It looks set to be a busy night for Irish athletes with several in action at meets across Europe. It is less than two weeks now from the Irish Life Health National Senior Track and Field Championships in Santry which will swiftly be followed by World and European Championships in Eugene and Munich, respectively.
Three Irish athletes are on start lists for the Kladno hází a Kladenské memoriály in the Czech Republic this evening. Claire Mooney (Naas AC) is expected to feature in the Women’s 800m. The Kildare woman has a Season’s Best of 2.03.91 from Karlsruhe in May and will have her eye on the standard for the European Championships. Her PB of 2.01.61 dates back to 2018. Anita Horvat (Slovenia) has the fastest Season’s Best in the field. The race is scheduled for 4.30pm Irish Time.
Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrocks AC) has been in excellent form this season running a PB of 51.83s for 400m at the Irish Milers Club meet in Belfast last month, before running 51.84s at the Diamond League meeting in Rabat a couple of weeks ago. Becker will be looking to build on these performances this evening in what looks to be a competitive field. The race is scheduled for 5pm. Gabby Scott of Puerto Rico who won in Geneva last weekend is amongst the entrants.
Fellow Tokyo 2020 Olympian Chris O’Donnell (North Sligo AC) is on the start list for the Men’s 400m. O’Donnell has a Season’s Best of 46.05s but had a good win last week in windy conditions in Samorin, Slovakia.
Also this evening, the Arcobaleno AtleticaEuropa meet is taking place in Italy. Luke Lennon Ford (Clonliffe Harriers) is entered in the 400m, Peter Kilgannon (Ratoath AC) is listed to race in the 800m, while in the 400m Hurdles Deirdre Murray (Na Fianna AC), and Thomas Pitkin (Clonliffe Harriers) are entered.
The CITIUS meeting also takes place tonight in Bern, Switzerland. John Kelly (Finn Valley AC) who recently broke the Ulster record is entered in the Shot Put. Kelly threw 19.57m at the Trond Mohn Games in Norway last week to move him fourth on the Irish All-Time list.
Eanna Madden (Carrick-on-Shannon AC) and Paul Scanlan (Leevale AC) are also both on the start list for the pre-programme 400m races.
Last night John Fitzsimmons (Kildare AC) had another victory winning the 800m at the Meeting ½ fond gayant in a time of 1.46.71.
