BY CHRIS MCNULTY
FINN Valley athlete Sarah Collins set a new Irish Junior record in the indoor 5k on Saturday night and set a B standard for next year’s European Senior Championships in the process.
The 19-year old was in action at the UMass Boston Invitational at the Reggie Lewis Centre in Roxbury, where she came home in a time of 15:41.
Collins, who finished seventh in the women’s 5,000m at the European Juniors in Rieti, Italy this summer, has previously been described by Patsy McGonagle, Finn Valley AC Chairman and Irish Athletics Team Manager, as ‘the best young prospect I’ve seen in forty years’.
Collins was recruited by McGonagle after being put in touch by Sinead Jennings – and she continues to raises the bar.
Collins finished second in her race on Saturday night, coming in between her Providence team-mates Emily Sisson and Laura Nagel.
Sisson came out on top in a time of 15:40.62 while Nagel was third in 15:42.60.
Collins’ performance was described as ‘significant’ by McGonagle.
He said: “It was a super run by Sarah, pretty significant as she is only 19-years of age.”
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