'Carnage' in men’s 3000m at National Indoor Championships with World spots on the line

A trio of rivals - Andrew Coscoran, Nick Griggs and Darragh McElhinney – were racing for the two available spots at next month’s World Indoors in Poland.

Sun, 01 Mar, 2026 - 16:16

Cathal Dennehy

It was the race that had it all. Tactical intrigue, rising tension, and three of Ireland’s quickest ever distance runners steadily shifting through the gears before a fast, furious, frantic denouement.

And as is often the case at the nationals, it also came a hefty dollop of controversy.

At Sunday’s 123.ie National Indoor Championships in Abbotstown, the men’s 3000m carried more weight than any other final, with the three fastest Irish indoor 3000m runners in history – Andrew Coscoran, Nick Griggs and Darragh McElhinney – racing off for the two available spots at next month’s World Indoors in Poland.

The opening 2000m, covered in a pedestrian 5:45, played out in cagey fashion, and soon after that the race favourite Andrew Coscoran moved to the front. The Balbriggan athlete stretched the field in the laps that followed, but was waiting, waiting and then waiting some more before engaging his top gear.

In the end, he waited just a touch too long, with McElhinney surging past with 100m to run and gaining a half-step as they entered the final turn. Coscoran responded with a surge of his own, trying to keep McElhinney wide, but the Corkman leaned in, trying to assume control.

Both, perhaps, could field some blame for what followed, but it was Coscoran who suffered the bigger consequences in the collision, falling to the track.

Griggs, meanwhile, moved wide of the trouble and unleashed the full power of his elastic stride, skipping clear to his first national senior title at the age of 21, clocking 8:14.52. It will surely be the first of many.

McElhinney battled to the line in second, having lost key momentum in the incident, clocking 8:15.08, while Coscoran got back on his feet and jogged across the line eighth in 8:24.33.

It leaves selectors with a headache for the World Indoors, with Griggs securing his spot automatically but solid cases to be made for either Coscoran or McElhinney to join him, the incident on the last bend not giving a clear answer as to who would have otherwise come home in front.

“It was just a bit of carnage,” said Coscoran, who's qualified for the World Indoors over 1500m but who hopes to potentially double with the 3000m.

McElhinney said the tussle “probably stunted my momentum a bit” but added that “it’s just racing… I was trying to get to the inside and he was trying to come up.”

Griggs said he knew it would be a cagey race so his plan was to track his rivals’ moves and “don’t do anything stupid.”

“I knew with World spots on the line it’d get bumpy and bargy so when I saw it happening I tried to move wide, ease off and hold my surge," he said. "I happened to go around and from there it was just about driving to the line first. I timed that kick pretty well. It was good to show myself that I am quick and to come and win races, and not just run fast times.”

Meanwhile, Kate O’Connor underlined her huge medal chance at next month’s World Indoors with yet another lifetime best, the Dundalk athlete taking gold in the women’s long jump with 6.50m, adding 18cm to her previous best. It followed a huge PB of 8.21 to win silver behind Sarah Lavin in the 60m hurdles on Saturday.

“I knew I’d been training well, but it’s one thing doing it really well in training, it’s another coming out whenever you’re under pressure,” she said. “Last year I made so many leaps and bounds forwards, some people were probably wondering what I’d be able to do this year, but I ended the year knowing I’d so much more potential.

“I didn’t feel I’d maxed out any events and that was the thing we were working on – pushing on and just enjoying the sport. Now that I’m doing it full time, it feels like my job; and it’s my job to come here and produce.” Bori Akinola proved a class apart in the men’s 60m, making it two national indoor titles on the trot when clocking 6.60 ahead of Max O’Reilly (6.69). Ciara Neville of Emerald AC claimed the women’s title in 7.27 ahead of Precious Akpe-Moses (7.33).

Sharlene Mawdsley produced a dominant performance to take gold in the women’s 400m in 51.89, the Newport athlete revealing that she would not be going to World Indoors, her attention now turning to the outdoor campaign, starting with the World Relays in early May - a key qualifier for upcoming championships.

"I'd love to say I'm going (to World Indoors) but it wasn't in my plans and sometimes you have to think of the bigger picture," she said. "For me to be at my best, I want to be in that final (at the Europeans) in Birmingham, I want to be walking away with medals with the girls and the mixed relay, and I'll be disappointed if we don't."

The men’s 400m saw a thrilling finale as Athenry’s Sean Doggett came from behind to win in 47.33, with his vanquished rival Fintan Dewhirst falling across the line in second.

Lucy Holmes led a 1-2 for Dublin City Harriers in the women’s 1500m ahead of Niamh Carr, while the men’s 1500m saw a thrilling duel, with Luke McCann almost crowning a superb comeback from injury with gold, only to be edged to victory in the dying strides by fellow UCD athlete Lughaidh Mallon. Leevale's Louise Shanahan utilised her vast speed to kick to glory in the women's 3000m, clocking 9:22.47 ahead of Zoe Toland and Michelle Finn.

Clonliffe’s Hannah Seagrave showed impressive speed to overhaul Emma Moore and take gold in the women’s 800m, clocking 2:07.76 to Moore’s 2:08.06, while Raheny’s Cillian Kirwan went gun to tape to win the 800m in a championship record of 1:47.68.

Kate Veale and Oisin Lane were dominant winners of the 3000m and 5000m race walks, while the men's long jump saw a duel between Leevale clubmates Sam Healy (7.56m) and Reece Ademola (7.49m). Eric Favors broke his own championship record to win shot put gold with 19.57m, while John Kelly was next best with 18.19m.

The qualifying window for the World Indoors closes next Sunday night, with the Irish team set to be announced in the days after.