Foster equals NI 100m Record while Mageean & Smyth set PBs
Lisburn AC's Amy Foster continued her golden season at Santry Stadium last night when she equalled Anna Boyle's 5 year old record of 11.49 secs when winning the 100 metres in some style.
The 22 year old Bangor woman had a fairly slow start by her standards but blasted away from the opposition in the final 30 metres to win from Kelly Proper who was timed in 11.60 secs.
This latest run confirms Amy's superb recent form-3 weeks ago she broke the 33 year old NI 200 metres record with new figures of 23.58 secs.
Amy said; "I am delighted with my time especially since my start was not great. I knew I was in good form after a PB in Switzerland last week.I was supposed to be racing in Belgium this weekend but changed my mind when I heard wind conditions here tonight would be good".
Foster will race in Belgium next week and will keep her options open in the next month concerning which sprint event to concentrate on.In her current form she is capable of more records in the run up to the World University Games in late August.
In the equivalent Men's event City of Derry's Jason Smyth won in 10.39 secs from Jamacia's Kemar Bailey-Cole who recorded 10.45 secs.This time was slightly faster than his recent time in Turkey but well short of his recent NI record of 10.22 secs. A subdued Jason said he was fairly happy with his run. However the Paralympic champion was a transformed athlete in the 200 metres an hour later when he won from Rolando Palacios in a new PB of 20.94 secs.
Jason said he knew he had a fast 200 time in him as he has been concentrating more on the 100 metres in the past year.
In the mixed 800 metres race Ciara Mageean was out to prove her fitness for the European Juniors in 2 weeks time following an ankle injury. To say she did so in style is an understatement.
The Portaferry woman won as she pleased in a new PB of 2mins 3.21 secs which takes 0.29 secs off her previous best when finishing 2nd in the World Youths in 2009. Ciara paid complements to the pacemaker and said the race couldn't have gone better.
Lauren Scott (North Down) was 5th in the same race in 2.14.99 while Banbridge's Emma Mitchell was 6th in 2.16.38. In the Men's 1500 metres Paralympic champion was a solid 3rd in a new PB of 3.52.53.
There were also a huge PB for Annadale's Eddie McGinley when he finished the competitve 3000m race in 8th place in 8.13.70 followed by Andrew Agnew in 8.19.30. Niall Robinson raced in the Men's 800m A race clocking 1.53.35.
The B race was loaded with NI athletes with Gareth Hill first local home in 2nd place in 1.53.57. In the 400m John Houston was 5th with 49.31s. Kerry Harty won the BMC 1500m A race this evening in Solihull in 4m15.99 - just outside her 4m14 PB. Deirdre Byrne was 3rd in 4m16.89 and Orla Drumm 4th in 4m17.15. With Katrina Wooton 5th, Jess Sparke 6th and Emilia Gorecka 8th she took some more good scalps.
