Athletics: Hession impresses in European Cup
Sunday June 22 2008
Paul Hession showed his ability as a top-class sprinter when he stamped his authority on the 100m, winning the event at the European Cup in Tallinn, Estonia yesterday.
The 25-year-old Hession won virtually easing down in a time of 10.30 seconds which is no mean performance. He put daylight between himself and his opponents, pulling right away from Desislav Gunev of Bulgaria, a well beaten second in 10.44, with Marek Nitt of Estonia finishing third in 10.52.
The following wind was fractionally over the legal limit at 2.10 but that in no way diminishes the Galway man's achievement as he looks set for a sensational season ahead.
Hession has been one of the most improved Irish athletes over the last 12 months and last year reached the semi-final of the World Championships in the 200m which is his best distance and where he can become the first Irish sprinter to make an Olympic final in Beijing in August.
Later, Hession was back on the track as part of the Irish 4x100m relay team who finished a close second to Latvia in an impressive time of 40.90.
Hession's victory gave the Irish team a great send off as Paul McKee followed up with victory in the 400m in 46.68 -- an excellent display considering the blustery conditions.
McKee dominated the race, winning by four good strides from Jani Lutus of Latvia (47.05) with Nick Hyde of Denmark following in third.
These two victories helped the Irish team to third place overnight with a total of 54 points. They currently trail Latvia (62) and Estonia (59), with Denmark, Bulgaria, Lituania and Luxembourg still chasing a top-three finish. Ireland would have been closer to the lead but for some low placings in the field events with three fifth places. There was also a good second place for Ciaran O Lionaird of Cork in a tactical 5,000m which he ran in 15:24.35, while young David McCarthy from Waterford was a solid third in the 1,500m in 3:58.28 with victory going to Girts Azis of Latvia in 3:57.69.
The Irish women were involved in a similar event in Leitia, Portugal, where success was hard to come by. Marian Andrews from Cork stood in for Joanne Cuddihy in the 400m and she finished third in 54.19 but there was a rather disappointing run from Fionnuala Britton in the 3,000m where the Wicklow star could only manage fifth place in 9:23.34, some distance behind the clear winner, Deloras Checa of Spain.
Roisin McGettigan, the current Irish record holder, was beaten into third place in the 3,000m Steeplechase in 9:39.95.
Michelle Carey ran as well as could be expected to finish second in the women's 400m hurdles, clocking a time of 56.64, still that bit short of the Olympic standard which has been frustrating for the 27-year-old Dublin Striders athlete.
The winner was Zuzana Hejnova of the Czech Republic in 56.16 as Ireland fought a rearguard action from seventh place.
- Tom O'Riordan
