Ireland athletes make their mark on first day of European Indoor Championships
HEAT OF THE ACTION: Irelandâs Luke McCann on his way to finishing fifth and advancing to the final
They say itâs better to be lucky than good, but it sure helps when youâre both.
That was the case for Luke McCann on the opening night of the European Indoor Championships in Istanbul, the 24-year-old Dubliner making the best use of a favourable draw in the 1500m heats to march into his first major final and put past disappointments firmly behind him.
McCann was drawn in the third of three heats and, with three time qualifier spots available in addition to three automatic spots, it meant he went to the line knowing a top-six finish in under 3:44 would both see him through and also eliminate teammate Andrew Coscoran, who had beaten him to the Irish 1500m record last weekend in Birmingham.
Every man for himself at this level, of course, and McCann duly charged to the lead on the third last lap, keeping the pace honest, before fading to fifth at the finish, his time of 3:41.51 putting him through.
âJesus Christ, itâs the first final Iâve made, itâs my fourth senior championship,â he said.
âIâve had disasters, disqualifications, pushing, shoving, I almost fell at the end as well and was like, âHere we go again,â but Iâm just relieved. I knew on the start line Iâd have to bottle it pretty bad not to make it.
"I was shitting myself, so Iâm really glad Iâve ticked that one off the bucket list. Hopefully I can kickstart a better international career.â
Tomorrow nightâs final will see him go up against Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen and British record holder Neil Gourley, but McCann knows the bronze medal could be there for the taking. âI know those two are a class above, but third is as open as can be and thatâs rare,â he said.
Coscoran, meanwhile, could only wonder what might have been, having resisted the temptation to push the pace early and waited, conserving his fuel for the last-lap burn-up.
He got trapped in a box while that was unfolding, and when he finally saw daylight, it was too late, his fourth place in 3:44.11 not enough.
âI was trying to be too relaxed, waiting for a gap to open and it never opened,â he said.
âI had the fitness there to charge around in lane three and I didnât do that. I got stuck and couldnât get through.â
John Fitzsimons finished fourth in his heat of the menâs 800m, clocking 1:49.36, a tough draw ultimately his undoing rather than any major tactical error.
âItâs disappointing, I gave it my best shot, I ran okay, but I donât think I was aggressive enough when I needed to be,â he said.
There was a major blow to Irish medal chances earlier in the day when Mark English withdrew, having come down with illness after arriving in Istanbul.
The four-time European medalist, who was Irelandâs strongest chance of a podium finish, said: âI came here in great shape, but unfortunately Iâm not in a position to do myself justice.â
Many more Irish are in action tomorrow, with Kate OâConnor hoping to build on her Commonwealth Games silver medal by making an impact against Europeâs best in the pentathlon.
Sophie Becker, Sharlene Mawdsley and Sophie Becker will go in the 400m heats, while Joan Healy will race the 60m.
Irish in action (all times Irish).
Kate OâConnor, pentathlon 60m hurdles, 6.0am; pentathlon high jump, 6.45am; pentathlon shot put, 9.30am; pentathlon long jump, 4.10pm; pentathlon 800m, 6.05pm.
Sophie Becker, womenâs 400m heats, 7.40am.
Sharlene Mawdsley, womenâs 400m heats, 8.04am.
Cliodhna Manning, womenâs 400m heats, 8.12am.
Joan Healy, womenâs 60m heats, 9.26am, *womenâs 60m semi-final, 4.05pm.
*Cliodhna Manning, Sophie Becker, Joan Healy, womenâs 400m semi-finals, 4.55pm.
Luke McCann, menâs 1500m final, 5.40pm.
*pending qualification.
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