May 9, 2010 [Noel Guiden] A sunny Saturday evening in Irishtown, the first IMC meet of the year…a night for PB`s? Unlikely was the conventional wisdom, the strong wind down the back straight would put paid to any such thoughts. Despite this there was a trio of new PBs set by Clonliffe athletes: Messrs. Bailey, Fitzmaurice and Harkness.
The meet was the Crusaders Grand Prix in conjunction with the Irish Milers Club and in addition to the usual IMC middle distance events featured a number of classy sprint and field events. Clonliffe athletes had considerable success in the night`s field events with Tomas Rauktys winning the Discus with a best of around 47m (tbc). In the Pole Vault young Ian Rogers continues to grow in confidence and was a well deserved winner with a best of 4.60m (a possible new stadium record) and then just failing at 4.76.
There was a great battle between the club`s two best 400m hurdlers with John Fagan holding off his coach Jeremy Lyons down the home straight to win in 53.83.
Stephen Harkness despite the “Wind blowing like hell” (modified version of quote) managed to chip another couple of hundreds off his two week old 800 PB in recording a time of 1.59.77 in placing 4th in the “B” race.
In the 3,000m the pace was well and truely hot from the start and as the pacer pulled out DSD`s Joe Sweeney continued at the same high intensity. In the chasing group of 4 sat Aidan Bailey having one of his best races for some time, and despite the effort of grinding out those fast laps found the energy for a superb last 200m to finish 2nd, 9 seconds off Sweeney but taking a second or so off his PB running 8.17.53. An excellent run also from young Dave Fitzmaurice who was up with the pack until the mile and also shaved something off his PB to record a new best of 8.34.39. A brave run also from Jeremy Walsh 9.48.9
Also in action on the night where Beckey Woods finishing in 6th in the 800m (2.16.28) and Louise Reilly 9th (2.23.11).
A good night`s work by all. We now look forward to the Hireco Clonliffe T & F Meet with the IMC in the Morton Stadium on July 1st.