Coghlan follows in father's steps

Athletics/ Schools' championships: Nothing restores all faith in athletics quite like a day at the Irish Schools' championships in Tullamore. The range of raw talent on display this year was remarkable, from the classic doubles of David McCarthy and Rose Ann Galligan to John Coghlan emulating his famous father, Eamonn, to win his first 1,500-metre title.

The annual showcase for aspiring athletes feels more precious now than ever, and rises above everything that spoils the sport. There's no pressure to succeed here, no whispering of drugs or bickering about money, only the chance to be higher, stronger or faster than those who share the same ambitions.

After nine hours of non-stop running, jumping and throwing across 104 events, it all ended with the overwhelming feeling that Irish athletics is still spoiled with potential, if only that potential were nurtured a little better.

Every year these championships unearth some truly exceptional talent, yet there are still so many gaping holes in the system that Saturday could easily have marked the end of many careers.

Better though to dwell on the present rather than the future. There were numerous record-breaking performances this year, although one athlete who impressed as much as anyone fell short of that feat.

David McCarthy bolted from the gun of the intermediate boys' 800 metres in an effort to beat the 1:54.68 set by James Nolan back in 1993, but was ultimately beaten by the wind as much as by the clock, finishing in 1:55.51.

Two hours later the 16-year-old from St Augustine's College in Dungarvan was back on the track for the 400 metres - and in crossing over from the sprints to the middle distances, he attempted one of the most difficult doubles in athletics. Think Alberto Juantorena.

Yet McCarthy won in a personal best of 51.49. Considering he's also the reigning schools cross-country champion, that's real versatility.

For Galligan, the classic 800m-1,500-m double proved a little more testing. Laura Crowe of Tralee pushed her all the way to the line in the shorter race, as did Joanne English of Kilkenny in the metric mile, but Galligan had just enough in reserve, and the student from Newbridge College collected her two gold medals in 2:11.46, and 4:43.21. Her future continues to glow brightly.

The new-found sprint tradition in Irish athletics also looks secure. All three girls' grades produced double 100m-200m champions - Niamh Whelan of Pres Waterford was the junior winner, Amy Foster of Glenola won the intermediates, and Gemma Hynes of St Enda's Galway took the senior titles.

The fastest male of the day was Jason Smyth of Limavady, another picture of raw sprinting talent, who won the senior double - all the more impressive considering his visual impairment.

Two athletes, Brendan O'Neill and Danny Darcy, rose head and shoulders above their rivals.

O'Neill, undoubtedly one of the finest young distance runners in the land, coasted to victory in the intermediate 3,000 metres in the colours of St Michael's College.

Darcy displayed awesome strength to win the senior 1,500 metres in 3:58.34, strength he's developed while working in a quarry in Carlow, and easily fended off Cork's Ciarán Ó Lionárd in the process.

Several records were set, including a senior 400-metre hurdles time of 60.63 by Kilkenny's Caitríona Cuddihy (she also won the 400m flat) and a junior 800-metre time of 2:11.83 by Waterford's Ciara Cronin, who pipped Claire Rockall of Oranmore.

Later, however, Rockall took 1,500-metre gold and anchored her Galway school to the relay title.

The closest and most exciting finish of the day was reserved for Coghlan. The Castleknock student moved from third to first in the final metre of the intermediate boys 1,500 metres, edging out Waterpark's Kevin Cooper and Ryan Faulkner of St Malachy's.