walk at the world championships in Paris and Paul Hession’s silver medal in the sprints at the World Student Games in Korea over the past week means Ireland has claimed a medal from all the track and field championships this year.

"It has been a tremendous year for Irish athletics and for Gillian O'Sullivan, in particular," Michael Quinlan who is the Team Manager for next year's Olympic Games, insisted.

"The fact that the medals have been spread across all of the track disciplines makes it even more exciting."

Apart from Gillian O'Sullivan's silver medal, there was an astonishing performance from Ballymena sprinter, Paul Brizzel, who made it through the first round of the 200m and then achieved the A standard for next year's Olympics before bowing out.

But it was a week of highs and lows for the Irish athletes in Paris where Sonia O'Sullivan was probably the most disappointing, finishing last in the final of the women's 5,000m after promising so much in the first round.

The week's performances were:

Women's 20k Walk: Gillian O'Sullivan, 2nd, 1:27:34; Olive Loughnane, 12th,

1:30:53.

Men's 1,500m: Gareth Turnbull, First Round Heat,7th, 3:41.84; Semi-Final,

10th, 3:42.01.

Men's 400m: Paul McKee, First Round Heat, 7th, 46.43.

Men's 200m: Paul Brizzel, First Round Heat, 5th, 20.75; Quarter Final, 5th,

20.56.

Men's 10,000m: Cathal Lombard, 17th 28:36.43.

Men's 110m Hurdles: Peter Coghlan, Heats, 7th, 13.90.

Men's 4 x 400m Relay: Paul McKee, Gary Ryan, David McCarthy, David Gillick,

5th in 3:04.31.

Women's 400m: Karen Shinkins, First Round Heats, 5th, 52.06; Semi-Finals,

8th 52.74.

Women's 5,000m: Sonia O'Sullivan, Heats, 2nd, 14:55.50; Final, 15th,

15:36.62.

100m Hurdles: Derval O'Rourke, Heats 8th, 13.54.

Women's 10,000m: Marie Davenport did not start.