Irish Team and Schedule for World Championships 2017
Three Cork Athletes in Irish Team Set for World Championships
London
Friday August 4th - Sunday August 13th 2017
Three Cork Athletes, Claire Gibbons-McCarthy, Alex Wright and Rob Heffernan represent Ireland at the IAAF World Championships, which begin in London today. Claire is first of the trio in action, running in the Womens marathon on Sunday afternoon, while Alex and Rob do not take to the stage until Sunday week, when they compete in the 20k and 50k Race Walks
London Calling - Feidhlim Kelly
The Irish team are set to compete in what promises to be exciting IAAF World Championships in London over the next ten days, from today, Friday August 4th to Sunday August 13th.
Action gets underway tonight, with Ciara Mageean (UCD) kicking off Irish interest in a highly-competitive women’s 1500m. Eleven Irish athletes will compete in the Championships, however Paul Pollock (Annadale Striders) has withdrawn due to injury.
This essentially begins the next Olympic cycle, after a successful Games in Rio last summer, where Thomas Barr (Ferrybank) was the standout performer with a fourth place finish, in the 400m hurdles. The Waterford star returns once more, and will look to put aside a slightly hampered build-up.
The race walkers have flown the flag with distinction for well over a decade, and Robert Heffernan (Togher) has been the flag bearer with many memorable performances. This may be his swansong event in an Irish vest, and he would dearly love to sign out with a podium finish.
Experience will also be key for this Irish team – none more so than Siofra Cleirigh Buttner (DSD) who achieved selection through the IAAF quota system. This will be the 22-year-old’s first global Championship, in what will hopefully be a long career.
Interestingly this will also be Ciara Mageean’s (UCD) first World Championship, while Mark English (UCD) competes in his third World Championships.
Irish Athlete's Bios
Athlete | Club | Event | Coach | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ciara Mageean | UCD | 1500m | 04:01.5 | Jerry Kiernan |
Ciara Mageean announced herself as a hot prospect for the future when she won a silver medal over 1500m at the World Junior Athletics Championships in Moncton, Canada in 2010. The UCD physiotherapy graduate has shown flashes of brilliance since winning bronze at the European outdoors in Amsterdam last summer. This is her first world championships. | ||||
Brian Gregan | Clonliffe Harriers | 400m | 45.26 | John Shields |
Brian Gregan is an experienced campaigner and goes into his second world championships on a big win streak and a new personal best of 45.26. He'll be aiming to run a new personal best in London. | ||||
Thomas Barr | Ferrybank | Event: 400m Hurdles | 47.97 | Hayley and Drew Harrison |
Thomas Barr is no stranger to interrupted preparation for a major championship and this year isn't any different to his magnificent fourth place finish at the Olympics in Rio. Barr has overcome some niggling injuries and will hope to cause another surprise in London. | ||||
Mark English | UCD | 800m | 01:44.8 | Steve Magness |
Mark English competes in his third world championships and will be hoping to at least match his semi-final berth in Beijing in 2015. The UCD athlete signed off his preparations winning the national title. | ||||
Claire McCarthy | Leevale | Marathon | 02:38:00 | Donie Walsh |
This will be Claire McCarthy's first global championships and the mother of four will be hoping to come close to her best of 2:38:00. | ||||
Sean Hehir | Rathfarnham WSAF | Marathon | 02:16:18 | Coach: Dick Hooper |
Sean Hehir ran a personal best of 2:16:18 in London in April to qualify for the championships so the streets will be no stranger to the primary school teacher. He will bid for another strong showing. | ||||
Mick Clohisey | Raheny Shamrock | Marathon | 02:15:11 | Dick Hooper |
Mick Clohisey has been one of Ireland's leading road runners the past number of seasons and he will hope to put in a performance to reflect his ability. | ||||
Siofra Cleirigh Buttner | DSD | 800m | 02:02.0 | Gina Procaccio |
This will be Siofra Cleirigh Buttner's first global championships where experience will be key to her development. The DSD athlete garnered selection on the IAAF roll-down quota system and she will maximise the experience. | ||||
Alex Wright | Leevale | 20km Race Walk | 01:21:17 | Pacquillo Fernandez |
Alex Wright has been in excellent form this season and he will be looking to mint that with a good showing in London to round out a brilliant 2017. | ||||
Brendan Boyce | Finn Valley | 50km Race Walk | 03:48:55 | Robert Heffernan |
Brendan Boyce was 19th in Rio last year and will be aspiring for another top 20 performance. He narrowly missed out on individual bronze at the European Cup in May but it underlined his good form. | ||||
Robert Heffernan | Togher | 50km Race Walk | Personal Best: | Self |
Robert Heffernan has done it all winning major medals at every championship. No one will forget his magnificent gold in Moscow and he will be looking to out in style in London in what looks like being his swansong in an Irish vest. |
Irish Athletes World Championship Schedule
Day 1 August 4 Friday
Time | Cat | Event | Stage | Athlete | Event preview | Heat Draw |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
19:35 | W | 1500 Metres | Heats | Ciara Mageean (UCD) | Preview | Heat Draw |
Day 2 August 5 Saturday
Time | Cat | Event | Stage | Athlete | Event Preview | Heat Draw |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10:45 | M | 400 Metres | Heats | Brian Gregan (Clonliffe Harriers) | Preview | Heat Draw |
12:45 | M | 800 Metres | Heats | Mark English (UCD) | Preview | Heat Draw |
19:35 | W | 1500 Metres | Semi-Final | Ciara Mageean (UCD) | Preview |
Day 3 August 6 Sunday
Time | Cat | Event | Stage | Athlete | Athlete | Event Preview | Heat Draw |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10:55 | M | Marathon | Final | Mick Clohisey (Raheny Shamrock) | Sean Hehir (Rathfarnham WSAF) | Preview | |
11:05 | M | 400 Metres Hurdles | Heats | Thomas Barr (Ferrybank) | Preview | Heat Draw | |
14:00 | W | Marathon | Final | Claire Gibbons McCarthy (Leevale) | Preview | ||
19:40 | M | 400 Metres | Semi-Final | Brian Gregan (Clonliffe Harriers) | Preview | ||
21:15 | M | 800 Metres | Semi-Final | Mark English (UCD) | Preview |
Day 4 August 7 Monday
Time | Cat | Event | Stage | Athlete | Event preview |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
20:20 | M | 400 Metres Hurdles | Semi-Final | Thomas Barr (Ferrybank) | Preview |
21:50 | W | 1500 Metres | Final | Ciara Mageean (UCD) | Preview |
Day 5 August 8 Tuesday
Time | Cat | Event | Stage | Athlete | Athlete | Event Preview |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
21:35 | M | 800 Metres | Final | Mark English | (UCD) | Preview |
21:52 | M | 400 Metres | Final | Brian Gregan | (Clonliffe Harriers) | Preview |
Day 6 August 9 Wednesday
Time | Cat | Event | Stage | Athlete | Event Preview |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
21:30 | M | 400 Metres Hurdles | Final | Thomas Barr (Ferrybank) | Preview |
Day 7 August 10 Thursday
Time | Cat | Event | Stage | Athlete | Event Preview | Heat Draw |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
19:25 | W | 800 Metres | Heats - | Siofra Cleirigh-Buttner (DSD) | Preview | Heat Draw |
Day 8 August 11 Friday
Time | Cat | Event | Stage | Athlete | Event Preview |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
19:35 | W | 800 Metres | Semi-Final - | Siofra Cleirigh-Buttner (DSD) | Preview |
Day 10 August 12 Sunday
Time | Cat | Event | Stage | Athlete | Athlete | Event Preview |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
07:45 | M | 50 Kilometres Race Walk | Final | Robert Heffernan (Togher) | Brendan Boyce (Finn Valley) | Preview |
14:20 | M | 20 Kilometres Race Walk | Final | Alex Wright (Leevale) | Preview | |
20:10 | W | 800 Metre | Final | Siofra Cleirigh-Buttner (DSD) | Preview |