Eoin Mulhall wins National senior title
Eoin and Jason leading 400m final (photo from www.athleticsireland.ie)
In the Irish indoor championship in the Odyessy Arena on 11 & 12 February, both new and established members of Da Cru where in action. Peter Coghlan returning to form placed 3rd in the 60m hurdles behind Ben Reynolds and a Slovakian athlete. Ruairi O’Briain placed 4th in the pole vault with the same height as 3rd. A fine performance after a winter interrupted by a string of freak injuries, a jump of 4.40m off limited training makes the summer season ahead look promising. Stephen Colvert competing in a 60m, an event shorter than his speciality placed 4th in a seasonal best of 6.91 to place him 3rd on the Irish performance list.
The 400m is shaping up as one of the best events for Da Cru and Crusaders one of the best clubs in the event. With the reigning outdoor champion, Bryan Murphy sitting out the championships and long time Stalwart Antoine Burke retired after running 47.83 last year, it was up to two newer members of Da Cru to keep the Red and White singlet in the spotlight. Last year’s addition, Eoin Mulhall and recent addition, Jason Harvey, who was so recent he still had to race in his University of Ulster vest and Garrett Dunne fresh off his indoor medal with Trinity in the inter-varsities all making the startline. Both Eoin and Jason won their heats, with Jason running the fastest time and Garrett coming 2nd in his heat but fast enough to progress. Da Cru maked up half the final and were poised to take control. When the gun went Eoin went out hard making up the stagger around the second bend and led into the straight, Jason darted from the back of the field and slotted in behind him leaving the rest of the field in their wake. Down the back straight for the final time Jason moved up and the two ran shoulder to shoulder. Eoin after his fast start held the inside line forcing Jason wide. Eoin held his led to the line for his first senior title, pumping his fist as crossed the line, with Jason a stride behind. With the first two from the indoor championships, the outdoor champion, an Irish 4x400m relay member and an Olympic 800m runner, the Irish 4x400m club record looks in danger over the next few years. Added to these is a middle distance international and two more sub 50 second guys that joined this year we can get some strong teams out.
National indoor championship results
While Stateside, Conor McCullough competing for Princeton University moved to top of the US college standings with 23.19m in the weight throw in the Harvard -Yale - Princeton match at Harvard university on 11th February. The mark bettered the old Ivy League record by nearly two meters. In the Manhattan College invitation on Wednesday the 8th Febuary, Colin Quirke came 2nd in the shot with a throw of 16.82m just 2cm off team mate Roman Ewald. Then came back on Saturday 11th February, to win the shot in the Millrose Collegiate Invitational with a throw of 17.24m and placed 4th in the weight throw, which helped his team Manhattan College to second place in the team competition. Killian Barry put in another fine performance in the Don Kirby Elite Competition in Albuquerque, New Mexico with a weight throw of 15.50m.