By T. Patrick O'Dowd
The International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) announced the Sydney 2000 Entry Standards which were agreed to at their recent meeting held in Seville, Spain.
At the end of each month, Irish Runner.com compile a list the Irish athletes that have met the A or B standards for both the Seville 1999 World Championships and the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Listed below are a few of teh athletes that have ajump on Sydney.
Susan Smith-Walsh (Waterford) has met the A standard in the 400m hurdles (55.63 - Japan Grand Prix in Osaka, Japan, 8 May) and the B standard in the 100m hurdles (13.31 - European Cup First League Group A, Lahti, Finland, 6 June).Crusader's Peter Coghlan has met the A Standard in the 110m hurdles (13.47 - European Cup First League Group A, Lahti, Finland, 6 June).
U.C.D.'s James Nolan (1:46.05) and Ballymena/Antrim's James McIlroy (1:46.28) met the 800m A Standard at the Ericsson Grand Prix Meeting in Helsinki, Finland on 10 June. Also at Helsinki, Tom McGuirk (D.C.H.) ran 49.90 for the 400 metre hurdles matching the A Standard for that event.
Leevale's Mark Carroll met the B Standard in the 5,000 metres (13:31.93 - BUPA Indoor Meeting - Birmingham, England, 14 February) when he set the Irish Indoor record and the B Standard in the 1,500m (3:38.96 - the Notturna Di Milano Meeting, Milan, Italy, 9 June).
Marie McMahon (Marian A.C.) met the B Standard in the 10,000 metres (32:46.04 - Mt. SAC Relays, Walnut, California, USA, 16 April).
Karen Shinkins (D.C.H.) met the B Standard in the 400 metres (52.66 - European Cup First League Group A, Lahti, Finland, 5 June).
Bandon's Breeda Dennehy-Willis met the B Standard in the 5,000 metres (15:42.49 - European Cup First League Group A, Lahti, Finland, 6 June). Una English (Dublin City Harriers A.C.) also met the B Standard (15:46.06 - Adriaan Paulen Memorial Grand Prix II, Hengelo, Netherlands 30 May).