Weekend Round Up: Gillespie is a double European Champion, O’Sullivan and Healy go 1-2 in Espoo, Fay becomes the fastest Irishman ever over 5000m, Coscoran lowers his 1500m National Record, Irish Sailors finish up at the Olympic Test Event in Marseille
It was a weekend marked by a long-awaited breakthrough, Gillespie having just been crowned Elite and U23 National Champion on the road, becomes a double U23 Track European Champion winning the Points Race on Friday and the Omnium on Saturday at the U23 Track European Championships in Anadia, Portugal.
If that wasn’t enough excitement, Irish athletes were on fire on the running track. Sophie O’Sullivan and Sarah Healy claimed Gold and Silver in the Women’s 1500m at the U23 European Championships in Espoo, Finland. Brian Fay has broken the National 5000m record by running 13:01.40. Andrew Coscoran smashes his own 1500m record by two seconds.
Irish Sailors compete at the Olympic Test Event in Marseille, ahead of one of their Olympic Qualifiers at the World Championships in The Hague in August.
Take a closer look at the results below:
Track Cycling: Lara Gillespie is crowned Double U23 European Champion
Competing at the U23 Track European Championships in Anadia, Portugal, Gillespie followed up her brilliant points race win on Friday to become European champion in the U23 Women’s Omnium. The Omnium consists of four events: scratch race, tempo race, elimination race, points race. The rider with most points at the end of the four events wins. The points Gillespie won in the final three sprints proved decisive, outscoring her nearest rival, Maike Van Der Duin from the Netherlands to finish with 49 points.
Athletics: Sophie O’Sullivan and Sarah Healy claim a historic Irish 1-2 at the U23 European Championships
Sophie O’Sullivan (Ballymore Cobh AC) and Sarah Healy (UCD AC) have claimed a historic Irish 1-2 in the women’s 1500m at the European Athletics U23 Championships in Espoo, Finland with O’Sullivan’s medal becoming the first ever gold secured by an Irish athlete at these championships. Healy looked to control the race from the front and largely managed to dictate proceedings until the final lap where O’Sullivan unleashed a finishing kick which would ultimately see her run to gold a 4:07.18 PB. Healy crossed just behind in 4:07.36 with Britain’s Shannon Flockhart third in 4:08.37.
Brian Fay Breaks National 5000m Record
Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrocks A.C.) has broken the long-standing national 5000m record this evening in The Netherlands. Competing at the Night of Athletics meet in Heusden, the Dubliner produced the race of his life to finish second in a top quality field, crossing the line in a time of 13.01.40. In the process the 24-year-old knocked two seconds off the previous record which had been held by Alistair Cragg since September 2011. It marks a significant step forward in Fay’s young career. The time is under the automatic qualifying standard for the World Championships in Budapest as well as next summer’s European Championships in Rome and Olympic Games in Paris.
Andrew Coscoran smashes his own 1500m Record
Andrew Coscoran (Star of the A.C.) has broken his own Irish 1500m record with a sensational performance at the Silesia Diamond League meeting in Chorzow, Poland. The Balbriggan man finished fourth in a world class field crossing the line in an incredible time of 3.30.42 to knock over two seconds off his previous best that he recorded in Nice, France last month. The 27-year-old sat off the early pace and was rewarded for his wise tactical approach finishing powerfully in the final 200m to move through the field. The race was won by Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway in a new European record time of 3.27.14. Kenyan’s Abel Kipsang and Reynold Kipkorir Cheruiyot finished second and third, respectively. It is yet another excellent result for Coscoran who is being coached by Feidhlim Kelly in his Dublin Track Club group. Coscoran holds the national record for the metric mile indoors and outdoors and will now turn his attention to making a final at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest next month. The time is also a qualifying standard for the European Championships in Rome next summer and the Olympic Games in Paris.
Irish Sailors take confidence from results at the Paris Test Event in Marseille
After a very strong week for Irish sailors on the water they will take progress from this event and look forward to the Hague in August (World Championships). Finn Lynch finished in 6th in the Men’s ICLA 7, Eve McMahon finished in 11th in the Women’s ICLA 6 and Team Dickson Waddilove finish in the week in 13th in the Men’s 49er.
