Teens Lawler, Lavin and Healy in race to make impression
The future of Irish athletics then? It goes without saying.
The trio have dominated the junior and schools scene this year, but found themselves in more exalted company at the Cork City Sports meet on Tuesday evening.
Athletics enthusiasts were split as to whether the step-up in class would prove too much.
The trio rose to the challenge, however, more than holding their own in quality fields. Lavin standing tallest.
The 19-year old, fourth across the line, shaved nine-hundredths of a second off her lifetime best, lowering the national junior record to 13.36secs.
“It’s good to put yourself in the deep end,” says Lavin. “It was a good experience, these are top girls. There was a girl in the race who has run 12.56 and that has to benefit me. I’m absolutely delighted with the time.”
Indeed, Lavin’s 13.36 catapults her to second on the continent this season, and with the European junior championship kicking-off in two weeks, the Limerick girl is now firmly in the hunt for a medal.
“My time puts me right up there. I just hope to make the final and once you’re in the final, really anything can happen.”
Lavin’s run at CIT was her third in four days, but such a hectic schedule is a necessary, she claims.
“I did the couple of races to prepare for the rounds in Italy. Anyone can produce a fast time over one race but the key is do it regularly. The race here tonight won’t be as tough as the European juniors though.
“The girl in the next lane was disqualified and that unsettled me, but I had been warned from the women’s 100m so I knew what to expect. I think it just may have been the wind hitting the mic or something.”
Another travelling to Rieti, Italy with genuine medal aspirations is Marcus Lawler.
The Carlow prodigy clocked 20.87 at the All-Ireland Schools Championships in June, moving him to third on the European list. Featuring in the 100m at the Cork meet, the 18-year old certainly didn’t disappoint, nabbing third place in 10.57.
“Things are going well at the moment,” he says. “I suppose June was special with the schools, national juniors and my first senior cap. I stopped training during the Leaving Cert and then I wasn’t as strong as the others for the European team championships.”
Lawler understands the company he faced on Tuesday, added to his recent outing at the European team championships can only be of benefit.
“It was a super experience. That’s the company you want to be in if you want to be at the top. It was savage experience to run against these athletes going into the European juniors.
“I am going to take it round by round when I get out to Italy. I at least want to make a final and we’ll see how it goes from there.”
With the disqualification of Ailis McSweeney and Kelly Proper from the 100m, it fell to Bandon’s Phil Healy to carry the Irish challenge.
Quite a turn around from 12 months ago, where Healy didn’t even make the cut for the A race, featuring instead in the B event.
Unfazed, Healy stormed down the track in 11.91.
“It was definitely a good experience. I was the only Irish one left at the end of the night,” laughs the 18-year old, who just missed out on a PB.
“Last year was my first year competing at the Cork City Sports. I was only in the B race, so to be in the A race this year with a top class field is a great achievement. I was happy with my race, even though I stumbled out of the blocks.
“It has been a great season so far with the schools double and the national juniors double. PBs all around so hopefully I can progress on to the Europeans and produce some fast races. The goal is to the get to the finals in both the 100m and 200m.”
Whatever Rieti may bring, Tuesday evening was proof positive of the capabilities of Lawler, Lavin and Healy. Watch this space.
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