KERRY O’FLAHERTY insists she has not changed her preparations, but two personal bests in her first three races and selection for Ireland at the European Cup this weekend would make you wonder.
The Newcastle & District athlete opened her season in foul conditions last month in Oordegem but was only just outside her best with a 9.53.05 timing. She followed that up ten days ago in Huelva, Spain with a new Northern Ireland record of 9.51.64 – that is less than eight seconds outside the qualifying time for this year’s World Championships and seven for next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
What impressed in Huelva was not her time, again run in windy conditions, but the maturity of the performance.
She sat back off the early pacemaking, clocking around 80 seconds per lap in fifth place until the 1600m mark. At that point she picked up the pace with a 78 seconds circuit taking her up to third place.
After the pacemaker dropped out, she was left in second with a lap and a half to go and looked to have the victory in the bag with 200m to run. It took a determined effort from Algeria’s Amina Betiche on the final straight to get away from the gritty Down woman to claim the victory.
“I was just gutted with that wind because the World qualifying mark [9.44] was there for the taking,” said the 33-year-old teacher.
“I would so love to have got it here …… but I’m delighted with the time in these conditions.”
O’Flaherty ran a short indoor season in mid-February but impressed with personal bests over 3000m at the British Champs in Sheffield and then four days later for 1500m at the international meeting in Athlone. Then 4 days after that she won the Irish Indoor 1500m title but it was obvious that whatever she was doing, was going well.
“Actually we haven’t done much differently than in the past couple of years. We have been focused on improving my underlying endurance base,” she explains.
“I guess how I see it is that I am naturally a middle-distance runner but to reach my potential at the Chase, the underlying endurance has to improve, combining middle distance speed endurance with a 5000m base.”
However, O’Flaherty’s selection for this weekend’s European Cup fixture did not come in the 3000m steeplechase but in the 1500m after another top class run last Saturday in Leixlip. The Loughinisland resident chased home Kiwi Olympian Angie Petty for a new personal best for the metric mile.
“I’d promised David McCarthy that I would run the 1500m at his meeting last Saturday, if possible, and Richard [Rodgers – her coach] and I felt that despite it only being three days after Huelva, I could get close to my lifetime best from six years ago.
“Conditions weren’t flat calm in Leixlip but they were good and the pace was fast from the start with New Zealand 800m Olympian leading out with the two English girls behind. I felt strong throughout and finished fast and was really delighted with the second place and the 4.12.79 - a personal best by 1.3 seconds.”
Although O’Flaherty has represented Ireland on a number of occasions this will be her first cap over 1500m. The majority of the other competitors have best marks similar to her meaning that a top notch run will be needed. One thing for sure this Down woman is on the up.
DIAMOND LEAGUE competitors Mark English and Thomas Barr lead a strong Irish team at the European First Division Team Championships in Heraklion, Crete tomorrow and Sunday.
Ireland are pitted against Greece, Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Switzerland and Turkey.
The Irish team placed seventh in this event last year promotion to the Super League being the prize for the top three countries at the end of the two daysof action. With few European class competitors and some glaring deficiencies in the field events, the best the Irish can hope for on this occasion is to retain their place in this second tier of European athletics.
Letterkenny’s Mark English goes in the 800m where he is currently ranked eighth in Europe (1.45.83) and with none of the athletes ahead of him competing in this division, he should be quietly confident of securing maximum points.
Barr is in an even better situation, sitting proud at the top of the European rankings in the 400m hurdles (48.65), but Swiss champion Kariem Hussein (48.76) and Estonia’s Rasmus Magi will be breathing down his neck.
Aside from English there are four other Ulster athletes in the squad. Kerry O’Flaherty (see article this page) is down for the 1500m, Amy Foster goes in the 100m and sprint relay, Christine McMahon runs the 400m hurdles and Adam McMullen brings much needed quality to the men’s long jump.
Action gets underway in Crete tomorrow at 2pm (Irish time) with the men’s hammer and concludes on Sunday the men’s 4x400m relay at 6.24pm.
NEWCASTLE will once again play host to SEA2SKY 10Km that takes place on Friday night (7.30pm).
Last year the race attracted over 600 entries and the 2015 edition looks like it will be even bigger and better. Certainly the organisers promise it will be a memorable event for all those taking part.
“Great races in Great Places” is BORN2RUN’s motto and the Newcastle certainly ticks all the boxes in terms of runner satisfaction.
In addition to the 10Km run, there will also be a walk over the same course which kicks off an hour earlier at 6:30 pm. BORN 2 RUN's chosen charity is Marie Curie Cancer Care and anyone thinking of doing SEA 2 SKY is encouraged to sign up to the Daffodil Team by visiting www.mariecurie.org.uk. They will get a fundraising pack and all the support they need from the charity.
Although the multi-terrain race starts on the Promenade in Newcastle, most of the 10km course is off-road. The participants will climb by forest trail to a height where their efforts will be rewarded by stunning views of Newcastle and beyond. The runners will then make their descent and finish back on the town’s award winning promenade
This year’s race is sponsored by Active Financial and all runners will get a beautiful commemorative medal as well as post race refreshments sponsored by The Barbican SuperValu and O’Hare’s Bar, Newcastle.
Anyone thinking of entering can do so by visiting www.born2runevents.com or www.runireland.com where further details can be found and it is possible to register online.
THE WEEK AHEAD
Saturday
9.30am: parkrun – various venues
10.30am: NI Masters Track & Field Champs – Mary Peter's Track
12pm: Schools Inter-Provincial – Morton Stadium, Dublin
12pm: Tullysaran 10K & 5K Fun Run/Walk – Tullysaran Community Centre
12pm: Lisnaskea 10K Fun Run – Castle Park Leisure Centre, Lisnaskea
Sunday
12pm: Youth Sport Omagh 10K – Killyclogher Road, Omagh
Tuesday
7.30pm: 11TH Series of Trail Races (Race 4) - Woodburn Forest
Wednesday
7.30pm: Tom Cairns Memorial 5 Miles & 2.5M Fun Run – Drumlough Church Hall
7.40pm: Loughinisland 5.05m – Loughinisland GAC
11pm: Grant Thornton Runway Run – George Best Airport
Thursday
7.30pm: Jude Gallagher Memorial 10 Miles – Killane Road, Limavady
