ATHLETICS Cullen wins second medal for Irish team at European Championships

Mary Cullen put in a gutsy performance to won bronze today in the Final of the 3000m at the European Indoor Championships in Turin, Italy. The pace of the early stages of the race was slow and after being clipped from behind and nearly falling Cullen regained her composure and took the lead with four laps to go, stretching the field.

She led until the final lap when she was overtaken by Turkey's Almitu Bekele on the back straight and then Portugal's Sara Moriera on the home straight but she held on for a deserved Bronze medal in a time of 8.48.47. Bekele of Turley won in a time of 8.46.50 with Portugal's Moriera finishing in 8.48.18.

Cullen missed the majority of the 2008 season through injury and was bitterly disappointed to miss the Olympic Games in Beijing as a result. The Sligo woman also had to contend with fourth place at the European Cross Country Championships in December 2008, all of which left her with "the hunger and confidence to make the medal podium at these championships" said Cullen.

Cullen's team mate Deirdre Byrne finished 11th in the race in a time of 9.08.89 having qualified for the final as a fastest loser with a Personal Best of 9.00.67.

The Irish 4×400m women's relay team put in a fantastic performance in their final this evening. The team of Marian Andrews, Bronagh Furlong, Gemma Hynes and Claire Bergin were in third position for most of the race before being edged out for a medal in the last lap by Belarus. They finished in a time of 3.36.82 which was just two seconds off the Irish record. The race was won by Russia in a time of 3.29.12, with Great Britain second.

Overall it has been an excellent Championship for the Irish team, which saw two Bronze medals, 5 finalists, 4 personal bests, 2 seasonal bests and an Irish Record.

Team Manager Patsy McGonagale is delighted with how the team performed. "From start until finish it has been a great performance from everyone involved. Every athlete out there gave there best and on certain occasions we may have even come back with more medals if you look at how close Roisin and the relay team were. All in all this has been a great success and we can all look positively towards the Worlds in August now"

'I am very happy to have won a medal of any colour. It wouldn't have been possible without the support of Terry and Sean Cahill. I am looking forward to the outdoors season and will be targeting a place in the Final in the World Championships in Berlin.'-Derval

On what was a very successful first day for the Irish team at the European Indoor Championships the highlight was a bronze medal for Leevale's Derval O'Rourke. O'Rourke had looked impressive in qualifying and was second fastest going into the final. In what was a very tight race she came home in a time of 7.97 with the final being won by Eline Berings of Belgium in a time of 7.92. This was O'Rourke's fastest time since 2006 when she was World Indoor Champion.