Power sets U23 record, Mageean fifth in Ostrava



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Nadia Power has set a new Irish U23 800m record in Rovereto, Italy tonight, running 2: 01.01 and finishing third on a first-class international course.

Power, a 2019 European U23 medalist, broke his previous best record of 2: 02.39.

Aoife Byrne held the previous record of 2: 01.89 in the U23 category since 2001. Time also moves Power (22) to sixth place on Ireland’s all-time list.

In Ostrava, Czech Republic, Ciara Mageean performed well on the World Athletics Continental Tour, finishing fifth on a world-class course.

Mageean’s time of 2: 01.40 was his third fastest time at the distance, having set an Irish record of 1: 59.69 at Bern in July.

The race was won by Britain’s Laura Muir in 1: 58.84 with Poland’s Sofia Ennaoui second in 2: 00.82 and Ethiopia’s Habitam Alemu third in 2: 01.06.

Sarah Healy was in 1500m action at the same meeting, finishing 12th (4: 17.60) in a race that was won by Kenyan Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon in 3: 59.05.

Neither Mageean nor Power competed in the recent National Championship as they had competed overseas within 14 days of the event.

Earlier today, it was confirmed that the European Cross Country Athletics Championships, scheduled for December 13 in Dublin, had been canceled due to Covid-19 restrictions.

More than 600 runners from across Europe were expected to participate in the event on the Sport Ireland campus in Abbotstown, but organizers said there were “too many uncertainties and existing health restrictions in Ireland associated with the Covid-19 situation.”

It was not immediately clear if Dublin would host the event next year, as Turin has already been confirmed as the host city for 2021.



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