Cork run gives Cuddihy Games hope
The race was won impressively by Keisha Baker in 51.51secs from her American team-mate Shericka Williams (51.74), who was the silver medallist in the women’s 400m at the Beijing Olympics four years ago.
Leading into the home straight, it appeared as if Cuddihy, who won this race in 2007, was about to spring a surprise. After a spectacular first 200m she held pole position off the crown of the final bend before Baker and Williams struggled past in the closing stages.
But the Irish record holder was delighted with her performance and her time of 51.86, admitting she was feeling quite tired from a tough training regime in Spain where she is putting the finishing touches to her Olympic preparations.
“I came in from Spain yesterday,” she said. “We had a really heavy week of training and I didn’t know what to expect, what the legs would do today. I was playing around with different ways to approach the race and I obviously went out pretty hard just to see what would happen. The last 50 I really felt the week’s training coming back.”
The Kilkenny athlete, who had a big 200m/400m double at the Woodies DIY national championships the weekend before last, was delighted with the quality of the field.
“It was a great thing for Cork to put that field out there and to hear that crowd was great,” she said. “It was a lovely taste of what to expect in two weeks’ time and I’ll certainly be going in with fresher legs to London.”
Her uncharacteristic fast first 200m placed her in a winning position but the effort was clearly reflected in the last 30 metres of the race when the first two athletes came through.
“That was an experiment,” she said. “I won’t do that in London. But you have to practice and try out new things and this was the place to do it.
“I would have liked to hang on to the end and get to the line first but I’m not disappointed. I did what I came to do..
“Fair play for Cork they did everything so well. I’ve been around these competitions around Europe and they do it really professionally and well here. Its also a great chance to get some time at home and still get in a good race.
“It’s back to Spain tomorrow — another 10 days or so in the sun. The quality of work we can get in out there is light years ahead of what we can do here — that’s why my legs felt sore coming off the plane. Another week’s hard running and once I get in the [Olympic] Village my training programme will fall to practically nothing so I’m nice and fresh when it comes to London.
“There’s certain things I have still to do. — do time trials, pace-judgement, few things to work on.”
Carol Rodriguez, who holds the Puerto Rican records for 100m, 200m and 400m, finished fourth in 52.69 with Jessie Barr (Ferrybank), back from the European championships in Helsinki, fifth in 53.78, and Joanne Cuddihy’s sister, Catriona, sixth.
The one-lap races were a feature of last evening’s programme, which opened with a world class 400m hurdles won impressively by Cornel Fredericks (South Africa). He set a meet record of 49.00 from Leford Green (Jamaica) in 49.10 and Josef Robertson (Jamaica) 50.18.
Fredericks finished fifth in last year’s world championships in Daegu while Green was a member of the Jamaican 4x400m relay team that won the bronze medals there. Robertson is on this year’s Jamaican Olympic team.
The men’s 400m also brought a star-studded field together with victory going to the man in form, Rabah Yousif of Sudan in 45.30.
American Manteo Mitchell, world indoor champion, followed him across the line in 46.27, but no one was happier than Ireland’s Brian Gregan (Clonliffe Harriers), who maintained his current run of good form in third place in 46.27, ahead of such notables as UK U20 champion Darryd Dunne and Renny Quow (USA), who was second last year and won a bronze medal at the world indoor championships.
“I’m enjoying it,” Gregan said. “It’s great to be running well and it’s great to run in front of a home crowd — the first time in two years. The crowd’s been brilliant.”
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