Double helpings all round at Santry

ATHLETICS:All athletes dream of winning a national title - the bravest ones dream of winning a double. Yet such doubles were all over the track and field in Santry this weekend, none more impressive than that of Paul Hession, and none more special than that of David Campbell.

The classic track double, perhaps, is still the middle-distance one: 800 metres and 1,500 metres. It had not been done at these national championships since Eamonn Coghlan in 1981. And the only man before that was Frank Murphy in 1970.

Campbell emulated them in many ways, boldly taking the 800 metres in 1:49.45 and just 90 minutes later coolly adding the 1,500 metres in 3:45.21. At 25 the Kildare man is making a name for himself.

There was a major bonus prize for the shorter distance in that by beating Thomas Chamney into second place, Campbell booked his place at the World Championships in Osaka. In doing so he displayed great determination, which, he said, has come from a year training with the Australian coach Nic Bideau.

"I'm a totally different athlete from a year ago," said Campbell, who was beaten into second last year by Chamney. "The training has been the same, but it's all been about attitude and how you approach the sport. I know I've done nothing yet in athletics on the whole, but hopefully over the next few years I can start doing that."

There are three qualities athletes value highly: boldness, boisterousness and brilliance - and Campbell has them all. From his Mohican haircut to his ecstatic celebrations he brings real style with him, and Santry was brighter for his presence yesterday.

This, however, has fast become the season of the "Hesh". The Galwayman had lowered the Irish 100- and 200-metre records in recent weeks, and winning the corresponding national titles was something of a formality. Still, the style of winning was sensational, Saturday's 200-metre win another national record, 20.30 seconds.

That makes Hession the fastest 200-metre runner in Europe this year. He decimated the rest of the Irish here. It was the same in yesterday's 100 metres, where despite the steaming rain, he clocked a superb 10.45 seconds.

"Really delighted with the weekend," said Hession, who at 24 is still years off his prime.

"That was my first 100 metres, which is great to win. And it's great to see your name up the top of that European 200-metre list.

"So it's really all going to plan for the World Championships, and I'd really like to make the final out there."

It was the first men's sprint double since Gary Ryan's success in 1999, but Hession's real strength is definitely the 200 metres; 20.30 is truly world class.

It's worth noting the bronze medal at the last World Championships was won in 20.31.

Joanne Cuddihy repeated her double of a year ago, first taking the 200 metres on Saturday in 23.63, edging out Ciara Sheehy, and yesterday in a class apart when taking the 400 metres in 51.86, over five seconds up on Elaine McCaffrey.

Given windscreen wipers she might well have gone faster, but the Irish record of 51.07 will surely fall by season's end.

The rain was at its heaviest just as the 400-metre men went to the line, which partly explained David Gillick's false start on the first gun. Gordon Kennedy false started on the second and was eliminated - reversing fortunes from the Cork City Sports - and Gillick was never in trouble when claiming the title, his 46.34 looking good given the wet track.

"That was all about retaining the national title, which is not something you want to lose," said Gillick, who was chased hard to the line by the former champion Paul McKee.

"The track was very, very slippery, not what you want for fast running. I'll have one more race next weekend and then it's all about Osaka. But I'm happy with the way things are going."

Derval O'Rourke remains Ireland's main hope to make a final in Osaka, though things haven't quite gone to plan this year. She was also chasing a double but slipped up - literally - when finishing the 100 metres flat, and lost out in 11.84 to Emily Maher's 11.83.

O'Rourke reappeared, bandaged, within the hour to win her specialist 100-metre hurdles in 13.45, but looking a little miserable given her luck.

"I'm really disappointed I didn't win the 100 metres," she said. "I was trying to finish so strong that I just lost my balance. My hip, my shoulders, and my knee all got cut. But I'm still very happy with the way training is going. It's one of the seasons where nothing has really gone to plan, but hopefully all the badness will be gone by Osaka. I'm still very excited about going there."

Sonia O'Sullivan was aiming for a fifth 5,000-metre gold but didn't quite have the legs for Maria McCambridge, who broke clear after two laps to win in 16:01.84, to O'Sullivan 16:34.17.

On the field the best double by far came from part-time nurse Eileen O'Keeffe, who on Saturday produced a true record-breaking spree in the hammer. The 26-year-old from Kilkenny started out by breaking her own Irish record of 69.44 metres, and ended up with a massive 73.21 - an A standard for World Championships and Olympics. She also won the discus with 44.75 metres.

And Kerry's Eoin Leen took gold in discus and shot.