2008 Irish Olympic Team Briefing

Athletics Team

Story so far After a disappointing Olympics for athletics, there has been a changing of the guard with only five of the thirteen qualified athletes being present four years ago. There have been several standout performances in those four years such as Derval O’Rourke’s World indoor Championships Gold and silver in the European Championships in 2006. David Gillick has also won two European Indoor titles at 400m. The Irish Sports Council in conjunction with Athletics Ireland made timely interventions post European Championships which have proved very positive.

The Irish Athletics team has improved year on year and had a successful World Championship in 2007 in with eight athletes finishing in the top 16 of their respective events. Paul Hession is in very strong form after a double in the 100m & 200m in the City Sports. Both Robert Heffernan and David Gillick have set new national records this season for the 20km Walk and the 400m respectively. Olive Loughnane is another athlete to watch after a personal best performance at the IAAF Race Walking Challenge finishing in 6 th place.

Supporting the team

All the athletes who will be representing Ireland in the Bird’s Nest stadium receive both financial and medical support from the Irish Sports Council. Derval O’Rourke is the only contracted athlete with eight athletes receiving World Class level funding. The remaining qualified athletes receive funding at International level.

Athletics Ireland provides a High Performance programme funded by the Irish Sports Council and has 80 athletes in total with a support strategy that includes warm weather training camps, medical support and preparation for international competitions. The High Performance team in Athletics Ireland includes the Director of Athletics along with other support staff.

Once again Matsue, Japan will be used as the preparation base having proved successful for the world championships in . Ireland’s elite athletes will be joined in this excellent training camp by triathlete Emma Davies and mountain biker Robin Seymour. As per 2007, 20K World Championship silver medalist Paco Fernandez will join the camp as training partner to Rob Heffernan.

Support Team

Patsy McGonagle - Team Manager Club: Finn Valley A.C – Chairman Position: Olympic Team Manager (and Chair of High Performance Committee)

A Donegal native, Patsy was manager of the Athletics Olympic team in in 2000. He is a former middle distance athlete who is a level 3 coach and Head of Sport at Letterkenny IT. His father also named Patsy was a member of the Olympic soccer squad in in 1948. Patsy was Donegal person of the year in 2001 and is a retired Commandant of the Reserve Defence Force. He was also coach to Donegal GAA senior football team in the1990’s and more recently worked under Brian Mc Eniff for a number of years - the highlight being the All-Ireland semi final versus Armagh.

Management Highlights Managed Irish Teams at World and European level since 1992 • Team Manager Irish Team Sydney Olympics 2000 – silver medal • Team Manager World University Games Ismir Turkey – 5 medals, World University Games & • Cross Country Team Manager Edinburgh 2002 – silver team medal • Cross Country Team Manager 2004 - junior team medal.

Max Jones – Head Coach (Director of Athletics)

Management Highlights • Chief Coach of Great Britain & Team in the Olympics in 2000 & 2004 • UK Athletics High Performance Director from 1997 to 2004

Appointed as national coach for the governing body of GBR athletics in 1981 and in this capacity was chief coach for throws and the team leader for the British junior team (1991-1995). Became performance Director for UK Athletics in 1997 through to 2004 and in that capacity was the team leader for all major competitions during that period including both the Sydney and Athens . Left this post at the age of 57 after the Athens games and was subsequently appointed Director of Athletics for Athletics Ireland in April 2007 through to Beijing.

Dr Bill Cuddihy - Doctor

Bill qualified as a medical practitioner in 1979 and has worked in general practice in Kilkenny since 1985. He was doctor to the Kilkenny senior hurling team from 1985 to 2001 and is still doctor to the Kilkenny minor hurling team. He has been working with Irish athletic teams at major junior and senior championships since 2000. He has been Medical co-ordinator of Athletics Ireland since 2007.

Ann Keenan Buckley – Team Coach

Club – North Laois A.C.

Occupation- Acupuncturist / Sports Therapist

Ann is a former international athlete who has competed in 13 World Cross Country Championships - a record for an Irish athlete. She was a member of the Irish team that won a bronze team medal in the World Cross Country Champs 2002 and a member of Irish team that won the silver team medal in the European Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh in 2003. She also competed in the 3000m in the Seoul Olympics in 1988. Ann is currently Irish Senior Cross Country and Road team manager.

Pat Ryan – Team Coach

Pat Ryan has been a member of Mullingar Harriers for over 20 years as an athlete, coach and official. A former national race walking champion and international athlete he now combines his job as an AAI Regional Development Officer with coaching. Pat has worked as part of the backup team at international meets, the European Race Walking Cup and the IAAF World Championship in Osaka last year.

Nessa Smyth – Physiotherapist

Nessa is currently Athletics Ireland’s physiotherapy manager. She has been a physiotherapist at the World Championships in Osaka 2007 and European Championship in in 2006. She was also physiotherapist with Riverdance in the USA for 15 months. Worked with a variety of sporting organizations the GAA, Hockey and Tennis.

Stuart Hogg – Accredited Personal Coach

Nick Dakin – Accredited Personal Coach

Sean Cahill – Accredited Personal Coach

Ciaran Fitzpatrick – Massage Therapist

Athletics Ireland have also invited the following personal coaches to attend the preparation training camp in Matsue, Japan to assist with the last minute preparations before the Olympic Games.

Greg Mc Millan (Martin Fagan)

Dave Fagan (Eileen O’Keeffe)

Pat Diskin (Fionnuala Britton) Athletes

Colin Griffin – 50km Walk

Date of Birth: 3-08-1982 Club: Ballinamore A.C Coach: Sandro Damilano Place of Birth: Dublin Height 182cm Weight 68kg

Career Highlights 9th In European Juniors 2001 for 10k Walk 7th In World Youths 1999 for 10k Walk National record holder for 50km Walk

PB's 10km Walk 42:49 20km Walk 1:24:16 50km Walk 3:51:32 NR

World Championships, Osaka 2007: DNF

Progression 5000m Walk 20km Walk 50km Walk 2008 20.04.29 1.24.22 3:58.26 2007 19.36.44i 1.25.14 3:51.32 2006 19.43.40 1.24.16 2005 20.44.45 1.26.19 2004 - 1.29.12 2003 19.51.15i 1.25.20

In preparation for Beijing Colin moved to Saluzzo in where he is now coached by Sandro Damilano, who has coached athletes who have won 40 major championship medals between them in the last 4 decades.

The National 50km walk record holder was on course for a big personal best at the IAAF World Race Walking Cup in , Russia May 11 but suffered a reaction to a food supplement at 36km which resulted in him getting sick. Despite this, Colin still managed to finish 25th in 3:58:26 under the Olympic "A" standard of 4 hours. More recently he won the Irish National 20km Championships in Royal Leamington Spa finishing 2nd overall.

The meticulous Griffin should be in top form come Beijing. The National Track and Field Championships will be his last competition before Beijing where he will compete in the 10km walk. Colin is from a rich athletics background. His father Padraig Griffin was a former president of the former Irish Athletics Organization BLE. His mother Patricia Griffin is former International long distance athlete. Jamie Costin - 50km Walk

Date of Birth: 1-06-1977 Club: West Waterford A.C Coach: Ilya Markov Place of Birth: Ring Co. Waterford Height 179cm Weight 72kg

Career Highlights: Three time Olympian

PB's 20km Walk 1:22:45 50km Walk 3:53:30

World Track and Field Championships, Osaka 2007: DNF

Progression 20km 50km 2008 1.24.37 2007 1.24.53 3.53.30 2006 1.28.55 - 2004 1.23.08 - 2003 1.28.46 3.53.58

Major Championship Record 50km Walk 2000 3.59.02 17 ECp 2000 4.24.22 38 OG 2001 4.11.58 28 WC 2007 3.53.30 15 ECp

After an horrific experience at the Olympic Games in Athens it is a miracle that Jamie Costin is going to be toeing the line for the 50km Walk in Beijing. A car crash nine days before he was scheduled to compete at the 2004 Olympic Games left Jamie with two broken vertebrae as well as other fractures in his back with questions whether he would walk again let alone compete.

“I had just finished a morning's training near Athens when a lorry, driving on the wrong side of the road, ploughed into his rental car. "One of the vertebrae literally exploded and I was very fortunate that it didn't sever the spinal cord,"

Despite failing to finish in Osaka, 2007 was a very successful year for Costin where he set a new personal best for the 50km walk of 3:53:30 at Royal Leamington Spa, Coventry. This season has seen him finish 59th at the IAAF World Race Walking Cup in Cheboksary, Russia in 1:25:59 and 3rd at the 8th European Athletics Race Walking Permit meeting in Royal Leamington Spa in the shorter 20km in 1:24:37.

Robert Heffernan – 20Km Walk

Date of Birth 20-02-1978 Club Togher A.C Coach Place of Birth Cork Height 173cm Weight 55kg

Career Highlights 6th in World Championships Osaka 2007 8th in the European Championships 2002, 5th in European Race walking Cup 2007 6th in IAAF World Race Walking Cup 2008

PB’s 3000m Walk 11.27.6h 5000m Walk 18.59.90 10000m Walk 38.47.66 20km Walk 1.19.22 NR

Progression 5000m Walk 20k walk 2008 18.51.46 1.19.22 NR 2007 18.59 1.20.15 NR 2005 19.20.8hi 1.24.20 2004 19.21.63 1.20.55 2003 - 1.23.03 2002 18.53.09i 1.20.15

Robert Heffernan has been in excellent form this season smashing his Irish 20km walk record by 53 seconds to become the first Irish man to break the magical 80 minutes barrier for the distance. At the IAAF World Race Walking Cup he finished 9th in 1:19:22.

Robert was ranked in the world top ten for the 20km walk in the annual rankings list in 2007 in the highly respected publications Athletics International and Track and Field News- 9th in Athletics International and 8th in Track and Field News.

Heffernan's form has been exemplary this season beginning with a new Irish indoor 5,000m record of 18:51.46 at the Woodie's DIY National Indoor Championships in the Odyssey Arena, .

He has also put in other first-rate performances at the IAAF Race Walking Challenge in Chihuahua, Mexico (1:23:45) and at the IAAF Race Walking Grand Prix in Krakow, finishing 6th and 5th (1:20:33) respectively. Coached by Race Walking legend Robert Korzeniowski he looks on course to at least equal his 6th place finish at the World Championships in Osaka last year.

Alistair Cragg - 1500m / 5,000m

Date of Birth 13.06.1980 Club Clonliffe Harriers Coach John McDonnell Place of Birth South Africa Height 1.80m Weight 64kg

Career Highlights 12th Olympic Final 2004 Gold - European Indoor Championships 2005 4th World Indoor's 2006 Multiple NCAA champion

PB's 1500m 3:36.18 2007 3000m 7:32.49 2007 5000m 13:07.10 2007 10,000m 27:39.55 2007NR

World Track and Field Championships, Osaka 2007 heats (13th)

Progression 1500m 3000m 5000m 10,000m 2008 13.16.12 2007 3.36.18 7.43.30 13.07.10 27.39.55 2006 3.40.71 7.46.43i 13.08.97 2005 7.39.89 2004 3.40.18 7.38.96 13.12.74 28.46.64 2003 3.39.24 13.25.59 28.20.29 2002 3.42.10 13.22.07 29.33.77

Alistair is Ireland’s leading distance runner with a huge range of ability, having the qualifying times for 1500m, 5000m and 10,000m for Beijing. He had a disappointing world championships in Osaka last year where he failed to make the final in the 5,000m. Focusing on both 1,500m and 5,000m in Beijing, Cragg, coached by John McDonnell in Arkansas, will be looking to rediscover the form which saw him make the Olympic final in Athens where he finished 12th and win European indoor gold over 3,000m in 2005.

His track season so far has been promising and he opened up with a solid 13:25.36 to finish fourth in the Reebok Grand Prix in New York. Cragg improved further with a time of 13:16.12 at the Golden Spike Meet in Ostrava - a performance indicating he is rediscovering his best form. David Gillick –

Date of Birth 09-07-83 Club Dundrum South Dublin Coach Nick Dakin Place of Birth Dublin Height 1.89m Weight 83kg

Career Highlights Twice 400m European Indoor Champion, 2005 and Birmingham 2007 Bronze in World Indoor Championships Relay

World Track and Field Championships, Osaka 2007: semi-final (6th)

PB’s 400m 45.12 2008 200m 21.21 2005

Progression 400m 200m 2008 45.12 NR 21.19w 2007 45.23 2006 45.67 2005 45.93 21.21 2004 46.29 22.00 2003 46.80 21.84

David had his best outdoor championships at the World Championships in Osaka last year where he made the semi-finals to finish 6th (45.37) in the outside lane and just miss out on a place in the final. Now in his second year based at Loughborough under the guidance of Nick Dakin, Gillick skipped the indoor season in an effort to improve on his Osaka performance in Beijing.

David has been consistently in the mid 45 second region this season and has run 45.65 twice to finish second both times behind training partner Martyn Rooney of Great Britain at the Golden Spike meet in Ostrava and in Geneva.

Gillick ran his fastest 200m ever albeit slightly over the legal wind limit at the European Cup in Estonia to finish fifth in 21.19. This will be David's first Olympic Games and he looks set to break his Irish record of 45.12 seconds. The two-time European indoor 400m champion will have to break the 45 second barrier to be in the final reckoning in Beijing.

Paul Hession – 200m

Date of Birth 27-01-1983 Club Athenry A.C Coach Stuart Hogg, Scotland Place of Birth Athenry, Galway Height 184cm Weight 76kg

Career Highlights World University Games 2nd 2003, 3rd 2005, European Indoor 60m 7th 2007, National Record holder for 100m and 200m

PB's 60m 6.61i NR 2007 100M 10.36i NR 2008 100m 10.18 NR 2007 200m 20.30 NR 2007

World Track and Field Championships, Osaka 2007: semi-final (6th)

Progression 60m 100m 200m 2008 6.69 10.36 NR 20.48 2007 6.61NR 10.18NR 20.30NR 2006 10.42 20.56 2005 6.81i 10.46 20.86 2004 10.58 20.61 2003 10.53 20.80 2002 10.64w 21.03

With a second place finish over 200m (20.48) at the Golden League Exxon in Norway and a further second place finish in Ostrava behind over 300m, where he set a new Irish record of 32.47, Paul Hession, has been in sparkling from this year.

Hession was ranked third fastest European over 200m last year and made the semi-finals in Osaka along with his record breaking performances over 100m and 200m. This year promises to be even better and he could be the story of the Championships where he has a realistic outside chance of making the final where he would most likely be the only white man.

Hession has taken over the mantle of Ireland’s fastest man from Gary Ryan as he brings Irish sprinting to a global level. Hession who has nearly completed his medical studies in NUI Galway looks set to revise his Irish record of 20.30 after running a wind assisted 20.26 already this season. The Stuart Hogg coached athlete will need to replicate this form in Beijing to make the final.

Martin Fagan – Marathon

Date of Birth 6-06-1983 Club Mullingar Harriers Coach Greg McMillan Place of Birth Mullingar Height 184cm Weight 68Kg

Career Highlights 2007 Irish National 5,000m Champion 2006 11th European Track Championships - 10,000m 2006 2nd NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships - 10,000m 2005 Irish National 5,000m Champion

World Track and Field Championships, Osaka 2007: didn't qualify

PB’s 5000m 13.39.62 2006 10000m 28.18.30 2006 Marathon 2.14.06 2008

Progression 1mile 3000 5000 Marathon 2004 4.06.21i 8.14.15i 14.09.35 2005 8.04.19 13.56.82 2005 13.58.05i 2006 4.04.92 8.06.19 13.39.62 2006 7.57.69i 14.01.15i 2008 2.14.06

Martin Fagan had to display Olympic spirit to overcome adversity to realise his Olympic ambition of running the marathon in Beijing. Visa difficulties led to him missing his planned qualifying attempt in America in the Houston Marathon on January 13th. Having been based in Flagstaff, Arizona under coach Greg McMillan he returned to run in the European Cross Country Championships on December 9 but upon his return he was refused entry back in to America.

This scuppered his plans of running in Houston but some quick thinking by agent Ray Flynn got him into the Dubai Marathon on the 18th of January where Haile Gebrsellassie had a world record attempt. In less than ideal conditions and with shooting pains in his lower back and leg he managed to finish in 2:14:06 fifty four seconds under the qualifying standard. Since Dubai his visa difficulties have been fixed but he has struggled with a stress fracture in his hip due to his efforts. Fagan will be looking to build on his Beijing experience in what promises to be a very successful marathon career. He is the first Irish athlete to qualify for the marathon since 1992 in . Fionnuala Britton - 3,000m

Date of Birth 24-09-84 Club Sli Cualann Coach Pat Diskin Place of Birth Wicklow Height 155cm Weight 45Kg

Career Highlights Silver - European U/23 Cross Country 2006 14th World Cross Country 2007 Finalist at the European U/23 Champs 2005.

World Track and Field Championships, Osaka 2007 – Final 12 th

PB’s 3000m S/C 9.41.36 1500m 4.18.92

Progression: 1500m 3000m s/c 2008 4.28.23 9.45.54 2007 9.41.36 2006 4.18.92 9.49.20 2005 4:28.97 10.06.26 2004 10:33.10

Renowned for her cross-country exploits, Fionnuala Britton, will be looking to emulate her achievement at the World Track and Field Championships in Osaka by making the final in Beijing. Britton finished 12th in Osaka in 9:48.09 and is doing a post grad in Sports Science in DCU. She is the only member of the Irish Olympic team who is coached by an Irish resident coach- Pat Diskin.

This year she put in a dominant display to win the Woodie's National Interclub Cross Country Championships by a massive 66 seconds. She followed this up with a fine silver medal at the World Student Games.

This track season to date she has recorded 9:45.54 for the steeplechase and ran a personal best over 3,000m (9:23.34) to finish 5th in the European Cup in Leiria, . Roisin Mc Gettigan – 3,000m Steeplechase

Date of Birth: 23-08-1980 Club: Sli Cualann Coach: Ray Treacy, Providence Place of Birth: Wicklow Height 173cm Weight 58kg

Career Highlights 2nd IAAF Grand Prix final in 2007 9th IAAF Grand Prix final in 2005

World Track and Field Championships, Osaka 2007 – Final 10 th

PB’s 3000m S/C 9.28.29NR 800m 2.04.9h 1500m 4.10.34 Mile 4.35.55 3000m 9.03.11i 5000m 15.58.64

Progression 1500m 3000m s/c 2008 9.30.56SB 2008 4.14.50 9.39.95 2007 4.12.93 9.28.29NR 2006 4.11.71 9.32.04NR 2005 4.13.93 9:46.12 2004 4.14.08 9.45.60 2003 4.10.34 9.50.12 2002 10.08.24

At the Final in Stuttgart last year Roisin had finished a close second in 9:35.86 behind Eunice Jepkorir who won the bronze medal at the World Track and Field Championships in Osaka. This was a big breakthrough and her most lucrative pay day to date. In Osaka she finished 10th in 9:39.80.

McGettigan has raced sparingly in the early season as a result of injury but at the European Cup in Leiria, Portugal she was a close third in the 3,000m steeplechase in 9:39.95. She ran one of her faster ever times in Athens on 13 th July of 9:30.56.

Roisin, was ranked 8th in the world last year by Track and Field News and 10th in Athletics International for the event. The 3,000m steeplechase for women is its making its debut in the Olympics this year and Roisin will be looking to replicate her performance from last year in Osaka and make the final and break into the top ten. Eileen O’Keefe - Hammer

Date of Birth: 31.05.1981 Club: Kilkenny City Harriers Coach Self Coached / Dave Fagan Place of Birth Kilkenny Height 170cm Weight 80kg

PB’s Hammer 73.21 NR 2007

Career Highlights National record holder of 73.21m in July 2007 European Cup Winner Vaasa 2007 Seven successive National Titles

World Track and Field Championships, Osaka 2007 – Final 6 th

Progression Hammer 2008 70.39 2007 73.21NR 2006 69.34 2005 69.36 NR 2004 64.66 NR 2003 63.35 NR 2002 61.10 NR 2001 57.17 NR 2000 53.35

Along with Robert Heffernan, Eileen O'Keefe was the joint highest Irish placed athlete in the World Track and Field Championships in Osaka with a fine sixth place finish in the hammer. Her career includes a remarkable story where her brother bought a hammer throwing video from a pound shop which sparked her interest in the event. Since then she has gone on to huge success with a silver medal at the World Student Games in Bangkok to go along with her 6th place in Osaka last year. She is the Irish record holder with 73.21m and has won seven consecutive National Hammer throw titles.

This season she has thrown over 70 meters with a 70.39m effort at the Loughborough International and at the European Cup she comprehensively won her event in 69.59m. Her final competition before the Olympic Games will be in the Brother Morton Memorial meet on the 25th of July.

Derval O’Rourke - 100m Hurdles

Date of Birth: 28-05-1981 Club: Leevale A/C Coach: Sean Cahill Place of Birth: Cork

PB’s 60m H 7.84 NR 100m H 12.72 NR

Career Highlights World Indoor Champion 2006 Silver European Championships 2006 World University Games Bronze 2005

World Track and Field Championships, Osaka 2007 – Semi Final 8th

Progression 100H 60H 2008 12.90 8.09i 2007 12.88 2007 12.95 2006 12.72NR 7.84NR 2005 12.95w 8.02 2004 13.39 8.27 2003 12.96 8.12 2002 13.38 8.22 2001 13.57 8.53 2000 13.40 8.46 1999 13.82

Derval is on the verge of rediscovering her form of 2006 which saw her win the 60m hurdles at the World Indoor Championships in and the European silver over 100m hurdles in Gothenburg. She has already run her fastest time for two years with a 12.90 second place finish in Prague at the Memorial Odlozil meet.

This will be Derval's second Olympic Games having run in Athens in 2004. She suffered from severe food poisoning and appendicitis three weeks before Athens and this saw her fail to qualify from her heat. The experience strengthened her resolve and her career has improved massively as a result. O'Rourke is a championship performer and she will need to draw on her mental strength to make the final in what is an extremely tough event with many of the top hurdlers in fine form.

Joanne Cuddihy – 400 metres

Date of Birth 11-05-1984 Club UCD AC Coach Nick Dakin Place of Birth Kilkenny Height 184cm Weight 65kg

PB’s 200m 23.33 400m 50.73

Career Highlights European Junior championships Silver 2003 World Juniors Championships Finalist 2002 World University Games 4th 2003

World Track and Field Championships, Osaka 2007 – Semi Final 4th

Progression 200m 400m 2008 23.56 51.98 2007 23.63 51.56 2006 23.43PB 51.09 PB 2005 24.33 w 53.66 2004 24.40 53.25 2003 52.94NJR 2002 53.36

Joanne Cuddihy has been improving every year and this season saw her move to Loughborough to link up with Nick Dakin who has been coaching David Gillick for the past two seasons.

A back injury and a reoccurring knee injury have hampered her progress so far this season but once fully fit the Kilkenny woman will be down again in 50 second territory and will look to rewrite her Irish record of 50.73 which she set in the semi-final in Osaka to finish fourth- just missing out on a place in the final.

Cuddihy opened the season well with a second place finish in Hengelo in 51.98 but her form has stuttered since due to the injury problems. She faces a race against time to be fully fit for Beijing and a semi-final appearance would consolidate her progress as one of Europe's best 400m runners. Her father Bill Cuddihy is the team doctor for Athletics Ireland in Beijing. He was long time team doctor for the senior Kilkenny hurling team.

Olive Loughnane – 20km Walk

Date of Birth: 14-01-1976 Club: Loughrea A.C Coach: self-coached Place of Birth: Cork Height 160cm Weight 49kg

Career Highlights 8th European Champs 2002 12th World Championships 2003 6th in IAAF World Race Walking Cup 2008

World Track and Field Championships, Osaka 2007 – 17 th

PB’s 3000m Walk 12.32.51 5000m Walk 21.13.59 10km Walk 46.32 20km Walk 1.29.17

Progression 3000m W 5000m W 20km W 2008 13.05.16i 1.29.17 2007 12.35.30 1.32.25 2005 12.50.83i 21.52.56 1.32.2 2004 12.39.29i 21.42.06 1.30.47 2003 12.32.51i 21.13.59 1.30.29 2002 13.06.76i 21.54.97 1.32.44 2000 12.41.98i 22.01.53 1.34.59

Olive is one of the most experienced team members having been part of the Sydney Olympics back in 2000 where she finished 35th and this will be her third Olympic Games. Like all the walkers she had a disappointing Olympics in Athens where she failed to finish due to illness but she has subsequently bounced back.

This season has seen Olive re-write her personal best when she finished a superb 6th in the women's 20km walk in 1:29:17 at the IAAF World Race Walking Cup in Cheboksary, Russia. Incidentally it was in Cheboksary in 2003 that she set her previous best of 1:30:29.

Olive has had two other 6th place finishes over 20km this year at the Catones da Coruna meet in (1:31:22) and at the Rio Maior Race Walking International Grand Prix in Portugal (1:30:51).

Olive is the only female representative in the 20km walk and on this form she looks set to at least equal her best global finish of 12th place at the World Championships in Paris in 2003. She finished 17th in Osaka last year in 1:36:00. National Records set in 2008

Men Records

300m Paul Hession Athenry 12/6/08 Ostrava 32.47

400m David Gillick DSD 27/06/08 Lille 45.12

20K Walk Robert Heffernan Togher 10/05/08 Russia 1.19.22

Women Records

Pole Vault Zoe Brown Ballymena 18/05/08 Loughborough 3.95m

Qualifying Performances

Elements to consider Temparatures in Beijing are expected to be in region 30 oC with high humidity of between 80-100%. These conditions will have an impact particularly on endurance events where winning times will be affected. The conditions will not be unknown to the Irish athletes after competing in similar conditions in the World Championships in Osaka last year.

Websites to watch www.iaaf.org www.irishsportscouncil.ie www.athleticsireland.ie http://www.tilastopaja.org/ online stats http://www.iaaf.org/mm/document/competitions/competition/p1- 181_3701.pdf IAAF official Olympics stats book

Mens National Senior Outdoor Records

Event Time Wind Name D..O.B Venue Date 100m 10.18 +1.9 Paul Hession 27.01.83 Vaala 23.06.07 200m 20.30 +0.1 Paul Hession 27.01.83 Dublin 21.07.07 300m 32.47 Paul Hession 27.01.83 Ostrava 12.06.08 Villeneuve 400m 45.12 David Gillick 09.07.83 27.06.08 d’Ascq 800m 1:44.82 David Matthews 09.04.74 Rieti, Italy 05.09.95 1000m 2:17.58 David Matthews 09.04.74 Sarajevo 09.09.96 1500m 3:33.5 Ray Flynn 22.01.57 Oslo 07.07.82 Mile 3:49.77 Ray Flynn 22.01.57 Oslo 07.07.82 2000m 4:55.06 Marcus O’Sullivan 22.12.61 Nice 10.07.96 3000m 7:30.36 Mark Carroll 15.01.72 Monaco 04.08.99 5000m 13:03.93 Mark Carroll 15.01.72 01.09.98 10,000m 27:39.55 Alistair Cragg 13.06.80 Stanford 29.04.07 19625m 1 Hour John Treacy 04.06.57 Monaco 19.09.87 110m Hdl 13.30 +0.6 Peter Coghlan 27.03.75 Hechtel 07.08.99 400m Hdl 49.73 Tom Mc Guirk 03.02.71 San Jose 01.06.96 3000m 8.24.09 Brendan Quinn 26.07.60 Brussels 30.08.85 S/c

4×100m 39.26 National Team Sydney 29.09.00 (John McAdorey, Gary Ryan, Tom Comyns, Paul

Brizzel) 4×100m 40.89 Dublin City Hrs Tullamore 13.08.00 Club (Darren Hough, David Finegan, Eugene Farrell,

David Power) 4×400m 3:03.73 National Team Munich 10.08.02 ( Robert Daly, Paul McKee, Antoine Burke, David McCarthy) 4×400m 3:12.21 Dublin City Hrs Tullamore 13.08.00 Club (Darren Hough, David Finegan, Eugene Farrell, Paul

Opperman)

Adrian High Jump 2.30 83 Algiers 24.06.04 O’Dwyer Pole Vault 5.00 Alan Burke 23.05.65 Crystal Palace 13.08.89 Ciaran Mc La Chaux-de- Long Jump 8.07 +1.4 20.05.76 21.08.05 Donagh Fonds Triple 15.89 Colm Cronin 14.06.57 Copenhagen 26.06.77 Jump Shot 20.04 Paul Quirke 05.06.63 New York 07.07.92 Discus 67.89 Nick Sweeney 26.03.68 Helsingborg 04.09.98 Declan Hammer 77.80 12.10.60 Walnut US 28.04.85 Hegarty Terry Mc Javelin 82.75 22.08.63 London 05.08.00 Hugh 56lbs Gerry 4.93 NA Tullamore 19.07.86 Height O’Connell 56lbs Dist. 9.16 John Menton 07.05.70 Morton Std. 2.07.98 Carlos Decathlon 7882 21.06.63 Emmitsburg 4/5.06.88 O’Connell (10.89, 7.50, 13.05, 1.92, 48.84, 14.59, 41.70, 4.40, 54.96, 4.21.75) Marathon 2.09.15 John Treacy 04.06.57 Boston 18.04.88 BP 3000m Robert 11.27.06 28.02.78 Tullamore 13.08.00 Walk Heffernan 5000m Robert 18:59.37 28.02.78 Barcelona 30.06.07 Walk Heffernan 10,000m Robert Morton 38.47.66 28.02.78 13.07.02 Walk. Heffernan Stadium 20,000m Bobby Morton 1:23:51.12 19.06.67 14.07.91 Walk O’Leary Stadium 20k Walk Robert 1.19.22 28.02.78 Cheboksary 10.05.08 Rd. Heffernan 50k Walk 3:51:32 Colin Griffin 03/08/82 Dudince 24.03.07

Womens National Senior Outdoor Records

Event Time Wind Name D..O.B Venue Date 100m 11.43 +1.4 Michele Carroll 05.08.61 Sittard 17.06.78 200m 23.02 +0.3 Sarah Reilly 03.07.73 08.08.01 300m 37.07 15.10.76 Brasschaat 15.08.01 Joanne 400m 50.73 11.05.84 Osaka 27.08.07 Cuddihy Sonia 800m 2:00.69 28.11.69 St. P.’burg 28.07.94 O’Sullivan Sonia 1000m 2:34.66 28.11.69 Lille 03.07.93 O’Sullivan Sonia 1500m 3:58.85 28.11.69 Monte Carlo 25.07.95 O’Sullivan Sonia Mile 4:17.26 28.11.69 Oslo 23.07.94 O’Sullivan Sonia 2000m 5:25 36 28.11.69 Edinburgh 08.07.94 O’Sullivan Sonia 3000m 8:21.64 28.11.69 London 15.07.94 O’Sullivan Sonia 5000m 14:41.02 28.11.69 Sydney 25.09.00 O’Sullivan Sonia 10000m 30:47.59 28.11.69 Munich 06.08.02 O’Sullivan Derval 100m H 12.72 +0.5 28.05.81 Gothenburg 11.08.06 O’Rourke 400m H 54.31 Susan Smith 14.09.71 Zurich 12.08.98 Roisin 3000m SC 9:28.29 23.08.80 Heusden 28.07.07 McGettigan

4×100m 44.68 National Team Prague, CZE 17.06.06 (Emily Maher, Anna Boyle, Ailis McSweeney,

Ciara Sheehy) West Dublin 4×100m 47.48 Club Tullamore 15.08.99 A.C. (Michelle Carey, Niamh McGlynn, Fiona

O’Friel, ) 4×400m 3.31.51 National Team Prague, CZE 18.06.06 (Michelle Carey, Elaine McCaffrey, Ciara

Sheehy, Joanne Cuddihy) Kilkenny City 4×400m 3:42.29 Club Tullamore 13.08.00 Hrs (Joanne Cuddihy, Fiona Norwood, Geraldine Nolan, Emily

Maher)

High J. 1.92 Deirdre Ryan 01.06.82 Manchester 15.07.06 Pole Vault 3.95 Zoe Brown 15.09.83 Loughborough 18.05.08 Long J. 6.48 Terri Horgan 30.10.67 Brussels 14.06.92 Taneisha Bratislava, Triple J. 13.62 +0.9 77 29.05.05 Scanlon SVK Shot P. 16.99 Marita Walton 07.10.60 Stanford US 02.04.83 Morton Std Discus 57.60 Patricia Walsh 16.03.60 07.07.84 Dublin Jennifer Javelin 50.10 00.00.81 Navan 18.07.04 O’Sullivan Javelin 50.42 Mary T Real 00.00.71 Waterford 20.06.92 (old) Hammer 73.21 Eileen O’Keeffe 31.05.81 Dublin 21.07.07 Hemel 23- Heptathlon 5394 Sharon Foley 20.05.72 Hempstead 24/8.97 Catherina Marathon 2.22.23 30.11.69 01.11.98 McKiernan Gillian 3000m Wk 12.34.71 21.08.76 Castleisland 11.06.00 O’Sullivan Gillian 5000m Wk 20.02.60 21.08.76 Morton Std. 13.07.02 O’Sullivan Gillian 10000m W 45.28.75 21.08.76 San Sebastian 01.08.98 O’Sullivan 10k W Gillian 43.29 21.08.76 Dublin 15.07.00 Road O’Sullivan Gillian 20K Walk 1.27.22 21.08.76 Milan 01.05.03 O’Sullivan

World Records -Men

Nat Discipline Perf Wind Athlete DOB Venue Date

New York City, 9.72 1.7 21/08/1986 JAM NY 31/05/2008 Michael 19.32 0.4 Johnson 13/09/1967 USA Atlanta, GA 01/08/1996

Michael 400 Metres 43.18 Johnson 13/09/1967 USA Sevilla 26/08/1999

Wilson 800 Metres 01:41.1 Kipketer 12/12/1972 DEN Köln 24/08/1997

1000 Metres 02:12.0 Noah Ngeny 02/11/1978 KEN Rieti 05/09/1999 Hicham El 1500 Metres 03:26.0 Guerrouj 14/09/1974 MAR Roma 14/07/1998

Hicham El One Mile 03:43.1 Guerrouj 14/09/1974 MAR Roma 07/07/1999 Hicham El 2000 Metres 04:44.8 Guerrouj 14/09/1974 MAR Berlin 07/09/1999

3000 Metres 07:20.7 Daniel Komen 17/05/1976 KEN Rieti 01/09/1996 Kenenisa 12:37.4 Bekele 13/06/1982 ETH Hengelo 31/05/2004 10,000 Kenenisa Metres 26:17.5 Bekele 13/06/1982 ETH Bruxelles 26/08/2005 Haile 10 Kilometres 27:02:00 Gebrselassie 18/04/1973 ETH Doha 11/12/2002

15 Kilometres 41:29:00 Felix Limo 22/08/1980 KEN Nijmegen 11/11/2001 20,000 Haile Metres 56:26.0 Gebrselassie 18/04/1973 ETH Ostrava 27/06/2007 Haile 20 Kilometres 55:48:00 Gebrselassie 18/04/1973 ETH Phoenix, AZ 15/01/2006

Haile One Hour 21.285 Gebrselassie 18/04/1973 ETH Ostrava 27/06/2007 Samuel Half Kamau Marathon 58:33:00 Wanjiru 10/11/1986 KEN Den Haag 17/03/2007

Haile Marathon 02:04:26 Gebrselassie 18/04/1973 ETH Berlin 30/09/2007 100 Takahiro Kilometres 06:13:33 Sunada 19/01/1973 JPN Tokoro 21/06/1998

3000 Metres Saif Saaeed Steeplechase 07:53.6 Shaheen 15/10/1982 QAT Bruxelles 03/09/2004

110 Metres Hurdles 12.88 1.1 Xiang Liu 13/07/1983 CHN Lausanne 11/07/2006

400 Metres Hurdles 46.78 Kevin Young 16/09/1966 USA Barcelona 06/08/1992 Javier High Jump 2.45 Sotomayor 13/10/1967 CUB Salamanca 27/07/1993

Pole Vault 6.14 Sergey Bubka 04/12/1963 UKR Sestriere 31/07/1994

Long Jump 8.95 0.3 Mike Powell 10/11/1963 USA Tokyo 30/08/1991 Jonathan Triple Jump 18.29 1.3 Edwards 10/05/1966 GBR Göteborg 07/08/1995

Shot Put 23.12 Randy Barnes 16/06/1966 USA Westwood, CA 20/05/1990

Discus Throw 74.08 Jürgen Schult 11/05/1960 GDR Neubrandenburg 06/06/1986 Hammer Throw 86.74 Yuriy Sedykh 11/06/1955 URS Stuttgart 30/08/1986

Javelin Throw 98.48 Jan Zelezný 16/06/1966 CZE Jena 25/05/1996

Decathlon 9026 Roman Šebrle 26/11/1974 CZE Götzis 27/05/2001 20,000 Metres Race Bernardo Walk 17:25.6 Segura 11/02/1970 MEX Bergen 07/05/1994

20 Kilometres Vladimir Race Walk 01:17:16 Kanaykin 21/03/1985 RUS 29/09/2007 30,000 Metres Race Maurizio Walk 01:44.1 Damilano 06/04/1957 ITA Cuneo 03/10/1992 50,000 Metres Race Walk 40:57.9 14/02/1962 FRA Héricourt 29/09/1996

50 Kilometres Denis Race Walk 03:34:14 Nizhegorodov 26/07/1980 RUS Cheboksary 11/05/2008

4x100 Metres Relay 37.4 United States USA Barcelona 08/08/1992

4x100 Metres Relay 37.4 United States USA Stuttgart 21/08/1993

4x400 Metres Relay 02:54.2 United States USA Uniondale 22/07/1998

World Records – Women

Nat Discipline Perf Wind Athlete DOB Venue Date

Florence Griffith- 100 Metres 10.49 0 Joyner 21/12/1959 USA Indianapolis, IN 16/07/1988

Florence Griffith- 200 Metres 21.34 1.3 Joyner 21/12/1959 USA Seoul 29/09/1988

400 Metres 47.6 Marita Koch 18/02/1957 GDR Canberra 06/10/1985

Jarmila 800 Metres 01:53.3 Kratochvílová 26/01/1951 TCH München 26/07/1983

Svetlana 1000 Metres 02:29.0 Masterkova 17/01/1968 RUS Bruxelles 23/08/1996

1500 Metres 03:50.5 Yunxia Qu 25/12/1972 CHN Beijing 11/09/1993 Svetlana One Mile 04:12.6 Masterkova 17/01/1968 RUS Zürich 14/08/1996

2000 Metres 05:25.4 Sonia O'Sullivan 28/11/1969 IRL Edinburgh 08/07/1994

3000 Metres 08:06.1 Junxia Wang 09/01/1973 CHN Beijing 13/09/1993

5000 Metres 14:11.2 Tirunesh Dibaba 01/10/1985 ETH Oslo (Bislett) 06/06/2008

10,000 Metres 29:31.8 Junxia Wang 09/01/1973 CHN Beijing 08/09/1993

10 Kilometres 30:21:00 Paula Radcliffe 17/12/1973 GBR San Juan, PUR 23/02/2003

Half Marathon 01:06:25 Lornah Kiplagat 01/05/1974 NED Udine 14/10/2007

Marathon 02:15:25 Paula Radcliffe 17/12/1973 GBR London 13/04/2003

3000 Metres Gulnara Samitova- Steeplechase 09:01.6 Galkina 09/07/1978 RUS Iráklio 04/07/2004

100 Metres Hurdles 12.21 0.7 Yordanka Donkova 28/09/1961 BUL Stara Zagora 20/08/1988

400 Metres Hurdles 52.34 Yuliya Pechenkina 21/04/1978 RUS Tula 08/08/2003

Stefka High Jump 2.09 Kostadinova 25/03/1965 BUL Roma 30/08/1987

Pole Vault 5.03 Yelena Isinbaeva 03/06/1982 RUS Roma 11/07/2008

Galina Long Jump 7.52 1.4 Chistyakova 26/07/1962 URS Leningrad 11/06/1988

Triple Jump 15.5 0.9 Inessa Kravets 05/10/1966 UKR Göteborg 10/08/1995 Natalya Shot Put 22.63 Lisovskaya 16/07/1962 URS Moskva 07/06/1987

Discus Throw 76.8 Gabriele Reinsch 23/09/1963 GDR Neubrandenburg 09/07/1988

Hammer Throw 77.8 Tatyana Lysenko 09/10/1983 RUS Tallinn 15/08/2006

Osleidys Javelin Throw 71.7 Menéndez 14/11/1979 CUB 14/08/2005

Jackie Joyner- Heptathlon 7291 Kersee 03/03/1962 USA Seoul 24/09/1988

Decathlon 8358 Austra Skujyte 12/08/1979 LTU Columbia, MO 15/04/2005

10,000 Metres Nadezhda Race Walk 41:56.2 Ryashkina 22/01/1967 URS Seattle, WA 24/07/1990

20,000 Metres Race Walk 26:52.3 26/08/1970 RUS Brisbane 06/09/2001

20 Kilometres Race Walk 01:25:41 Olimpiada Ivanova 26/08/1970 RUS Helsinki 07/08/2005

German 4x100 Metres Democratic Relay 41.37 Republic GDR Canberra 06/10/1985

4x400 Metres Relay 03:15.2 USSR URS Seoul 01/10/1988