Arlene Crossan returned to the hurdles – and slammed down a new personal best into the bargain – in Belgium on Sunday.
Finn Valley AC athlete Crossan lowered her PB in the 400m hurdles, taking a big chunk off her previous best in the process.
Crossan made a significant contribution to the Irish team at the recent World Athletics Relays in Botswana, but was over the barriers here for only the third time competitively in seven years.
It had been as a hurdler that Crossan initially made her mark, obtaining a scholarship to New Mexico in 2017.
On Sunday, around a lap of the Boudewijnstadion, Crossan clocked 57.95 seconds.
The time is 12th on the Irish all-time list and takes down her previous best, the 59.14 she clocked at last year’s European Team Championships in Maribor.
Also at the IFAM meet Amy Timoney competed in the 100m (12.44) and 100m hurdles (14.40); while her Finn Valley colleague Janine Boyle was in action in the 200m (25.35) and 100m (12.27).
Oisín Ó Gailín competed at the European 10,000m Cup on Saturday evening in Italy.
The Finn Valley AC man finished in 29:17.30 in La Spezia, Italy.
Around the Centro Sportivo Alessandro Montagna Stadium, the Ballybofey man finished 22nd.
Ó Gailín was joined in La Spezia by Finn Valley AC stalwart Neil Martin, who was manager of the Irish squad.
The Ireland women secured silver medals with the scoring members of the team being Niamh Allen (Leevale Ac), Fiona Everard (Bandon AC), and Sorcha Nic Dhomhnaill (West Limerick AC).
Roisin Flanagan was back on track in the USA. At the LA Track Festival, held at UCLA Drake Stadium, Roisin finished sixth in the women’s 5,000m. Roisin clocked 15:41.88.
There was good success for FVAC at the Ulster Masters in Letterkenny on Sunday.
Laura Doherty won gold in the W35 high jump, getting over at 1.30m for victory.
Bosco Reid took gold in the M65 discus, throwing to 26.95m. Bosco threw to 34.46m for gold in the hammer and was also the gold medal winner in the shot, reaching 9.96m.
Clive Heapes won gold in the M35 hammer, going to 34.43m. He also added javelin (34.33m) and shot (10.39m) silver medals.
Jacqueline Doherty took gold in the W55 hammer, launching to 19.02m. Jacqueline also won silver in the javelin (7.46m) and shot (5.17m).
Gerard Doherty earned bronze in the M55 shot when getting out to 6.94m while he narrowly missed out on medals in hammer and javelin, placing fourth in both events.
Finn Valley AC athlete Amy Greene placed third in a 3000m at a BMC Meet in Belfast on Saturday.
At the Mary Peters Track, Amy clocked 9:34.13 for third with Neasa Ni Ainiein winning in 9:22.47 and Roise Roberts second in 9:39.52. See less
Finn Valley AC’s Ace Rodriguez and his brother Charles were also in action with Ace clocking 11.49 seconds for a new 100m personal best.
Stephen Slevin of Finn Valley AC took bronze in the high jump at the Mary Peters Meet.
There was a good Finn Valley AC contingent who lined up at the Drumkeen NS 5k on Friday night.
Finn Valley AC’s Odhrán McBrearty won the race in 16:38. Odhrán was victorious from Paul Finnegan and Bryan McNamee.
It was a Finn Valley AC 1-2 in the women’s race, won by Aimee McElchar in 20:47. Ailbhe Coyle (22:29) was second in the women’s race.