Dennehy Willis Fast 5k Debut
O'Sullivan Tunes Up Down Under
Sean Connelly Sets Mile Mark - US Collegiate Results

Sonia O'Sullivan (Cobh, Co Cork) tested her fitness at the Victorian Open held in Melbourne, Australia on 2nd March running a 16.00.94 to win the 5,000-metre event. O'Sullivan gave birth to her second child, Sophie only ten weeks ago. Of the effort on the track she said, "It is good to be back on the track. You always want to run faster but the conditions were not ideal. Another time I could have gone a minute faster."

Next up for the Irish Olympian will be Sunday's AAI Short Course Cross Country Championships to be held at the ALSAA Complex in Dublin. After that race, she will declare whether she'll race in the World Cross Country Championships. O'Sullivan has been pre-selected to the Irish team and her participation in World Cross Country Championships to be held in three weeks time at Leopardstown Racetrack in Dublin would be a boon to the organisers.

Sonia O'Sullivan
photo courtesy of Athletics Australia

Sonia O'Sullivan

Breeda Dennehy Willis ran 15:36.62 for 5,000m at an outdoor track meet held at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida on 2nd March. This performance should certainly promote her chances for selection for Ireland's short course World Cross team.

Iona College's Vin Mulvey (Raheny Shamrocks) ran 14:20.08 to place 4th in the 5,000m at the IC4A conference meet held in Boston, Massachusetts on 1-3 March. In in a surprising show of speed Sean Connolly (Tallaght AC) who runs for Mick Byrne at Iona College broke Grahme Reid's freshman mile record when he ran a 4:08.04 mile in his qualifying heat. Dubliner Aidan Walsh (Fairleigh Dickinson University) ran 4:07.74 in his qualifier and placed 5th in the mile final in 4:09.53 with Connolly placing 7th in 4:10.74. Liam Reale (Providence) ran 4:11.52 in his heat but did not advance to the final.

The Providence College women's team placed 4th in the Distance medley Relay with a time of 11:29.60. The team was comprised of Deirdre Byrne (Avoca, Co. Wicklow), Kate Gall, Emer O'Shea (Limerick) and Róisín McGettigan from Wicklow. The Friars were hoping to run 11:19.00 to automatically qualify for this weekend's NCAA Championships. PC's Mary Cullen (North Sligo AC) placed 10th in the 3,000m in 9:48.48.

Sean Connolly
photo by Clay Shaw

Sean Connolly

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