Sprint magic as Leevale trio streak to stadium records

THREE stadium records in quick succession — all from Leevale sprinters — provided fans with 25 minutes of sheer magic at the AAI Indoor championships in Nenagh yesterday when Jer O’Donoghue, Ailis McSweeney and hurdler Derval O’Rourke braved the bitter cold to return scintillating performances.

The event of the weekend was undoubtedly the women's 60 metres which brought the top sprinters in the country together for the first time this year, with Ailis McSweeney winning her first senior title in a spectacular finish from Emily Maher, Ciara Sheehy and Anna Boyle.

It was always going to be an exciting race once Anna Boyle, who missed the heats on Saturday, was allowed in as a guest. But, from the gun, it was a desperately close affair between McSweeney and the in-form Maher.