Five Athletes Pre-Selected for IAAF World Junior Track and Field Championships

01 Jun 2012


Athletics Ireland has pre selected five athletes for the IAAF World Junior Track and Field Championships to be held in Barcelona from the 10-15th of July.


Mark English (Letterkenny AC) who recently ran 1.45.77 to break his own National Junior Record is selected to compete in the 800m. The record breaking run improved on his personal best and Irish record of 1.47.09 that he set last year. The run also moved him to fifth on the Irish all-time list, moving Marcus O'Sullivan (1.45.87) to sixth. English will be aiming to make a big impression in Barcelona as this will be his final year in the junior age category.


Reigning world youth champion Kate Veale (West Waterford AC) is selected for the 10k Walk. Veale recorded an impressive 46.53 to finish sixth at the recent IAAF World Cup of Race Walking in Saransk, Russia.


Dempsey McGuigan (Finn Valley AC), who set an Irish Junior Record in the hammer (70.02m) in April is selected for that event. That throw also made McGuigan the first Irish thrower to break the 70m mark. His best prior to this year was 67.25m in September last year.


Sarah Lavin (Emerald AC) is selected for the 100m hurdles. Lavin began 2012 in style by equaling Derval O'Rourke's national junior record in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.46. Lavin transferred this form to the outdoor season recording a fast 13.91 to easily win the Aviva Munster Schools Track and Field Championships on the 19th of May.


Joanna Mills (Ballymena & Antrim AC) will go in the 400m in Barcelona. Mills ran brilliantly last year to place fourth in the final of the 400m at the 2011 European Junior Track and Field Championships in Estonia. Mills has already been in great form this season taking a bronze medal over 400m (54.84) in the 2012 BUCS Championships held in the Olympic stadium in May.

 

Pre-Selected

  • Mark English (Letterkenny AC), 800m
  • Kate Veale (West Waterford AC), 10k Walk
  • Dempsey McGuigan (Finn Valley AC), Hammer
  • Sarah Lavin (Emerald AC), 100m Hurdles
  • Joanna Mills (Ballymena & Antrim AC), 400m