Athletics:The start of the indoor season is mostly about shaking off cobwebs after a sleepy winter and for several Irish athletes with European Championship ambitions that process is under way. Mary Cullen's victory over the mile in New York at the weekend has suddenly shifted her attention to Birmingham, where the 29th European Indoor Championships are set for March 2nd-4th.
Cullen had originally been focusing on cross country, and after a couple of disappointing races went to New York's Armory Centre with limited expectations, only to clock a winning time of 4:32.29 - a personal best and not far off Sinead Delahunty's Irish record of 4:30.41, set seven years ago.
The Sligo athlete will most likely target the 3,000 metres in Birmingham, and will test herself over that distance at the Boston Indoor Games on Saturday. Now arguably the classiest meeting on the US indoor circuit, Boston will also mark the season opener for two of Ireland's main contenders for European Indoor success - Alistair Cragg in the 3,000 metres and James Nolan in the mile.
As defending 3,000 metres champion from Madrid two years ago, Cragg was always likely to target Birmingham, although this season he is carrying a little extra mental baggage after the hugely disappointing climax to last summer, when an Achilles injury forced him out of the European 5,000 metres in Gothenburg.
Yet Cragg will get a good idea of where his fitness is on Saturday: "I am feeling very healthy and in good form," he says. "Training has been going very well and I am geared up for the European Indoors."
Boston's high-quality field includes Australia's multi-record holder Craig Mottram, who won at the same meeting last year, beating Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele in the process. Mottram has been carrying a slight injury but a fast time is on the cards.
Nolan is also looking for a better indoor season after some similar disappointment in Gothenburg, and has several races lined up before Birmingham - including the famed Millrose Games on Friday week.
Ireland's other reigning European Indoor champion, David Gillick, is still unsure about the full extent of his indoor season. Based at Loughborough University under English coach Nick Dakin, Gillick will have a few 400-metre races in the coming weeks, including the National Championships in Belfast on February 17-18th, but says Birmingham is still a low-key priority compared to outdoors.
Other Irish contenders for Birmingham selection were in action in Saturday's Scottish Indoor Championships, with David McCarthy winning the 400 metres in 48.21 seconds and Paul Hession taking silver over 60 metres in 6.78 seconds. Sligo's Emmet Dunleavy won the 1,500 metres in 3:54.35 and Cork sprinter Ailis McSweeney took silver in the 60 metres in 7.60.
Athletics Ireland have announced February 26th as the deadline for qualification for Birmingham, and by then will have got final word from World Indoor 60-metre hurdles champion Derval O'Rourke on whether she intends competing. Yesterday O'Rourke returned to Portugal for another two weeks of warm-weather training, and while she had intended to bypass the indoor season, her coach Jim Kilty hasn't ruled an appearance in the coming weeks.
