National Indoor Championships Day 1: Marcus Lawler wins gold in spectacular fashion

Elsewhere Sarah Lavin also proved a class apart as she claimed her seventh national indoor title in the 60m hurdles. 

TOP THREE: Men's 200m medallists, Marcus Lawler of Clonliffe Harriers AC, Dublin, gold, centre, Adam Murphy of Tinryland AC, Carlow, silver, left, and Luke Timlin of Crusaders AC, Dublin, bronze, right. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

It’s been nine long years since Marcus Lawler last won an Irish indoor title over 200m, but the Carlow sprinter returned to the top in spectacular fashion at the 123 .ie National Indoor Championships in Abbotstown on Saturday, setting a championship record of 20.74 to take gold.

He came home well clear of Adam Murphy of Tinryland (21.75), with Luke Timlin of Crusaders third in 21.76. Lawler, who turns 30 next week, claimed his fifth national indoor 200m title by dominating the race from the outside lane to break the championship record of 20.77 by Mark Smyth.