Cullen heads to Paris with a pep in her step

ATHLETICS NATIONAL INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS:MARY CULLEN might want to wrap herself in cotton wool – and definitely stay off her bike. Two weeks before the European Indoor Championships in Paris she's fast approaching the sort of form that won her the 3,000 metres bronze two years ago, although the crucial thing now is staying injury free.

It’s still only three months since Cullen broke her collarbone when falling off her bike, having incorporated cycling into her training to help prevent the stress fractures that repeatedly stop-started her career. But injuries pass, talent remains – as the Sligo runner boldly demonstrated when winning the 1,500 metres at yesterday’s Irish Indoor Championships in Belfast, just 24 hours after setting a season best over 3,000 metres at the Aviva International in Birmingham.

What made yesterday’s run all the more satisfying was the way Cullen comfortably handled the challenge of Ciara Mageean, the hugely promising teenager who actually won the senior title here last year. Mageean stalked Cullen around the opening laps, before making her bid for glory with about 450 metres remaining. Cullen hardly blinked, and instead regained the lead with 250 metres to go – sprinting home in 4:19.25.

Mageean faded quite dramatically and was overtaken for second around the final bend by Orla Drumm, who is also returning from a long period of injury. Drumm clocked 4.23.55; Mageean 4.26.76.

“I’m just delighted to be running injury-free again,” said Cullen. “I’m very happy with the way that race went, especially running again so soon after Birmingham. So I’m just looking forward to Paris now, and having a good performance over there.”

Saturday’s 8:53.01 in Birmingham was good enough for fifth place, behind Ethiopia’s Sentayehu Ejigu – although ahead of Cullen in 8:39.81 was Britain’s Helen Clitheroe, a time which moved her to number one on the 2011 European rankings. Cullen is now ranked eighth, with three Russians also running sub-8:50s, and Paris promises to be very competitive, with a couple more Spanish and Portuguese yet to enter the mix.

Derval O’Rourke was a notable absentee from The Odyssey yesterday due to a minor groin strain, with Maireád Murphy of Ferrybank winning the 60 metres hurdles in her absence, in 8.46 seconds – although O’Rourke is still intent on being in Paris.

There are no such worries for O’Rourke’s training partner Ailis McSweeney, however, as she once again improved her 60 metres best to 7.32 seconds — and that left the Cork sprinter well clear of Amy Foster (7.44) and defending champion Claire Brady (7.63).

McSweeney was competing with a ear infection, although that didn’t seem to inhibit her hearing the gun, as her excellent start effectively decided the result: “It’s perfect timing for a personal best, two weeks before the European Indoors” said McSweeney, who now has a real chance of making the final in Paris.

With confirmation that David Gillick is definitely skipping the indoor season, it’s left to Brian Gregan to carry Irish hopes in the men’s 400 metres, and on yesterday’s performance in Belfast he too looks like a potential finalist. Gregan had over two seconds to spare when winning in 47.01 seconds, with Kieran Kelly second in 49.07 and Paul Scanlan third in 49.71.

Darren McBrearty was looking to maintain his superb indoor form over 800 metres but found himself unable to chase down his Letterkenny club-mate Mark English, still a junior, who produced a superb performance to win his first senior title. English took over the lead from early on and looked to be doing the hard work for his rivals, but instead he maintained his command throughout, winning comfortably in a time of 1:51.62. McBrearty did win the tough battle for silver, running 1:52.08 ahead of Niall Tuohy (1:52.26), with Eoin Everard just edged out of the medals in fourth in 1:52.34.

Paul Robinson produced an equally classy run in the 1,500 metres, gunning down Joe Warne in the finishing straight to win in 3:52.60; Daniel Mooney also passed Warne to take silver. In the men’s 3,000 metres Dan Mulhare of North Laois was in control throughout and won in 8:05.23.

Dean Adams of Ballymena and Antrim AC took the men’s 60 metres in 6.85, just holding off Steven Colvert of Crusaders (6.90) and Christopher Russell of Ferrybank (6.91). And Kelly Proper of Ferrybank AC won a 200 metres/long jump double: her best jump of 6.22 metres going with her 24.08 over 200 metres — with Timothy Crowe of Dooneen AC winning the men’s 200m in 22.14.

Unfortunately there is no European Indoor 200 metres, but among those still hoping to make the Irish team for Paris is Marian Heffernan, who won the 400 metres here in 54.00 – making it a family double as husband Rob Heffernan won the 5km walk on Saturday. The team for Paris is due to be announced later today, although the final cut-off for qualifying is not until next weekend.