Shinkins Wins Bronze
Coman & O'Rourke Set National Records
2002 European Indoor Championships

Irish athletics is known more on the International level for its successes in the middle distance events but at this year's European Indoor Championships the Irish made some noise in the 2-lap, 400-metre event.

Coming into the meet the focus was on Karen Shinkins who was set to mine gold with anything less being a bit of a disappointment. James Nolan was also pipped as medal hopeful in the 1,500 metres. When the Championships ended on Sunday, Shinkins left with a medal albeit bronze, Nolan's sprint came up short in a tactical race and Tomás Coman and Derval O'Rourke set the Irish National records without qualifying for their final.

The meeting began for the Irish on Friday, 1st March with Sarah Reilly (Birchfield) winning her 1st round heat in the 200m in 23.72. In the third heat, Ciara Sheehy (Dublin City Harriers) placed third and just missed Reilly's National Record (23.30, Birmingham, 13/01/02) running a personal best 23.34. In the semifinals, Reilly ran 23.90 for 5th in second of three races with Sheehy placing 3rd in 23.63 in the third section.

Next up were the men's 200m qualifying rounds where Gary Ryan from Nenagh ran a seasonal best 21,34 for 3rd, 21.34 in the second of eight first round races. Tom Comyns (Limerick AC) placed 4th in 21.73 in the fifth heat. Neither advanced to the semifinals.

Ciara Sheehy
photo by Erin Keogh

Ciara Sheehy

The oft-injured but always sharp Peter Coghlan qualified for the semifinals in the 60m hurdles by running 7.72 for 3rd in the first of fived first round heats. The Crusader hurdler advanced to the final placing 3rd (7.66) in his semifinal. In the final, Coghlan placed 7th in a time of 7.67.

In the women's high jump qualifying Deirdre Ryan (Dundrum South Dublin) placed 22nd clearing 1.79m on her second attempt and 1.84m on her third attempt before leaving the competition. Ciaran McDonagh from Father Murphy's placed 10th in the men's long jump qualifying with a 7.62m leap. He fouled on his first and third jump.

Leevale's Derval O'Rourke who now competes for University College Dublin finished 4th in what amounted to be a first-round semifinal 60m hurdle race. O'Rourke ran 8.22 breaking Susan Smith Walsh's national 60m hurdles record of 8.30 set in 1999. Despite setting a national record, it wasn't enough to advance to the final.

Derval O'Rourke
photo courtesy of Leevale

Derval O'Rourke

Tomás Coman set his first of two Irish National Indoor 400m records when he placed 2nd in the first qualifying race running 46.49 eclipsing David McCarthy's four-day old mark of 46.66 set in Birmingham. McCarthy had a chance to reclaim his short-lived record when he ran in the next race. The Celbridge runner placed second in 47.07 - both advanced to the semifinals.

On Saturday in the first semifinal, McCarthy placed 5th in 46.85 with top three advancing to the final. Coman, from Coalfields, Thurles in Co. Tipperary was up next and broke his own record placing 4th in 46.34 narrowly missing the final spot which was grabbed by Jiri Muzik of the Czech Republic who ran personal best 46.32. After the race he said, "I sensed that on the line he had got me. I have to be delighted with the way things worked out for me here, breaking two Irish records within 24 hours. A week ago I wouldn't have dreamed of doing that. It more than makes up for the disappointment of not making the final."

Tomás Coman

Tomás Coman

A confident Karen Shinkins easily won her first round-semifinal race in 51.90 setting up he medal bid. The Newbridge starlet equipped with her recent Irish record of 51.88 seemed poised for a breakthrough on the international scene.

In the final, Brit Catherine Murphy took the race out in an impressive 23.78 for the first 200m lap. On the backstretch, world leader, Russian Natalya Antyukh took the lead and moved effortless to the front while Murphy began to pay the price for her early ambitious pace. On the final straight, Shinkins was in superb shape for silver, with Claudia Marx (Germany) and another Russian Natalya Ivanova closing fast. Shinkins crossed the line a mere .02 behind the late charging Marx for third. After the race she commented, "It was a very fast race, with a lot of movement, pushing and changing of positions but it had a good atmosphere. I was hoping to win the gold, yes. I was also close to the silver, and it's disappointing for that reason. I'm starting to believe now that I'm world class, and building my confidence. I know now I can go out and compete with the best and come away with medals, which is why we all do this sport in the first place."

Karen Shinkins
(#671)

Karen Shinkins (#671)

Mark Howard (Fingallians AC) ran 6.83 to place 6th in his first round 60-metre qualifying race and did not advance.

James Nolan, who earned a silver medal two years ago in Ghent, ran a controlled qualifying race getting fourth in 3:40.78. Nolan entered the final with 3:38.69 seasonal best and in medal position.

As is often the case in championship finals, all of the entrants felt their kick would be better than anyone else's. This resulted in a pedestrian pace and tightly bunched pack of finely tuned athletes awkwardly jogging. The 1,500-metre event was transformed into a 1000m warm-up with a 500-metre mad-sprint finish. Rui Silva (Portugal) won the race in 3:49.93 with Nolan placing sixth in 3:50.84 a mere .76 from the silver medal won by Spaniard Juan C Higuero. Nolan commented, "I thought I had a bronze medal in my back pocket around the last lap, but the last 100 metres was a bit of a nightmare, and the speed I normally have was just missing."

James Nolan
photo by Randy Miyazaki

James Nolan

Click below for complete results of the 2002 European Indoor Athletics Championships

2002 European Indoor Athletics page


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