Mageean masterclass highlights day one

February 20, 2019

Leading results at end of release

Ciara Mageean (UCD) produced a classy display to win the women’s 3,000m in 9:02.57 on day one of the Irish Life Health National Indoor Championships at the Sport Ireland National Indoor Arena today (February 16).

It was ten years since Mageean won her first national indoor title over 1500m at the tender age of 16 and she went to the front from the gun. It wasn’t long until Sara Treacy (Dunboyne) took over and helped push on the pace – it was clear the European indoor standard of 9:05.00 was the target.

There were races within in the race with Sarah Healy (Blackrock) isolated and then Michelle Finn (Leevale) a little further adrift. It was Finn who brought Healy back up into contention.

Finn and Healy got within touching distance of Mageean but she pushed on as Treacy began to fade. The UCD runner pulled away with every lap to win comfortably while Finn broke Healy to finish second in 9:14.13. Healy was third in 9:24.48.

In the race walks, Kate Veale (West Waterford) and Alex Wright (Leevale) won as expected. Veale won the women’s 3,000m race walk in 13:18.39 while Wright won the men’s 5,000m race walk in 18:53.87.

In the field events, Ruby Millet (St Abban’s) won the women’s long jump in a new national U20 indoor record of 6.20m. It was an excellent performance and bodes well for the summer where she will target the European U20 Athletics Championships.

Sommer Lecky (Finn Valley) won an exciting duel in the women’s high jump with Phillipa Rogan (Sli Cualann). Lecky won with a clearance of 1.86m, a season’s best, with Rogan clearing 1.83m. Ciara Kennelly (Killarney Valley), another rising star, finished third in 1.74m.

Michael Bowler (Enniscorthy) won the men’s pole vault with a 4.60m clearance while Mark Burton (Queens) won the triple jump with a best of 14.29m.

Day 1 leading results



  1. Ciara Mageean (UCD) 9:02.57, 2. Michelle Finn (Leevale) 9:14.13, 3. Sarah Healy (Blackrock) 9:24.48

3,000m race walk

  1. Kate Veale (West Waterford) 13:18.39, 2. Niamh O’Connor (Celbridge) 13:49.13, 3. Sarah Glennon (Mullingar Harriers) 14:18.78

Long Jump

  1. Ruby Millet (St Abban’s) 6.20m, 2. Lydia Mills (Ballymena & Antrim) 5.68m, 3. Amy McTeggart (Boyne) 5.56m

High Jump

  1. Sommer Lecky (Finn Valley) 1.86m, 2. Phillipa Rogan (Sli Cualann) 1.83m, 3. Amy McTeggart (Boyne) 5.56m

Shot Put

  1. Micheala Walsh (Swinford) 14.44m, 2. Alana Frattaroli (Limerick) 13.05m, 3. Geraldine Stewart (Tir Chonaill) 11.76m


5,000m race walk

  1. Alex Wright (Leevale) 18:53.87, 2. Brendan Boyce (Finn Valley) 20:16.00

Pole vault

  1. Michael Bowler (Enniscorthy) 4.60m, 2. Matthew Callinan Keenan (SLOT) 4.50m, Shane Aston (Trim) 4.10m

Triple Jump

  1. Mark Burton (Queens) 14.29m, 2. Jordan Hoang (Tullamore Harriers) 14.18m, 3. Sean Thompson (Lucan Harriers) 14.04m
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