After running 8.12.16 for 3k last week, Dubliner Westley Alkin who competes for the University of Arkansas won his second consecutive race. Alkin won the mile in a personal best time of 4.10.85 at the Missouri Southern Invitational in Joplin, Missouri on 24th Janaury. Thomas Quaid (Missouri Southern University) from Dromcollogher placed 6th in 800m in 1.56.79.

Michelle Gallagher won the women's division of the Home Depot 5-kilometre road race and was 9th overall in San Francisco, California on 26th January. Gallagher (Dundrum South Dublin) covered the course in 17.46. She was 10 seconds clear of runner-up Monal Chokshi, a former NCAA Champion (3,000m - 1998) from Stanford.

The Dundrum South Dublin athlete was third in the Inter Clubs Junior Women's race and represented Ireland at the World Cross Country Championships in Dublin last March. She hopes to qualify again at this year's Inter Club race set for Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow on 2nd March.

Irish athletes dominated the middle-distance events on the new 200m track at the Terrier Invitational at Boston University on 25th January 2003. Róisín McGettigan and Deirdre Byrne qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships in mile. McGettigan placed 2nd in 4.37.95 and Byrne was 3rd in 4.40.47. The automatic standard is 4.42.60. Sinéad Delahunty-Evans won the Invitational 3,000m in 9.12.67 with the continually improving Stephanie O'Reilly in 6th running 9.32.16. PC's Emer O'Shea, (Co. Limerick) won the 1000m in 2.52.68. Providence College's Cross Country All-American Mary Cullen (Co. Sligo) placed 5th in the 5,000m running 16.34.22 - an NCAA Provisional Qualifier. UCD's Orla O'Mahoney (Co. Clare) was 9th (16.47.34) with Margaret O'Callaghan (Co. Cork) placing 29th in 18.13.07. PC's Róisín Quinn (Co. Waterford) placed 10th in the 800 metres in 2.16.55.

The men's races also provided some fine performances with Limerick's Liam proving he is the 'Reale Thing' edging Kenyan Richard Kiplagat (Iona) in the mile running 4.04.96 to Kiplagat's 4.05.07. Liam Reale may be the next Irishman to join the sub-4 club! Daniel Caulfield, the Irish Indoor record holder for the 800m (1.47.21) began his campaign with a 2nd place in his specialty running 1.50.20. Providence College's Paul Reilly from Loughrea, Co. Galway placed 7th in the 3,00m running 8.12.27 followed by Iona's Joe McAlister from Belfast (8.13.63), PC's Martin Fagan (Co. Westmeath) in 21st place (8.36.56) and Enda Johnson (Co. Monaghan) coming out of a brief retirement placing 22nd in 8.39.80. Robert Wade (Portlaw, Co Waterford) who runs for Loyola placed 13th in the 5,000m running 14.35.39with PC's Patrick Guidera (Clonmel, Co. Tipperary) running 14.57.27 for 15th spot. Wicklow's Brian Farrell (Stony Brook) placed 6th in the Open Mile running 4.19.64.

Maria Lynch (Dundrum South Dublin) ran 9.35.47 to place second in the 3,000-metre event at the ABSA Series Athletics meeting held in Germiston, South Africa on 24th January 2003. South African Poppy Mlambo won the race in 9.34.04.

Irish Olympian Karen Shinkins (Dublin City Harriers) placed 6th in her heat in the 60m (7.93) and won her section in the 200m (25.07) at the University of North Carolina Invitational held in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on 25th January.

Brian Farrell anchored the Stony Brook men's 4 x 800m relay team to a time of 7.58.65. Farrell from Wicklow ran 2.32.6 to win the 1,000m at the Manhattan College meeting held in New York on 18th January. Irish Olympian Andy Ronan coaches Farrell.

Corkman Sean Conroy who competes for Loyola University placed 4th in 3,000m running 8.35.06 at the Central Collegiate Championships held on 25th January in Kent, Ohio. Gavin Kennedy anchored the DePaul University Distance Medley relay to a second place finish in a time of 10.11.76 running 4.17.2 for the 1,600m leg.

Thomas Chamney (University of Notre Dame) placed 3rd in the 500-mete event (1.05.89) at the Ball State - Notre Dame Dual Meet held in South Bend, Indiana on 24th January. Chamney from Clonmel, also ran 1:54.83 at the Central Michigan Opener held in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan on 17th January. He opened the season with a 2.29.17 in the 1,000m at the Notre Dame Blue & Gold meet on 6th December.