Darragh McElhinney runs Second Fastest Irish Indoor 3000m - Feb 2024
Darragh McElhinney Runs 7:39.92 Indoor 3000m
Metz, France
Saturday February 3rd 2024
The Metz Moselle Meeting, a World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver event produced some stunning running, particularly from an Irish point of view, with Sarah Healy running an Irish Women's 3000m record of 8:36.06, behind Ethiopian Merut Meshesha, who ran a 2024 World Lead 8:28.46
Womens 3000m Results
Irish Womens 3000m All-Time Standings
Later Darragh McElhinney, Bantry AC, finished third in 7:39.92, to come within 1.33 secs of Alastair Cragg's 7:38.59 sec National Record from 2004, yet only a few hours later, in Brighton, USA, Brian Fay, 7:40.09, and Andrew Coscoran 7:40.36 also came close - a sure sign that Cragg's record is set to tumble. In the same race as Darragh, Nick Griggs, finishing in 6th place, broke Darragh's own Irish Under-23 record, with 7:45.57
The Men's 3000m had a big field, and Darragh featured prominently, after a comfortable start - he was 9th after 800m, but steadily moved up the field, going through 1600m, in 4th place and 4:04. Then 3rd after 1800m, 2000m in 5:05 and 4th, 3rd again at 2200m, in 5:37. He then laid down a marker, moving into 2nd after 2400m, in 6:10, and went to the front after approx. 2500, going through 2600 in 6:40 and 2800 in 7:10
Darragh held the lead until half-way down the back straight for the last time, when local favourite Yann Schlub, put in a powerful surge, to finish in 7:38.41. Italian Pietro Arese tried to go with Schlub, but couldn't live with Schlub's pace. Nevertheless, Arese found another gear towards the end of the final bend, and came within 0.01 sec of catching Schlub right on the line, setting an Italian record in the process
Mens 3000m Results
Mens 3000m Photo-Finish
Irish Mens 3000m All-Time Standings
Athletics Ireland Release
McElhinney goes Second All-Time (Indoors) as Griggs Breaks McElhinney's Irish U23 3,000M Record
Darragh McElhinney produced an outstanding 3,000m performance, at the World Indoor Tour Meet, in Metz this evening, clocking a 7:39.92 personal best to go second on the all-time list indoors. The Bantry athlete, who finished third in today’s race, moves into second on the Irish all time list indoors ahead of the legendary Frank O'Mara. The time also edges him ever closer to the Alistair Cragg’s 3,000m indoor record of 7:38.59 which has stood since 2004
Nick Griggs was also in action in the same race in Metz, ironically claiming McElhinney’s U23 3,000m record with a personal best of his own. The Candour Track Club athlete crossed the finish in 6th place in a time of 7:45.57
