McGettigan and O'Rourke in sparkling form
RÓISÍN McGETTIGAN showed she is finding timely form ahead of next month's World Championships by breaking her Irish 3000m steeplechase record in Huesden on Saturday night.
At the same meeting where she set her two previous national records over the barriers, the Wicklow runner finished third in 9:28.29 to knock over four seconds off the 9:32 she clocked at the Belgian event last year.
That jumped her to third in the current European rankings and the fast race also benefitted her Slí Cualann club-mate Fionnuala Britton, who knocked six seconds off her recent lifetime best when finishing 10th in 9:41.36 to get inside the European top 20. Both runners have already achieved the 'A' standard for the World Championships. The race was won by Hanane Ouhaddou of Morocco in 9:25.51, with Rosa Morato of Spain second in 9:26.23.
David Gillick clocked 45.73 - his third fastest time this summer- to finish third in the 400m, which was won by America's Andrew Rock in 45.93. Tullamore's Gordon Kennedy ran a 46.48 PB in the same race.
Derval O'Rourke ran her fastest time of the season when fourth in 100m hurdles in 12.95. America's Lolo Jones won the race in 12.74.
The meeting, notable for American Webb's sensational 1:43.84 in the 800m, also yielded a personal best for UCC's Orla Drumm (4:16.33) in the 1500m, but Thomas Chamney (1:47.20), Liam Reale (despite a season-best 3:40.96) and high-jumper Deirdre Ryan (1.85m) did not get the standards they are chasing ahead of the August 8 deadline for Osaka.
Neither did James Nolan, who clocked 3:49.60 for the 1,500m in Zaragoza, where Kenenisa Bekela ran the fastest 5000m (12:49.53) in the world this season.
Meanwhile, Galway sprinter Paul Hession races over 100m and 200m in Thessalonika, Greece, tonight.
