Irish Team Boosted With Addition Of Four Athletes For The World Track & Field Championships

The Irish team has been boosted with the addition of four athletes for the World Track and Field Championships in Beijing on the 22nd-30th of August who have been invited under the new IAAF quota system.

Kelly Proper (Ferrybank) in the 200m, Ciara Everard (UCD) in the 800m, Sara Treacy (Dunboyne) in the 3,000m steeplechase, and Ben Reynolds (North Down) in the 110m hurdles have all qualified under the new criteria. All four will be making their outdoor championship debut at this level.

The key element of the new system is that the IAAF established the ideal number of athletes (and relay teams) to start in each event of the championships and ensured that such ideal numbers were met through a qualification system which, essentially, combines entry standards (only one standard) and invitations based on performance lists.

The addition of Proper, Everard and Treacy brings the number of women on the team of 15 to 6. Sara Treacy brings a full complement of women in the steeplechase for the first time. Ciara Mageean (UCD) also qualified under the new quota system but decided against competing as she is focusing on returning to full fitness after a recent injury.

Team selection

Thomas Barr (Ferrybank) 400m Hurdles

Mark English (UCD) 800m

Kerry O'Flaherty (Newcastle), 3,000m steeplechase

Michelle Finn (Leevale) 3,000m steeplechase

Sara Treacy (Dunboyne) 3,000m steeplechase

Tori Pena (Finn Valley) Pole Vault

Alex Wright (Leevale) 20km/50km Race Walk

Robert Heffernan (Togher) 50km Race Walk

Brendan Boyce (Letterkenny) 50km Race Walk

Kelly Proper (Ferrybank) 200m

Ciara Everard (UCD) 800m

Ben Reynolds (North Down) 110m hurdles

4x400m relay (Thomas Barr, Mark English, Brian Gregan, Brian Murphy, Richard Morrissey (both Crusaders), Timmy Crowe (Clonliffe Harriers)