European Junior Championships
Tampere, Finland 24-27 July 2003

Day 3 - 26th July 2003
19-year-old Kilkenny sprinter Joanne Cuddihy took silver in the 400m final at the European Junior Championships in the Ratina stadium, Finland this afternoon. Cuddihy led three from the gun. Watched by her father Bill, former Kilkenny hurling team doctor, who is on duty for the Irish team in Finland, Cuddihy failed to close on impressive Russian Mariya Dryakhlova, the holder of the leading time coming into the race, 52.79 set at the national championships in Kazan. The Russian teenager sounded a warning shot in Friday's heats, clocking 53.19 and went even better in the final, taking gold in 52.65. Dryakhlova had finished seventh behind the Irish athlete in last year's World Junior final, but she was determined to show how far she has progressed since last July. Cuddihy, the second fastest Irish woman this season behind Karen Shinkins, didn't manage to trouble her record of 53.21, but came home with a credible 53.62 for Ireland's first medal of the championships.

Ciaran O'Connell placed 8th in the 800m final running 1.52.30 with Germany's René Bauschinger mining gold in 1.49.43. Thanks to Dave Merwyn for this report.

Day 2 - 25th July 2003
There was success for the Irish team at the European Junior Championships in Tampere, Finland today when both Joanne Cuddihy (400m) and Ciaran O’Connell (800m) both reached the finals in their respective events. Cuddihy, a UCD medicene student, recently broke the 25 year old Irish Junior Record held by Caroline O’Shea went into the Championships ranked third behind two Russians and will no doubt be looking for a medal in the final on Saturday evening.

Cuddihy ran 53.38 to win her semifinal leaving her the second fastest of the eight finallists.

Ciaran O’Connell broke the 1.50 barrier for the first time in his career with 1.49.96 and qualifying as one of the fastest losers from semifinal #2. Thomas Chamney placed 8th in teh first semifinal running 1.52.30

Day 1 - 24th July 2003
Eoin Leen (Tralee Harriers) broke the 15-year-old Irish Junior Record improving with each toss in the Shot Putt qualifying round with a series of 16.51m, 16.87m and 17.48m.

Leen broke Victor Costello's Irish Junior Record of 16.59m set in Sudbury, Canada on 07/30/88 with his second throw and broke his own shortlived record on his final toss of 17.48m. The only bad news was that he didn't advance to the final missing by .05m. Eoin does not move up on the Irish All-Time Senior list as the shot used in Junior competiton is 6.00 kilograms whereas the senior implment weighs in at 7.26 kg.

Ann Loughnane, from Loughrea placed 13th in the 10,000m walk in 51.49.51. A fortnight ago, Loughnane created history in Sherbrooke, Canada when she became the first Irish athlete to win a medal in the IAAF World Youth Championships when she took silver in the 5,000m walk. Caitriona McMahon (St Mary's Limerick) finished 15th in 55.08.97. Irina Petrova of Russia won the gold in 47.12.77.

Thomas Chamney (Clonmel AC) and Ciaran O'Connell (Glaslough) advanced to the semifinal in the 800 metres. Chamney, who attends the University of Notre Dame in America placed 6th in Heat 1 running 1.52.61 and advanced as a fasted loser. O'Connell placed third in Heat 4 running 1.52.65 advancing as an automatic qualifier. The top 3 in each heat advanced along with top 4 fastest losers. Chamney is set to run in the first semifinal race with O'Connell in the second race.

Erin Kinnear (Lagan Valley) tied for 15th in the qualifying round of the Pole Vault with a jump of 3.60m.

2003 European Junior Athletics Championship Results