European Indoor Athletics: Guide to Ireland team in Belgrade

Ciara Mageean is the leading hope of the team of 10 travelling out to Serbia

Ciara Neville of Emerald AC (number 72) will make her senior debut for Ireland in the 60m at the European Indoor Championships. Photograph: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile.
Ciara Neville of Emerald AC (number 72) will make her senior debut for Ireland in the 60m at the European Indoor Championships. Photograph: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile.

Ciara Mageean

Club: UCD

Event: 1,500m

Personal best: 4:08.66

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On paper and reputation our only proper medal hope, her European outdoor bronze in Amsterdam last July coming over the same distance, and although preparations haven’t been ideal, her race acumen could still get her onto the podium.

Kerry O’Flaherty

Club: Newcastle

Event: 1,500m

Personal best: 4:14.63

Moving down from the 3,000m steeplechase, where she competed in Rio last summer, can certainly make the final but may find the middle distance specialists with a little too much zip.

Ciara Neville

Club: Emerald

Event: 60m

Personal best: 7.30

Only 17, and making her senior Irish debut, having equalled the Irish record of 7.30 last month, followed by a national senior title, the experience sure to stand to her in the future.

Phil Healy

Club: Bandon

Event: 60m/400m

Personal best: 7.31/53.49

Focusing on the 400m, having won the senior title last month, will need to call on her famous “depths of hell” YouTube relay classic speed to make the final.

Sinead Denny

Club: DSD

Event: 400m

Personal Best: 53.57

Finished a close second to Phil Healy in the national championships, and made the semi-finals in Amsterdam last summer, should at least get out of her opening round.

John Travers

Club: Donore Harriers

Event: 1,500m

Personal best: 3:41.37

Made the final two years in Prague, and a smarter, stronger runner now, with the potential to come close to the top six, buoyed up by his close-fought win in the national championships.

Ben Reynolds

Club: North Down

Event: 60m hurdles

Personal best: 7.73

Coached by his brother Tom. Consistent as ever this season, this being his first European Indoors, and capable of making the semi-finals.

Brian Gregan

Club: Clonliffe Harriers

Event: 400m

Personal best: 46.07

Ranked 10th in Europe this season, which means marginal improvement still required if he’s to make the final, but has the wit and experience to do just that.

Zak Curran

Club: DSD

Event: 800m

Personal best: 1:48.43

Recently switched alleged from Britain, having previously won a British University title with Loughborough last summer, and now runs with Baylor in the US, where his indoor experience could see him sneak a place in the final.

Tomas Cotter

Club: Dunleer

Event: 3,000m

Personal best: 7:56.17

The Louth man has been US based for the last few years, a late qualifier for Belgrade, and though better known as a steeplechaser, also a potential finalist.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE (All times Irish, inc potential semi/final times)

FRIDAY:

8:45: Phil Healy/Sinead Denny 400m women heats

9:20: Brian Gregan 400m men heats

10:35: Zak Curran 800m men round 1

12:20: Ben Reynolds 60m hurdles men round 1

15:45: 60m hurdles men semi-final

16:05: Ciara Mageean/Kerry O’Flaherty 1,500m women round 1

16:45: 400m women semi-final

17:05: 400m men semi-final

17:25: Tomas Cotter 3,000m men round 1

18:15: John Travers 1,500m men round 1

19:10: 60m hurdles men final

SATURDAY

8:45: Ciara Neville and Phil Healy 60m women’s heat

18:25: 800m men semi-final

18:45 1500m women final

19:18 1500m men final

SUNDAY

15:00 60m women semi-final

15:55: 3,000m men final

16:50 800m men final

17:10 60m women final

Ian O'Riordan

Ian O'Riordan

Ian O'Riordan is an Irish Times sports journalist writing on athletics