Sports Digest Athletics: Early-season indoor competition is largely about shaking off cobwebs, and several Irish athletes needed to do just that at Saturday's Cardiff International meeting, writes Ian O'Riordan. Adrian O'Dwyer returned to high jump competition for the first time since the Athens Olympics, but once again didn't enjoy one of his better days.
After taking two attempts at 2.0 metres, O'Dwyer was then eliminated at 2.05. Showing slightly better form though was fellow Olympian Derval O'Rourke, who won the 60-metre hurdles in 8.24 seconds.
Taneisha Scanlon proved best in the triple jump to provide the only other Irish senior victory, although Ailis McSweeney pushed Joice Maduaka all the way to the line in the women's 60 metres before losing by eight hundredth's of a second in 7.43. In the high jump Deirdre Ryan missed out by a centimetre on a jump-off with local girl Julie Crane - losing out 1.86 to 1.85.
Ryan last night bounced back brilliantly from her narrow defeat in Cardiff to break her own Irish indoor high jump record, clearing 1.90 metres at a meeting in Glasgow. That improved by two centimetres the mark Ryan had set in Nenagh last week when she cleared the bar at 1.88 metres, which also qualified her for the European indoor championships in Madrid.
The 22-year-old is now the best Irish woman high jumper of all time, as last night's jump also surpasses the outdoor record of 1.89 metres achieved by Laura Sharpe back in 1994.
There were, however, eight Irish victories in the junior international - the most impressive of which was Ciarán Ó Lionaird in the 1,500 metres. The superbly-talented Cork runner raced away from his opponents to win the section by a margin of 20 yards in three minutes 50.86 seconds, truly excellent running for a 16-year-old.
This time was also inside the qualifying standards for both the World Youth Championships and the European Youth Olympics next July.
Following that there was another Irish victory for the equally exiting prospect Colin Costello, who took the junior 800 metres in 1:51.15. Other junior winners were Louise Kiernan (60 metres in 7.84), Laura Crowe (800 metres in 2:15.28), Pamela Hughes (high jump in 1.65 metres), Jennifer Reddy (long jump in 5.43 metres) and Laura Cogan (shot putt in 11.44 metres).
Also staged in Cardiff yesterday was the latest round of the Reebok International cross-country series, and again it was an exciting junior - Roseanne Galligan - who provided the Irish glory. Jolene Byrne ran well again to take second in the senior women's race, as did Gary Murray in the senior men's race.
CYCLING: David O'Loughlin was unable to overcome mountains leader Gene Bates on yesterday's final stage of the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under, but the Navigators Insurance rider will nevertheless be very satisfied with what was an impressive return to the professional ranks, writes Shane Stokes.
The Irish road-race champion started the final stage level on points with Bates and, with two King of the Mountains sprints during the 81-kilometre Adelaide City Council Circuit, had a chance to win that classification. However, third and second on the Montefiore Hill primes proved no match for Bates' two first places, settling the competition in the Australian's favour. He had the benefit of several races before the Tour Down Under, while O'Loughlin is only making his season debut now.
Yesterday's stage was won by Robbie McEwen, the Davitamon Lotto rider outsprinting Paride Grillo (Ceramiche Panaria-Navigare), Allan Davis (Liberty Seguros) and others in the final dash to the line. O'Loughlin finished 58th, 12 seconds back, while team-mate Ciarán Power was 20 seconds further behind in 68th place. He finished third on the second of the day's bonus sprints.
The race honours went to 21-year-old Luis Leon Sanchez Gil of the Liberty Seguros team. O'Loughlin was just over five minutes back in a solid 21st position while Power was 64th.
Meanwhile, Giant Asia riders David McCann, Paul Griffin and Ryan Connor ended the Tour of Siam in Thailand with fine performances to their credit in this, their first race of the 2005 season.
McCann finished an excellent second overall in the 2.2-ranked race, just 18 seconds behind Shinichi Fukushima of the Bridgestone-Anchor team. Griffin ended the race sixth overall, three minutes and 18 seconds down, while Connor was a fine third in the King of the Mountains contest.
BOXING: The Irish Amateur Boxing Association's Central Council finalised plans on Saturday for next weekend's international against France, writes Pat Roche. Brothers Davis Anthony and JJ Joyce from the St Michael's Athy club and cousin David Joyce of Westmeath's Moate club buttress a particularly strong team of national champions for Sunday's match.
The Irish representatives on the Four Nations team to box Cuba in Liverpool and in Dublin in April will be automatic choices following the outcome of the Four Nations series in Liverpool on March 24th-27th.
IRELAND (team for France): 38kgs - J Conlon (St John Bosco, Belfast); 51kgs - TJ Doheny (Portlaoise); 54kgs - J Cooley (St Joseph's, Derry); 57kg - JJ Joyce (St Michael's, Athy); 60kgs - D A Joyce (St Michael's, Athy); 64kgs - P Murphy (Cluain Mhuire, Newry); 64 kgs - F Foley (Porlaoise); 67kgs - C McCarthy (St Paul's, Waterford); 75 kgs - D Joyce (Moate); 81 kgs - PJ Rea (Shamrocks, Tyrone).
