Cork athletes Sophie O’Sullivan, Phil Healy, Michelle Finn and Nicola Tuthill grab gold at Morton Stadium

RHASIDAT Adeleke headlined the final day of the 123.ie National Senior Track and Field Championships with a record-breaking 100m display in front of a bumper crowd at Morton Stadium on Sunday.

The Tallaght AC athlete clocked a new Irish record of 11.13 (+0.7m/s) on her way to gold, finishing ahead of defending champion Sarah Lavin of Emerald AC in 11.37.

Adeleke’s time bettered the previous record of 11.27 held set by Lavin last year and completes a remarkable CV for the 21-year-old who now holds every Irish sprint record, indoors and outdoors, from 60m to 400m.

Speaking after the race, Adeleke said: “I feel like I was at the Europeans or World’s out there, literally. There’s so many people here, so many people turned out to support us and it means the world to me. I love competing in Morton Stadium at the Nationals. It’s very important to me to come back home and make sure I put on a performance for everyone who’s been supporting me throughout the season.”

Adeleke continued: “I didn’t really know what I was going to do. I haven’t been doing that much speed work, I’ve been trying to focus on the 400m. To be able to come here and get the national record, 11.13, I’m really happy with that.”

From a Cork perspective, on Saturday, Phil Healy (Bandon AC) looked hugely impressive in taking the women’s 200m title, with the European silver medallist posting a 23.42 to finish ahead of Alana Ryan (Sli Cualann AC) 24.25 and Aoife Lynch (Donore Harriers) 24.40. 

Thomas Barr (Ferrbank AC) won his 12th national title to huge applause in the men’s 400m hurdles, crossing in a winning time 50.61. The Waterford athlete once again proved to be one of the most popular athletes for the young Irish fans in attendance with Barr treating fans to an hour and a half autograph session post-race. Jennifer Sawyer of St L O’Toole AC took a competitive women’s 400m hurdles in 1:01.87 to claim her first national senior outdoor title.

Sarah Healy (UCD AC) secured back-to-back national senior titles, this time claiming the 800m title in 2:03.64 to follow on from last year’s win in the 1500m. Healy finished ahead of Louise Shanahan (Leevale AC) 2:04.17 and Jenna Bromell (Emerald AC) 2:04.41 who were right in contention heading into the final 50 meters. Mark English (Finn Valley AC) dominated the men’s 800m to claim his 9th outdoor title in 1:49.18.

Healy’s 1500m title from last year went to Sophie O’Sullivan (Ballymore Cobh AC) who upgraded on her silver from last year. The Ballymore Cobh athlete was first to break for home and managed to stay on strongly to cross in 4:20.45 ahead of a fast-finishing Carla Sweeny (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) 4:21.13. O’Sullivan was presented with her first national senior gold medal by mother Sonia who won the same title on five occasions, the most recent coming in 2000.

The men’s 1500m race was also thriller, ultimately going the way of Clonliffe’s Cathal Doyle who added to his growing reputation as a champion racer. Doyle ‘sit-and-kicked’ his was to gold in 3:44.15 ahead of UCD’s Luke McCann 3:44.54 and Bantry’s Darragh McElhinney 3:44.67.

The 400m titles went the way of training partners Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrock AC) and Jack Raftery (Donore Harriers). European silver medallist Becker looked ultra-composed on her way to a 52.68. The race for the remaining podium places was hugely dramatic with Rachel McCann (North Down AC) picking up silver (53.60) ahead of Rome medallist Lauren Cadden (Sligo AC) who suffered a nasty fall when crossing the finish (53.66).

Raftery had a somewhat closer contest in the men’s 400m but held his form all the way to the finish to cross in 45.95. Christopher O`Donnell (North Sligo AC) followed Raftery home in 46.07, while fellow relay teammate Callum Baird (Ballymena and Antrim AC) completed the podium in 46.20.

Michelle Finn of Leevale picked up another women’s 3000m steeplechase gold, clocking 10:05.25, while Billy Coogan of Kilkenny City Harriers crossed first in the men’s 3000m steeplechase in 9:11.69.

Nicola Tuthill (U.C.D. AC) once again starred in the field events, throwing a superb 68.54m to claim the women’s hammer throw title on the back of a busy spell following her top 10 performance at the European Championships in Rome.

The first medal of the day went to Sean Mockler (Moycarkey Coolcroo AC) in the men’s hammer with a best throw of 66.22m claiming top spot on the podium.

Familiar names were top of the pole vault standing with Matthew Callinan Keenan (St. L. O’Toole AC) continuing his return to form post injury to take gold with a best of 4.75m while Ellen McCartney (City of Lisburn AC) secured the women’s title with a best of 4.17m.

Niamh Fogarty (Raheny Shamrock AC) continued her excellent season to take the discus gold with a best throw of 54.64m, while over in the long jump pit Reece Ademola (7.76m) and Elizabeth Ndudi (6.16m) took home the gold medals to Leevale and Dundrum South Dublin respectively.