Rejuvenated Davoren relishes European Cup test

IRISH athletic talent will be distributed between Denmark and Finland this weekend, with the men and women’s teams involved in the European Cup matches.

And nobody is looking forward to the trip more than Cork-based middle distance runner, Freda Davoren.

The Kerry-born UCC graduate, who is back in action after missing a full season with a troublesome hamstring, posted a very impressive time of 2:03.25 for 800m in Riga last week, more than a second faster than she had ever run.

Just before that she went to within two hundredths of her previous best for 1,500m in Russia where she ran 4:10.10 and a couple of days later she appeared to have another 1,500m at her mercy in Ventspils when she was caught with the line in sight.

“It is all part of the learning process after being out for so long,” she said. “But what I need right now is quality racing - the type or races where there are athletes you can latch on to and will drag you through to fast times.”

Former Olympic javelin champion, Tessa Sanderson, got her into the Russian meet. The 1,500m there turned out to be one of the fastest run in the world this year and she was quite pleased with her time and seventh placing.

Now she can’t wait for the trip to Lappeenranta in Finland where Ireland will be involved with Belgium, Sweden, Belarus, Finland, Lithuania, Poland and Hungary the Europa Cup Group A match. “There are some strong nations in there so I would expect a pretty fast race,” she said.

“That will show me where I am at and I will take 10 days off to train and get ready for Cork City Sports.”

The BUPA Ireland Cork City Sports 1,500m will feature Sonia O’Sullivan against a strong field and, if conditions are right, then a pretty fast race is anticipated.

Davoren has as her immediate target the qualifying standard for the world championships in Paris. The A target is 4:05.80 while the B standard is 4:07.15.

So far eight athletes have achieved the A standards: Sonia O’Sullivan (5,000m/10,000m), Gillian O’Sullivan and Olive Loughnane (20k Walk), Peter Coghlan (110m hurdles), Mark Carroll (Marathon), Robert Heffernan (20k Walk), Jamie Costin (50k Walk) and the men’s 4 x 400m relay team. Nobody has achieved A or B standards for 1,500m.

The men’s team has been weakened by Gareth Turnbull’s withdrawal from the 1,500m for the match in Aarhus, Denmark against Austria, Lithuania, Iceland, Luxembourg, Latvia, Switzerland and the Athletic Association of the Small States of Europe.