Chamney Consolidates long Season with Euro U23 5th

Thomas Chamney travelled with substantial Irish contingency to the European U23 Athletics Championships in Germany last week where he finished a creditable 5th in th 800m.

Chamney qualified for this competition early in the season with a personal best time of 1:48.84. However he himself has admitted that he has been dissapointed with his performances since then. During this period he travelled a lot, training and racing on the continent. He travelled to compete in the Cork City Sports hoping to challenge the American Alan Webb but was run out in the last 200m. Even during the championships he says he felt lack-lustre pre-race, jaded enough to only do a single stride out in flat trainers before his heat. However everything seemed to come good in the second lap of his races during which he reports feeling fresher than he has in a long time.

The field started relatively slowly in the final and as is normal in these championship races the surge came just before the final bend. Chamney got into some trouble with just over 200 to go as one of the German competitors stepped out in front of him as they both accelerated. The German took a shove in the back as Chamney did his best not to fall and maintain momentum. The other German, obviously excited in front of his home crowd elbowed Chamney out into lane 4 coming into the home straight. That Chammers still managed to finish 5th shows his healthy desire for championship success.

His performance last week has bolstered his hopes for another personal best before he finishes his season. It also might relieve some pressure going into what will surely be a very competitve Nationals this weekend. While times won't be on his mind this weekend he has at least the British Milers Club Final meet to have another shot at a PB and perhaps even a club record.

In the meantime he awaits permission from the Club Committee to be absent from round 2 and the final of the National League so that he can return early to the US before starting back to University in August. ;)