Israel Olatunde now undisputed as Ireland’s fastest man

Sometimes in championship running the doubts can set in. Who will finish second? Who will finish third?

Israel Olatunde had no doubt he wanted to defend his national indoor 60 metres, which he duly did, the only surprise coming after he dashed over the finish line, arms spread like wings above him, then glanced to his left to see where the clock had stopped.

6.57 ... wow!

With that Olatunde bounced off the cushioning which stops the sprinters in their stride and took off back down the track at similar speed, circling back around to the finish line in wild celebration before he gently collapsed to the track clutching his right hamstring.

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Ouch!

Quite the show. Ireland’s fastest man is now undisputed, Olatunde’s time knocking a sizeable 0.04 slice off Paul Hession’s national indoor record of 6.61, which had stood for the last 16 years; after breaking Hession’s outdoor 100m record last summer, clocking 10.17 seconds to finish sixth in the European Championship final, Olatunde has again broken fresh ground for Irish sprinting, the 20 year-old still only getting going too.

At the same Sport Ireland Arena this time last year, Olatunde took the win in 6.62, the expectation being he might well have improved on that by now: he never doubted that time would come.

Soon afterwards he was fully recovered too, the UCD student clearly primed now for the European Indoor Championships in Istanbul in two weeks’ time, now ranked seventh best in Europe this season.

“Yep all good, I just got a bit excited,” he said. “I just came here wanting to give my all. It’s been a little bit of a rocky season, my coach [Daniel Kilgallon] just kept me focused, we knew the times would come. And championships are the best times to give the best performance, I’m so happy to do it in front of this crowd here, it’s awesome.”

The record was more that just a winning bonus, Olatunde always acutely aware of the barriers Hession had broken before him: “It means the world, Paul is a class act, it’s just amazing to follow in his footsteps, and to push the boundaries even more means a lot to me. Hopefully that will continue for the next few years, and other guys will improve as well.

“We kind of just forget about times, just focused on getting through each round, then getting the win. I knew if I produced my best anything could happen. As I said, I love championships, so to go to Istanbul with a national record, we’ll see what happens.”

Indeed it was super-fast, the top six of the eight finalists all setting lifetime bests, Oliver Swinney of the Speed Development Project in Derry second in 6.70, Gabriel Kehinde of Ennis Track third in 6.72.

The women’s 60m final witnessed a changing of the guard, Sarah Leahy of Killarney Valley winning her first senior indoor title with a lifetime best of 7.30, the Leevale duo of Joan Healy (7.33) and Lucy-May Sleeman (7.38) also making the podium.

In the absence of several established names – Ciara Mageean, Sarah Healy, Andrew Coscoran, Luke McCann and of course Rhasidat Adeleke – others took the chance to shine too, none more impressively than 21 year-old Jack Raftery.

Formerly a middle distance runner at Donore Harriers, Raftery had promised to unleash something special in the 400m, and he did exactly that – powering his 6ft7in frame to the front after the first lap, then tearing up the track on the second, winning his first senior title in a championship best of 46.37, now the fifth fastest Irishman in history.

“It is huge,” he said. “I suppose you kind of get some idea of it if you’ve won underage titles, but you see how huge a national title is and the acclaim that comes with it.”

Minutes earlier his training partner Sophie Becker from Raheny Shamrock dominated the women’s 400m in similar style, the New Ross athlete winning in 53.11 from Phil Healy (53.97), denying the Cork athlete an eighth indoor title.

No such worry for Mark English, he cruised his way to a ninth National indoor title over 800, doing no more than necessary too, hitting the front with one lap to go and winning with ease in 1:55.47. Istanbul and medal hopes now beckon too for the Donegal doctor.

Other distance races were closer, Clonliffe’s Eoin Pierce winning back the 1,500m after four years in 3:54.28, Iseult O’Donnell snatching victory from Nadia Power at the finish of the women’s 800, as did Cheryl Nolan at the finish of the women’s 3000m, edging out Michelle Finn.

Saturday’s track and field showdowns were highlighted by Darragh McElhinney’s stunning final lap of 25 seconds, more than enough to see teenage star Nick Griggs and win the men’s 3,000m, clocking 7:49.18.

Mark Smyth of Raheny won the men’s 200m in 20.77, just shy of Paul Brizzel’s Irish indoor record of 20.75, while Sarah Lavin collected another women’s 60m hurdles title, the Emerald AC athlete clocking 8.03. Eric Favors edged rival John Kelly with a best of 19.26m in the shot put Also in the field highlights Matthew Callinan Keenan won his third pole vault title with a best of 4.80m, Pippa Rogan winning the high jump with a best of 1.79m

National Indoor Championships, at Sport Ireland Arena

Sunday’s results –

Women’s 3000m

1 Cheryl NOLAN St Abbans A.C. 9:22.32

2 Michelle FINN Leevale A.C. 9:22.35

3 Niamh KEARNEY Raheny Shamrock A.C. 9:26.56

Women’s 1500m

1 Carla SWEENEY Rathfarnham W.S.A.F. A.C. 4:22.23

2 Amy O DONOGHUE Dundrum South Dublin A.C. 4:25.62

3 Ellie HARTNETT U.C.D. A.C. 4:26.43

Men’s 1500m

1 Eoin PIERCE Clonliffe Harriers A.C. 3:54.28

2 Philip MARRON Ratoath A.C. 3:54.64

3 Kieran KELLY Raheny Shamrock A.C. 3:55.00

Women’s 400m

1 Sophie BECKER Raheny Shamrock A.C. 53.11

2 Phil HEALY Bandon A.C. 53.97

3 Miriam DALY Carrick-on-Suir A.C. 54.39

Men’s 400m

1 Jack RAFTERY Donore Harriers 46.37 CR

2 Ciaran CARTHY Dundrum South Dublin A.C. 47.49

3 David RYAN Moycarkey Coolcroo A.C. 48.24

Women’s 60m

1 Sarah LEAHY Killarney Valley A.C. 7.30

2 Joan HEALY Leevale A.C. 7.33

3 Lucy-may SLEEMAN Leevale A.C. 7.38

Men’s 60m

1 Israel OLATUNDE U.C.D. A.C. 6.57

2 Oliver SWINNEY Speed Development Project Track A.C. 6.70

3 Gabriel KEHINDE Ennis Track A.C. 6.72

Women’s 800m

1 Iseult O DONNELL Raheny Shamrock A.C. 2:07.06

2 Nadia POWER Dublin City Harriers A.C. 2:07.22

3 Susie NESTOR U.C.D. A.C. 2:08.15

Men’s 800m

1 Mark ENGLISH Finn Valley A.C. 1:52.47

2 Roland SURLIS Annalee A.C. 1:53.21

3 Jake BAGGE Ferrybank A.C. 1:53.77

Women’s Long Jump

1 Elizabeth NDUDI Dundrum South Dublin A.C. 6.28

2 Ruby MILLET St Abbans A.C. 6.28

3 Lauren CALLAGHAN Finn Valley 6.07

Women’s Shot Put

1 Michaela WALSH Swinford A.C. 15.60

2 Katherine O CONNOR Dundalk St. Gerards A.C. 14.28

3 Ciara SHEEHY Emerald A.C. 13.44

Men’s Pole Vault

1 CALLINAN KEENAN St. L. O’Toole A.C. 4.80

2 Michael BOWLER Enniscorthy A.C. 4.65

3 Rolus OLUSA Clonliffe Harriers A.C. 4.55

Men’s Triple Jump

1 Jai BENSON Lagan Valley A.C. 14.79

2 Conall MAHON Tír Chonaill A.C. 14.40

3 Michael KENT D.M.P. A.C. 13.34

Women’s High Jump

1 Philippa ROGAN Sli Cualann A.C. 1.79

2 Ava ROCHFORD Nenagh Olympic A.C. 1.76

3 Ciara KENNELLY Killarney Valley A.C. 1.70

Men’s Weight for Distance

1 Michael HEALY Leevale A.C. 8.69

2 Barry HEALY Youghal A.C. 7.32

3 Stephen FEE Lusk A.C. 5.95

Saturday’s results –

Women’s 3k Walk

1 Kate VEALE West Waterford A.C. 12:40.46

2 Aisling LANE Mullingar Harriers A.C. 14:28.47

3 Ciara WILSON BOWEN Dundrum South Dublin A.C. 15:42.05

Men’s 5k Walk

1 David KENNY Farranfore Maine Valley A.C. 19:11.42

2 Brendan BOYCE Finn Valley A.C. 19:39.60

3 Callum lewis WILKINSON Togher A.C. 19:48.63

Men’s 3000m Final

1 Darragh MC ELHINNEY U.C.D. A.C. 7:49.18 CR

2 Nicholas GRIGGS Mid Ulster A.C. 7:55.75

3 Callum MORGAN Candour Track Club 8:16.66

Women’s 200m Final

1 Sharlene MAWDSLEY Newport A.C. 23.50

2 Lauren CADDEN Sligo A.C. 23.97

3 Katie BERGIN Moyne A.C. 24.54

Men’s 200m Final

1 Mark SMYTH Raheny Shamrock A.C. 20.77 CR

2 Marcus LAWLER Clonliffe Harriers A.C. 21.17

3 Craig NEWELL Ballymena and Antrim A.C. 21.76

Women’s 60mH Final

1 Sarah LAVIN Emerald A.C. 8.03

2 Katherine O CONNOR Dundalk St. Gerards A.C. 8.60

3 Okwu BACKARI Leevale A.C. 8.62

Men’s 60mH Final

1 Matthew BEHAN Crusaders A.C. 8.10

2 Jack MCGRATH Leevale A.C. 8.14

3 Josh ARMSTRONG City of Lisburn A.C. 8.14

Women’s Weight For Distance

1 Laura DOLAN Ferbane A.C. 6.78

2 Kiana NOLAN St. L. O’Toole A.C. 6.45

3 Ciara SHEEHY Emerald A.C. 6.43

Women’s Pole Vault

1 Ellen MCCARTNEY City of Lisburn A.C. 4.05

2 Clodagh WALSH Abbey Striders A.C. 3.35

3 Una BRICE Leevale A.C. 3.25

Men’s Long Jump

1 Sam HEALY Leevale A.C. 7.36

2 Daniel RYAN Moycarkey Coolcroo A.C. 7.00

3 Eoin KEENAN Emo/Rath A.C. 6.46

Men’s Shot Put

1 Eric FAVORS Raheny Shamrock A.C. 19.26

2 John KELLY Finn Valley A.C. 19.19

3 Sam VINES Cabinteely A.C. 14.75

Women’s Triple Jump

1 Saragh BUGGY St Abbans A.C. 13.25 CR

2 Emma ONEILL Carrick-on-Suir A.C. 11.35

3 Sophie BYRNE Crookstown Millview A.C. 11.19

Men’s High Jump

1 Kourosh FOROUGHI Star of the Sea A.C. 1.95

2 Ben DONOVAN Cork Track A.C. 1.90

3 Francois KULIK Sli Cualann A.C. 1.80