Lavin produces best ever performance on Irish soil

CLASS ACT: Sarah Lavin of Ireland and Emerald AC, Limerick, after winning the Davy women's 100m hurdles during the 2023 Morton Games at Morton Stadium in Santry, Dublin. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

In dire conditions, amid cold weather, with a wet track and a gusting headwind, Sarah Lavin again proved an unstoppable force, the Limerick hurdler rising above it all to produce her best ever performance on Irish soil. 

The Tokyo Olympian proved the undoubted star at Friday night’s Morton Games in Santry, blasting to victory in the 100m hurdles in 12.79.

That was the second quickest run of Lavin’s career, behind only the 12.73 she ran at the Stockholm Diamond League last week and, having handed a cluster of world-class competitors a decisive defeat, it sets her up perfectly for next month’s World Championships.

“I’m so happy – it’s my second fastest ever and to do it on a wet track, into a slight headwind, it was a good run,” said Lavin. “It’s been a very emotional couple of months but ultimately you want to keep going now and build towards the World Championships in Budapest. 

"The more I can throw out those 12.7s, the more likely I can get into the 12.6s.” 

Nick Griggs continued his remarkable rise by breaking his Irish U-20 record in the Morton Mile, the 18-year-old kicking to third in 3:55.73, with South Africa’s Ryan Mphalele taking victory in dominant fashion in 3:54.48.

“I’m buzzing, it was an unbelievable race,” said Griggs, who’s looking to retain his 3000m title at next month’s European U-20 Championships in Jerusalem and, on this evidence, he’ll prove tough to beat. “The pace really slowed on the second lap but I managed to close hard. Coming into that home straight, I felt good. I’d have liked to go a wee bit quicker but with the conditions, I’m pretty happy. I know there’s more in the tank. It’s good signs.” 

There was an impressive win in the men’s 800m by Kildare’s John Fitzsimons, who clocked 1:46.55 to edge a thriller against Bram Buigel of the Netherlands while there was late drama in the men’s 5000m. 

Darragh McElhinney’s bid for victory fell to pieces on the final lap, the UCD star finishing third in 13:29.77 as his legs betrayed him, with Britain’s Scott Beattie (13:25.53) and Mullingar’s Cormac Dalton (13:27.81) blowing past. Sligo’s Chris O’Donnell was just denied in the men’s 400m by Argentina’s Elian Larrengina, 45.72 to 45.89.

Meanwhile at the European U-23 Championships in Espoo, Finland, Nicola Tuthill finished a fine fourth in the women’s hammer final, the Bandon athlete throwing a best of 66.43m, less than two metre shy of a medal. Jack Raftery finished seventh in the men’s 400m in 46.00. 

Israel Olatunde was well below his best in the 100m final, clocking 10.44 to finish eighth, a race where his Irish record of 10.17 would have won silver.