Helsinki untimely for some, opportune for others

ATHLETICS NEWS:THE ABSENCE of two-time silver medallist Derval O'Rourke might highlight the somewhat indifferent attitude towards a European Athletics Championships in an Olympic year but for plenty of other Irish athletes there's no shortage of incentive going to Helsinki next week – and not just in terms of medals.

That includes European Cross Country champion Fionnuala Britton, who will run her first championship 10,000 metres as a medal contender, and also former two-time European Indoor champion David Gillick, who has been included in the men’s 4x400-metre relay as perhaps the last step towards qualifying for the London Olympics.

Athletics Ireland have named a team of 26 for the championships, which get underway this day week – and for the first time have gone biennial, thus creating that Olympic conflict for some: O’Rourke, along with high jumper Deirdre Ryan and distance runners Ciaran Ó Lionard and Alistair Cragg, have decided against competing, while the absence of race walks or marathons in the shortened programme of events denies several other London qualifiers the chance to compete.

However, for Paul Hession, Joanne Cuddihy, Stephanie Reilly, Tori Pena and Mark Kenneally – who have already qualified for London – the chance of competitive action in Helsinki perfectly suits their London preparations; for the likes of Jason Smyth, Steven Colvert, Brian Gregan and the Barr siblings Jessie and Thomas it may be the last chance to qualify for London, given the looming cut-off date of July 8th.

The women’s 4x400-metre relay team will also look to cement their qualifying position for London (which will make for a particularly busy five days for Joanne Cuddihy), while Smyth will continue his quest to become the first athlete to qualify for an Olympics and Paralympics in the same year.

There will also be a number of debutants who, if nothing else, can gain considerable championship experience: Steven Colvert has already shown superb improvement over 200m this year, his recent best of 20.57 just shy of the 20.55 London A-standard, and is actually faster than Hession so far this summer.

Ben Reynolds, World Indoor semi-finalist over the 60 metres hurdles, will make his major championship debut in the 110m hurdles, with Amy Foster selected in both the 100m and 200m events.

Thomas Barr and Jason Harvey will compete in the 400m hurdles, with Jessie Barr, going in the women’s 400m hurdles, coming closer to the London A-standard of 55.40. Kenneally will use the 10,000m as part of his preparations for the Olympic marathon, while Reilly goes in the 3,000m steeplechase, having qualified for London last summer.

IRISH TEAM(European Track and Field Championships, Helsinki, June 27-July 1st): Men – 100m: J Smyth (City of Derry); 200m: S Colvert (Crusaders), P Hession (Athenry); 400m: B Gregan (Clonliffe Harriers); 110mH: B Reynolds (North Down) 400mH: T Barr (Ferrybank AC), J Harvey (University of Ulster); 1,500m: P Robinson (St Coca's); 10,000m: D Rooney (Raheny Shamrock), M Kenneally (Clonliffe Harriers). 4x400m Relay: D Gillick (Dundrum South Dublin AC), B Gregan, B Murphy (Crusaders), T Barr, J Harvey, T Crowe (Doneen AC). Women – 100m and 200m: A Foster (North Down AC); 400m: J Cuddihy (Kilkenny City Harriers); 400mH: Jessie Barr (Ferrybank AC); 1,500m: C Mageean (UCD), O Drumm (UCC); 10,000m: F Britton (Kilcoole AC); Pole vault: T Pena (Finn Valley AC); 3,000m: S Reilly (Sli Chulainn AC); 4x400m Relay: J Cuddihy (Kilkenny City Harriers), C Bergin (Dundrum South Dublin), M Heffernan (Togher), M Carey (Dublin Striders), C Cuddihy (Kilkenny City Harriers), J Mills (Ballymena and Antrim).