ATHLETICS: Athletics Ireland have conceded that Alistair Cragg will not be available for selection for the World Indoor Championships, which take place in Birmingham from March 14th-16th.
Though he comfortably achieved the qualifying time for Birmingham when winning the 3,000 metres at the Boston Indoor Games on Saturday, the event clashes with the American NCAA championships, where Cragg is obliged to compete as a scholarship student at the University of Arkansas.
His time in Boston of seven minutes 45.22 seconds, the fastest in the world this year, would clearly make Cragg a medal contender.
According to John McDonnell, the Mayo-born coach at Arkansas, the target over the months ahead had always been the defence of his NCAA title, which he won over 5,000 metres last year, and that the World Championships would have to wait for another year.
"Cragg will have plenty of time to compete at that level," said McDonnell. "He is still young and has the potential to be very, very good and I've no doubt he'll win a medal in those championships some day."
Several other Irish athletes will continue their hunt for World Championships qualifying times this weekend at the Cardiff International Indoor meeting.
Among them is 1999 World long jump finalist Ciaran McDonagh, who makes a welcome return to international competition after another year plagued with injury.
Paul Brizzell, who broke Gary Ryan's national 200 metre indoor record on Saturday with a run of 21.06 in Birmingham has requested to be selected over his less favoured 60 metres in an attempt to improve his basic speed.
Leevale's Derval O'Rourke, who ran 8.27 for the 60m hurdles also in Birmingham, will be confident of improving the necessary 7/100th of a second which would also secure her place on the team for the World Championships.
IRISH SELECTION
Senior Men: 60m/200m Paul Brizzell (Ballymena & Antrim); 300m: Rob Daly (DSD); 400m: David McCarthy (Celbridge); 800m: David Kelly (DSD); 1500m: David Campbell (Maynooth) 60m hurdles: Trevor McGlynn (Strabane); High Jump: Adrian O'Dwyer (KCH) Pole Vault: Ruari O'Brien (Crusaders) David Donegan (Raheny) Long Jump: Ciaran McDonagh (Fr. Murphy) Triple Jump: Patrick Shannon (DCH) Shot Putt: Paul Crowe (Menapians) 4 x 200m Relay: Daly, Hession, Jer O'Donoghue (Leevale), Brizzell, McCarthy.
Junior Men: 60m: Darragh Graham (Sli Chulann); 200m: Darragh Graham 400m: Daniel Tobin (Clonliffe Harriers) 800m: Ciaran O'Connell (Monaghan Phoenix) 1500m: Colin Costello (Star of the Sea) 60m hurdles: Ian McDonald (Crusaders); Long Jump: Tom Shanahan (St. Mary's); Shot Putt: Eoin Leen (Tralee) 4 x 200m: Graham, Tobin, Der O'Donovan (Leevale), Paul Gill (Carbery.
Senior Women: 60m-200m: Emily Maher (KCH); 400m: Zoe Arnold (Lagan Valley) 800m: Niamh Beirne (Lucan Harriers); 1500m: Maria Lynch (DSD) 60m hurdles: Derval O'Rourke (Leevale) High Jump: Rose Mary Daniels (Navan) Pole Vault: Juliet Claffey (Borrisokane) Long Jump: Antoinette Furlong (DMP) Triple Jump: Mary Devlin (Abbey Striders) 4x200m Relay: Maher, O'Rourke, Furlong, Arnold.
Junior Women: 60m: Amanda Crowe (Bansha) 400m: Joanne Cuddihy (UCD) 800m: Laura Crowe (Tralee) High Jump: Sharon Haveron (Westport); Long Jump: Ciara Kearns (Celbridge) Triple Jump: Michelle Doherty; Shot Putt: Kathleen Fitzgerald (Leevale) 4x200m Relay: Crowe, Kearns, Cuddihy, Clare Brady (Celbridge).
