Athletics: Irish preparations for the World Cross Country Championships in Dublin next March will benefit this weekend from a two-day team squad session in Limerick's National Coaching and Training Centre, writes Ian O'Riordan.
All home-based athletes likely to be in the running for selection for the event have been invited to attend and according to Jerry Kiernan, recently appointed head coach, the response has been extremely strong. Sonia O'Sullivan, now back in Australia, will be the most notable absentee but Seamus Power and Peter Matthews will be participating.
"There are a lot of interesting things on the agenda besides the training," says Kiernan. "We have some interesting lectures and of course a lot of testing will be available as well." This will be followed by a series of similar sessions in the months ahead organised by Kiernan and the Irish team manager Peter McDermott.
Kiernan acknowledges that most of the athletes have their own coaches but he feels that such squad sessions can greatly benefit the team preparations. "My brief is to get the team to this event as fit as they can be," he says. "Of course a lot of them will be doing their own training but this is about giving out bits of advice and making sure that the panel know where things are going."
The news that Mark Carroll has revealed his intention to compete in the event has been greatly welcomed by Kiernan. "I'm very familiar with the course up in Leopardstown and it certainly is a fantastic running course. Unlike Belfast two years ago, it will very much suit Carroll and if he is in the sort of form that he showed early last year then I expect he will run very well."
Motor Sport: Benetton have signed British-based Mark Webber as a test driver for the 2001 Formula One season.
The 24-year-old, born in Australia but now a resident of Buckinghamshire, will support Giancarlo Fisichella and Jenson Button next season.
Webber tested for the British-based team twice last season and will take up testing duties next month at Jerez in Spain.
He was third in the Formula 3000 Championship this year, his first season, driving for the Arrows team.
He said: "I'm very excited to have such a great opportunity ahead of me next year and to be linking up with two of the most respected names in Formula One - Benetton and Renault.
"It is a great opportunity for me to get some mileage and experience in a Formula One car - I can learn a lot from working with a top team.
"I'm also delighted I can race next year in F3000 so I can keep my racing skills honed."
Benetton managing director Flavio Briatore added: "When Webber tested the B200 this year we were impressed by his attitude and his skill.
"I'm happy we can give him the opportunity to develop his Formula One experience as well as give him the chance to race in Formula 3000."
