O'Sullivan, McHugh to loom large in absence

Athletics: Not since the likes of John Treacy and Eamonn Coghlan walked off the stage has Irish athletics found itself closing the curtain on so many of its leading performers.

For the first time in over a decade the National Championships won't feature such familiar faces as Sonia O'Sullivan and Mark Carroll and Terry McHugh, and over the next two days the Morton Stadium in Santry will see a generation changing hands.

O'Sullivan collected the first of her 12 national track titles back in 1987, winning the 1,500 metres as a 17-year-old. The foot injury that has prematurely ended her season has also ended at least one chapter of a great career, and it's a pity she didn't get her chance to bid farewell to Santry.

Carroll has also accepted his days as a track runner are over, though he is gearing up for another shot at the New York marathon in November.

It's even harder to imagine Santry without McHugh, who between 1984 and last year collected an incredible 21 successive javelin titles.

With unfortunate timing, however, many of the new generation will be missing through injury. Both of this year's European Indoor gold medallists are sidelined. David Gillick misses his chance to win his first national 400 metres title but still hopes to make next month's World Championships in Helsinki, while Alistair Cragg, the European Indoor 3,000-metre champion, is out for the entire season.

Several others should have been using this weekend as a stepping-stone to Helsinki, including Paul Hession (200 metres), Adrian O'Dwyer (high jump) and Gillian O'Sullivan (20km walk). But they, too, have had their seasons marred by injury.

Hession also hopes to make it back in time for Helsinki, but it now appears fewer than half the 22 athletes who have attained qualifying standards will be either fit or selected to travel. Athletics Ireland will finalise the team at the end of the championships tomorrow evening.

Among those still needing to prove form are James Nolan and Karen Shinkins. Though he has the 1,500-metre B standard of 3:37.85 from the Heusden meeting in Holland last year, Nolan hasn't broken 3:40 this season. He returns to that meeting this evening in an effort to do just that, and as a result has been given a bye to tomorrow's final of either the 800 metres or 1,500 metres. If he does clock a fast time and wins the national title on top of it then Nolan is still likely to be selected.

Shinkins returned from her US base this week knowing she, too, needs to prove her form in the 400 metres this weekend if she's to make the World Championships. She started her season superbly with a 51.59 clocking in Brazil, but hasn't revisited such exciting times since.

The only potential selection dilemma facing Athletics Ireland is in the men's 400 metres. Tomás Coman also attained the B standard when running 45.91 to win the title last year, and if he wins again tomorrow - as he's expected to do in Gillick's absence - he automatically becomes first choice for Helsinki. It appears, however, that Coman is more interested in running the World Student Games in Turkey later next month.

Maria McCambridge is a rare case of an Irish athlete coming into form at the right time. She ran a personal best 8:50.40 over 3,000 metres in Madrid last weekend, and with selection for the 5,000 metres guaranteed, is set to run over 1,500 metres this weekend. Likewise, Derval O'Rourke should have no problem confirming her selection for the 100-metre hurdles by winning her fourth national title.

The championships, however, aren't all about Helsinki. The men's 800 metres should produce a great battle between two emerging talents: Thomas Chamney and Ciarán O'Connell. Martin Fagan should underline his potential in the 5,000 metres. And Ciarán McDonagh can dominate the long jump this afternoon.

The women's sprints will see Anna Boyle and Ailis McSweeney face the double defending champion, Ciara Sheehy.

Today's action begins at noon with the men's 10km walk.

Tomorrow's afternoon of finals begins at 12.30.