McKiernan keeps options open

Catherina McKiernan said yesterday that she was considering her options after the Irish selectors had left open the 5,000 metres place in the team to compete in the Europa Cup in Finland on June 5th and 6th.

In spite of widespread speculation last week that she would be invited to run her first major track race since the Grand Prix finals at Milan in September 1996, McKiernan said that she was unaware of it until it appeared in print on Saturday.

"That was the first I knew of it - certainly nobody from BLE has been in contact with me about running in Finland," she said.

"Now that I'm aware of it, I'll talk things over with my coach, Joe Doonan and we'll see where we go from here".

McKiernan said the foot injury which forced her out of the London Marathon last month, had been a major setback from which she was only now recovering.

"In a way, it is nice to know that people still believe that I'm capable of running a fast 5,000 metres but as I say, I'll wait and play it by ear. If it's a good thing for me to do, I'll do it".

The relationship between BLE and McKiernan has not always been a happy one in recent times, leading to a bizarre situation last year when, after failing to obtain a commitment from the athlete to run in the world cross country championship, they refused to select her for the world half-marathon at Zurich.

In the event of McKiernan declining to compete in Finland, the liklihood is that Brid Dennehy will be summoned from the United States to fill the vacancy.

Mark Carroll, has been nominated for the 3,000 metres but it is understood that he has yet to confirm his intention of competing at a meeting in which the priority for Ireland will be to protect their First Division status.

Carroll's indecision contrasts starkly with the attitude of Susan Smith Walsh who contacted the selectors to inform them that she was ready to run in both hurdles events in addition to the two relays.

Geraldine Nolan is an unexpected selection at 800 metres, a decision governed in part by the fact that her Kilkenny clubmate Sinead Delahunty had to be accommodated at 1,500 metres.

Four places in the men's team have been left open, pending developments over the next fortnight. Brendan Reilly, the former England international who recently switched allegiance to Ireland, would appear to be the logical choice to fill one of them in the high jump event.

Disturbingly, however, he has yet to make his seasonal debut in British competition and against that background, the claims of Antoine Burke are also likely to be considered.

Paul McBurney, the Lisburn 400 metres runner, is another waiting to make his first appearance of the season but judged on earlier form he may well be preferred to Thomas Coman.

Perhaps, the most interesting aspect of the selectors' findings is the decision to go with either James McElroy or James Nolan, two 800 metres specialists, in the 1,500 metres.

In doing so, the selectors were influenced by the fact that in this competition, 1,500 metres races tend to develop into a test of the big kickers over the last 200 metres. McElroy and Nolan possess the equipment to survive in that type of company.

Paula Radcliffe will attempt to break Sonia O'Sullivan's world record over two miles at Loughborough on Sunday.

Radcliffe, who last month broke her Commonwealth and British 10,000 metres record in Spain and then reduced her world five-mile road mark at Balmoral Castle, will be aiming to better the 9:19.56 the Irish star ran in Cork last summer.