Athletics:Derval O'Rourke was in top form as the Cork sprinter raced to victory in the women's 60metre hurdles while Kelly Proper won the women's long jump at the British AAA Indoor meeting in Sheffield today.
O’Rourke crossed the line in a season’s best 8.11 seconds to win from Gemma Bennett (8.20 seconds). The Leevale athlete qualified for the final in a time of 8.22 seconds in her heat.
Further good news came as Proper won the women’s long jump with her jump of 6.48 metres good enough to deny Amy Woodman (6.20 metres).
Clare Brady, Niamh Whelan and Ailis McSweeney all qualified for yesterday’s 60m final, with Brady finishing fourth (7.40) and Whelan (7.52) fifth but McSweeney was disqualified for a false start.
Whelan then went in the 200m and set a new personal indoor best by finishing third in 23.86 seconds.
Hazel Murphy won yesterday’s women’s 3000 metres after she finished stronger than Gemma Turtle to cross the line in 9:02.81, a new personal best. Deirdre Byrne finished seventh (9.22.61).
Bolt up and running with Jamaica win
Usain Bolt opened his 2010 season with 400metres victory in a meet record time at the Camperdown Classic in Jamaica.
The 23-year-old - winner of three Olympic sprint golds in Beijing and three World Championship titles in Berlin last summer - clocked a time of 45.86 seconds at the National Stadium in Kingston.
The time was 0.49secs better than the previous best, set by Bolt in winning the same race in 2009.
The Racers Track Club sprinter is the world record holder at 100m and 200m, but the 400m has been used in recent seasons as a way for him to blow away the cobwebs of winter training.
"It was a good race; to run 45 seconds was a good sign,” said Bolt. "I never feel as good as I wanted.
"I guess I am getting there, I would say. I just want to get my fitness up, I don't think I am where I would want to be."