Louise Shanahan claims gold as Cork athletes impress at indoor championships
Louise Shanahan holds off Zoe Toland to win the Women’s 3000m Final. Picture: INPHO/Morgan Treacy
An exhilarating two days of athletics action came to a close in fitting style as the stars of Irish track and field delivered a thrilling finale at the 123.ie National Senior Indoor Championships.
The track events delivered drama on drama, headlined by the 3000m finals which saw Nick Griggs and Cork's Louise Shanahan walk away with the gold medals.
The win saw Griggs claim his first senior indoor title (8:14.52) following a dramatic final lap which saw him battling it out with West Cork native Darragh McElhinney (8:15.08) after Andrew Coscoran came down on the final bend.
Speaking after securing his first senior title, Griggs said: “It’s special to win my first senior title in the circumstances where it was basically a race-off. Who knows what the selectors will do but I’ve secured my auto qualification for the World indoors.
"There was a lot more pressure on nationals this year, usually nationals you can go out and enjoy it a bit more, so I’m delighted I was able to deliver on my race plan.”
Louise Shanahan timed her finish to perfection in a thrilling women’s contest, bursting through in the closing metres (9:22.47) to add the 3,000m indoor title to last year’s 800m indoor title.
Shanahan came out on top of the thrilling finish to cross ahead of Zoe Toland (CNDR Track AC) 9:22.59 and another Leesider in Michelle Finn (Leevale AC), 9:23.03.
Cork dominated the podium in the long jump, with Leevale's Sam Healy winning in a distance of 7.56, beating club comrade 2 Reece Ademola, 7.49, and Cork City AC's Ryan Onoh, 7.11.
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