Niamh Whelan was part of a relay team which broke the 4 x 100 metre Irish record at the European Championships.
There were mixed fortunes for the Waterford athletes who wore the Irish singlet at last week’s European Athletics Championships in Barcelona.
On Day One Jamie Costin (West Waterford, 20 KM walk) finished 20th of the 23 finishers and was never in a prominent position but his finishing time was quite good nevertheless in a very demanding event.
Kelly Proper (Ferrybank) was also in action on Day One in the Long Jump qualifiers where each athlete was allowed three jumps. Unfortunately, all Kelly’s three efforts were no jumps, which signaled her elimination from the competition.
Even if Kelly had got in a valid jump or two it is doubtful if (on this year’s form) that she would have made the final (she would have had to 6.63 metres as set against her year’s best of 6.41m).
Kelly will have to work very hard on her run ups to hit the board bang on in the majority of her jumps.
But if she can regain the form she was in last year when she cleared over 6.60 metres, she can still enjoy a good senior international career. Time is on her side.
Niamh Whelan (Ferrybank) was in action on Friday in the heats of the 200 metres and made it to the semi-finals by finishing in fourth place in her heat, qualifying as one of the fastest losers in a time of 23.78 seconds.
In the semi-final she finished sixth in her race in a much better time of 23.31 seconds just 0.1 of a second outside her personal best and she also ran a fine leg on the Irish 4x 100 metres relay team.
The 20-year-old did very well in her first major competition and will be very pleased to have made the 200 semi.
