Sunday, 5 February 2012

O'Lionaird Wins Boston 5,000m


Ireland's Ciaran O'Lionaird beat a field which included World 5,000m champion Mo Farah as he took victory in the mile at the Boston Grand Prix indoor meeting in the US.

Farah fell on the opening lap of the race but got back up to contend before O'Lionaird won in 3:56.01.

The Irishman finished ahead of Canadian Taylor Milne, American Galen Rupp with Farah fourth in 3:57.92.

Irishman Mark English won the 800m at the New Balance meeting in New York.

Letterkenny athlete English took victory in 1:49.49.

English is still a junior and is in the US as part of a Dublin City University team who will be competing in the Millrose Games in New York next weekend.

In Australia, Paul Robinson finished second in the 1,500m at the Briggs Track Classic in Hobart in 3:43.96.

The performance continued the impressive early-season form of Irish athletes overseas.

Waterford man David McCarthy ran a 3:55.75 indoor mile in the US last weekend and John Coghlan, the son of legendary former 5,000m world champion Eamonn Coghlan, broke the four-minute barrier for the first time in the same race as he clocked 3:59.32.

Many of Ireland's top athletes will be in action at next weekend's Irish Indoor Championships in Belfast.