Running News Daily

Athletics Ireland confirm positive Covid case in team that returned from European Indoor Championships in Torun

Athletics Ireland have confirmed that a member of the Irish team returned a positive test for Covid-19 on Thursday morning after competing at the European Indoor Championships in Torun, Poland at the weekend.

As a result, all team members have been personally contacted and close contacts of the positive case in the travelling party are now self-isolating for a period of 10 days, from last Monday, in line with public health guidelines.

Athletics Ireland is liaising with all relevant authorities to manage this matter and continues to follow all protocols as agreed with the Sport Ireland Expert Advisory Group and the HSE.

Athlete Darragh McElhinney was a late withdrawal from the team after the 3,000m runner returned a “weak positive” prior to departure, despite several negative tests either side of it.

The entire British athletics squad have been also forced to self-isolate after a member of the support staff returned a positive lateral flow test for Covid-19.

British Athletics confirmed the 46-strong squad, who won a total of 12 medals at the Championships, must undertake a period of 10 days in isolation in line with UK government guidance.

Despite strict protocols, all competing athletes required to test negative upon arriving in Poland and again in Torun, as well as submitting to further tests every five days, several positives cases impacted on events.

Poland’s men’s 4x400m squad, fancied to win gold, had to withdraw following an outbreak , and Belgian sprinter Eline Berings also criticized the testing procedure after she was forced to withdraw from the semi-finals of the 60 meters, claiming it was due to a false positive.

Holly Archer wins European 1500m silver after being reinstated on appeal

British athletes added three more medals at the European Indoor Championships in Poland on Saturday evening.

The most dramatic came in the women’s 1500 metres, where Holly Archer celebrated winning silver only to be disqualified and then reinstated on appeal by the British team.

There was pushing and shoving throughout a scrappy race but Cambridge athlete Archer was singled out alongside Spain’s Agueda Munoz, who was also penalised.

A counter appeal was eventually rejected, and Archer said: “That was the longest wait ever. It was supposed to be half an hour but it turned into three hours. I feel absolutely delighted. To come so close and then get it taken away, I’ve been on a roller coaster, but I’m really happy to finally get that silver.”

British team captain Jodie Williams and pole vaulter Holly Bradshaw both collected bronze medals.

Williams has made the move up from the shorter sprints to 400m and was rewarded with her first individual medal at a major event since 2014 behind exciting young Dutch winner Femke Bol.

Williams, 27, ran a personal best of 51.73 seconds, and said afterwards: “It’s crazy. I came here to do a job and it’s job done. Last time I came to European Indoors I got fourth so I had to upgrade that.

I’m really happy. I got a bit boxed in, so I got a bit worried for a second. I knew I could do it. I just dug in and I’m really glad.”

Bradshaw had targeted gold but failed with her three attempts at 4.70m and had to settle for joint third alongside Belarusian Iryna Zhuk behind Swiss winner Angelica Moser and Tina Sutej of Slovenia.

The 29-year-old said: “You can’t sniff at a European Indoor medal, but I’m incredibly disappointed. I felt great. The other girls handled their jumps really well and I just didn’t quite jump as well today.

“It’s been one of my best indoor campaigns ever. Of course it’s disappointing to finish like that but, on the whole, I’ve made some really good progress and stepped it up a notch and I feel like a completely different athlete.”

Britain’s first medals of the event came on Friday in the women’s 3,000m with gold for Amy-Eloise Markovc and bronze for Verity Ockenden.

There is a strong possibility of more female success in the final of the 800m after the young trio of Keely Hodgkinson, Isabelle Boffey and Ellie Baker all qualified for the final.

Baker said: “I’m so happy. It just shows how dominant our GB middle distance girls are. I’m so proud of them as well as myself. I can’t wait for us to put on a show for everyone tomorrow.”

Jamie Webb won his semi-final in the men’s event to secure his progress but team-mate Guy Learmonth missed out.

Andrew Robertson was disappointed to miss out on a medal in the men’s 60m final, finishing fourth in a slower time than he ran in both the heats and semi-finals. Italy’s Lamont Marcell Jacobs was a clear winner in a world-leading 6.47secs.

Robertson said: “It’s very disappointing. I’m getting to the stage where I should be running low 6.50s consistently. Jacobs running 6.47s is a fantastic time, but I should be at least challenging him with the way I’ve been running. It wasn’t a good performance tonight.”

Scotsman Andy Butchart looked impressive in qualifying for the final of the 3,000m, winning his heat in the fastest time, while Jack Rowe also made it through.

Andrew Pozzi carries strong British hopes of a medal as the reigning world indoor champion in the 60m hurdles and is looking to regain the title he won in 2017.

He stormed through the first of five heats in 7.52s, the joint-fastest time of the morning, and said afterwards: “It was a really good time. I had a great reaction from the blocks, which I’ve been missing from the indoor season, so that was really encouraging.”

In the women’s event, there were good runs from sisters Cindy Sember and Tiffany Porter, who safely qualified for the semi-finals. Sember’s time of 7.99s was her fastest since 2017 while Porter clocked 8.04s.

Beatrice Chepkoech sets sights on victory at World Indoor event in Torun

Fresh from breaking the world 5-kilometer road race record on Sunday in Monaco, world 3,000m steeplechase champion Beatrice Chepkoech will be seeking to continue her rich vein of form at World Athletics Indoor Tour in Torun, Poland today.

This time round, Chepkoech will feature in the 3000m, where she will face Genzebe Dibaba, the world indoor record-holder and three-time world indoor champion at the distance.

Chepkoech has had a stellar year so far in the 3000, winning the opening World Athletics Indoor Tour  in Karlsruhe, then set an indoor PB of 8:34.21 over the  distance to place third in Lievin and setting a world 5km record of 14:43 in Monaco three days ago.

However, It is not going to be a  two-horse race though. Ethiopian teenager Lemlem Hailu, who stole the show in Lievin to win in a PB of 8:32.55, is also in the line-up as is her compatriot Fantu Worku.

World indoor 3,000m bronze medallist, Bethwell Birgen face off with world 5,000m silver medallist Selemon Barega of Ethiopia in the men's 1,500m event. Poland's Marcin Lewandowski is also in contention and the meeting record of 3:35.57 looks to be a realistic target for the field.

Collins Kipruto, won the event last year in 1:45.86, has been entered for the 800m, where he will line up against world indoor champion Adam Kszczot of Poland.

However,  Elliot Giles, who won in Karlsruhe and Lievin, starts favourite but will have to contend with European indoor silver medallist Jamie Webb and Swedish record-holder Andreas Kramer.

African bronze medallist Habitam Alemu will start as favourite for the women’s 800m, a scoring event in this year’s World Athletics Indoor Tour. Uganda’s Winnie Nanyondo, Poland’s Joanna Jozwik and Ireland’s Nadia Power – all of whom hold their respective national indoor records – will ensure the race is a competitive one.

Müller has become an Official Partner of the Torun 2021 European Athletics Indoor Championships

European Athletics has today announced that Müller, who develop, manufacture and market a wide range of branded and private label dairy products, are an Official Partner of the Torun 2021 European Athletics Indoor Championships, which will be held in the Polish city from 5-7 March.

European Athletics Interim President Dobromir Karamarinov said: “I am very pleased to welcome Müller as a new member of the European Athletics family. Müller were a National Sponsor of the Glasgow 2019 European Athletics Indoor Championships and are now upgrading their role to become a top tier partner for Torun.

“I would like to thank Müller for reaffirming their commitment to our sport, a partnership which I am sure will benefit all of us. As an Official Partner, Müller will not only receive an extensive range of onsite marketing benefits in Torun but also extensive European-wide brand exposure on free-to-air television thanks to our long-term deal with our Official Broadcast Partner Eurovision,” added Karamarinov.

Michael Inpong, Strategy and Marketing Director at Müller UK & Ireland, said: “We are really excited to become an Official Partner of the Torun 2021 European Athletics Indoor Championships. It will be a proud moment to see the famous red Müller logo at such a prestigious event. It is a partnership that makes sense, as our aim is to add taste to life and inspire people to live happier and healthier lifestyles.

We are confident that by working together with European Athletics we can do just that.”European Athletics CEO Christian Milz commented: “The fact that an international consumer brand as recognisable as Müller is joining our roster of top tier partners for the Torun 2021 European Athletics Indoor Championships is testament to the importance of this event.

It also demonstrates a high level of trust and confidence in the work that European Athletics and the Local Organizing Committee have put in over the past months in order to be ready to stage this first major athletics event in 2021.”

Müller joins SPAR, Le Gruyère, LIQUI MOLY and Toyo Tires as a top tier partner of European Athletics, along with Eurovision as the Official Broadcast Partner, Atos as Official Digital Partner and MONDO as an Official Supplier of Torun 2021.

Dina Asher-Smith back on track and could go to European Indoor Champs

Dina Asher-Smith will return to competition next week for the first time since becoming world 200 meters champion more than a year ago.

On the day the British Indoor Athletics Championships were cancelled for the first time since 1961, the nation's fastest ever woman was confirmed for the Gold Series meet in the German city of Karlsruhe.

Asher-Smith will contest her first 60m for three years on Friday in a race also featuring Poland's European indoor champion Ewa Swoboda.

Pandemic-permitting she will then move on to Dusseldorf and another indoor race two days later.

Given the limited opportunities for competition ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, Asher-Smith could even take part in the European Indoor Championships in Poland on the first weekend of March. Her management have not ruled out the possibility.

Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee and Japanese government have categorically denied a report that this summer's Olympics and Paralympics are to be cancelled.

“This is exhausting,” Paralympic star Stef Reid said in response to the ever-changing speculation.

Five-time Paralympic champion Hannah Cockroft agreed: “This is our livelihoods being played with.

"We’re all aware there’s a chance the Games might not go ahead, but until an official decision is announced, please leave us to work and dream!”

Norway’s 18-year-old superstar Jakob Ingebrigtsen is red hot but where is our flag

Notway’s night in Glasgow, and no one could argue – all that could be done was salute the superb, scintillating brilliance of Jakob Ingebrigtsen at the European Indoor Championships on Saturday March 2.

For Jakob Ingebrigtsen (1500m world rank 8), the hardest part of his night was not the race – not the eight minutes he spent extending his margin of supremacy over the best distance runners in Europe. No, the 18-year-old’s most difficult task was finding a Norwegian flag.

After he crossed the line a dominant champion in the men’s 3000m, confirming himself as the undisputed doyen of European distance running at 18 years, 163 days, he had to spend several minutes scanning the crowd, beckoning to all Norwegians present for his national flag.

It was something of an oversight by those in Norway’s contingent, given Ingebrigtsen’s 3000m victory was one of the most foregone conclusions of the week. In truth, it could have been draped over his shoulders with a lap to run, the point at which Jakob swept to the lead to overtake older brother Henrik (1500m world rank 27, 5000m world rank 15).

He had made an earlier move with three laps to run, only to surrender it with two laps left, and the siblings poured it on from there with Britain’s Chris O’Hare (1500m world rank 14) giving best chase. But chasing Ingebrigtsen is akin to running for a bus – worth trying, but almost always futile.

He hit the line in splendid isolation, like a man halfway through his Sunday jog, in 7:56.15. “It wasn’t easy, there were a lot of elbows,” said Ingebrigtsen. “But I think the others had respect for us and they handed it to us so we could make it our race.”

The battle for silver was decided by three thousandths of a second, with O’Hare edging Henrik Inebrigtsen, both credited with 7:57.19.

“I just hope that run was good enough to get into Team Ingebrigtsen,” said O’Hare with a laugh, referring to the TV series which follows the family. “I was going to run at the back but then I saw those guys having too much fun up front so I decided to get involved.”

The Broad-chested and exuding calmness, the precociously talented teenager is running Sunday’s 1,500m final, where anything other than a second gold medal would be a huge upset.

Laura Muir Retains European Indoor 3000m Title in Glasgow

Running in front of a partisan home crowd in Glasgow, Laura Muir used a spectacular close, running her final 200 meters in 28.32 and successfully defend her title in the 3,000 meters in a championship record of 8:30.61. In the process, she crushed the Wanamaker Mile champion, Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen, who ran a respectable 8:34.06 but was utterly helpless on the last lap.

After sitting on Klosterhalfen for the second half of the race, Muir took the lead at the bell, and her acceleration was a sight to behold. Once she was around Klosterhalfen, the gap between the two runners began to grow exponentially, and what was expected to be a close race was over midway down the back straight. But even then, Muir would not let off the gas, powering through the line to take down Klosterhalfen’s world leader of 8:32.47 as well.

Muir covered her final 1500 meters in 4:05 flat, a time that, when coupled with Muir’s 28.32 final 200, would be enough to win most 1500 races on the planet. And making the performance all the more impressive was the fact that it was Muir’s second race in the span of two-and-a-half hours; she ran 4:09 to qualify for the final of the 1500 earlier in the day.

Klosterhalfen, who had fresh legs after opting out of the 1500, was content to sit behind leader Eilish McColgan of Great Britain in the race’s early stages. But, correctly fearing Muir’s kick, Klosterhalfen tried to take the sting out of her opponent’s legs by hammering the final mile. She took the lead at 1400 meters and dropped a 66.17 for the next 400 meters, but would need to do more than that to drop Muir.

Muir will return to the track on Sunday evening for the 1500 meters, and after today’s race, it seems a formality that the Brit will complete a second consecutive 1500-3k double.

Double European indoor champion Laura Muir will lead Britain's charge at Glasgow 2019 European Indoor Championships

Double European indoor champion Laura Muir will lead a record-equalling 48-strong British team for Glasgow 2019 as the country’s best prepare to descend on the Emirates Arena.

The middle-distance runner enjoyed a storming weekend at the Muller Indoor Grand Prix Birmingham, breaking two British records in perfect preparation for the European Athletics Indoor Championships, taking place on March 1-3.

Muir will head to the Scottish city with two European indoor titles to defend, victorious across 1500m and 3000m the last time the Championships were held, in Belgrade two years ago.

Also competing will be Eilish McColgan (3000m) and Shelayna Oskan-Clarke (800m) – both medallists from Belgrade 2017 as well as Scotland’s most decorated athlete Eilidh Doyle (400m) is one of nine Scottish athletes competing on the home track of the Emirates Arena.

“We are delighted to have selected our biggest and strongest ever team for the European Indoor Championships in Glasgow, which is yet another major international championships for us on home soil,” said British Athletics performance director Neil Black.

Excitement is building as the Glasgow hosted European Indoor Championships fast approaches

There is now only one month to go until some of the world’s leading athletes descend on Glasgow for the European Athletics Indoor Championships.

The event will take place over three days (March 1-3), returns to Glasgow next month for the first time since 1990 and there will be 650 athletes from more than 45 nations setting their sights on glory.

The Scottish city continues to build on its reputation as a world-class sporting destination, and today at the Emirates Arena, Andy Butchart was in attendance to share their feelings ahead of the championships.

The competition will be the second major European event held in Glasgow within twelve months after a hugely successful inaugural European Championships last August. Glasgow continues to receive global recognition for this reputation with a coveted top five ranking as a sporting destination.

British 5000m runner Butchart has turned in some superb performances at the highest level in sport, most notably, at the Olympic Games in 2016 and at the IAAF World Championships in 2017.

The Stirling-born runner will have his sights set on clinching success in front of a home crowd next month as he comes off a major injury which meant the 27-year-old was forced to rule himself out of last year’s Commonwealth Games.

Glasgow 2019 will present a real opportunity for him to run to victory in front of a home crowd. 

“The Emirates Arena will be the place to be in early March,” said Butchart. “I’ll put on a good show along with the other Scottish athletes and give the crowd something to cheer about. Super excited to get on the track and race in front of a home crowd.”

Norwegian brothers Jakob, Filip and Henrik Ingebrigtsen will make their IAAF World Indoor Tour debut in Düsseldorf

The Ingebrigtsens are currently training in South Africa as part of their preparation for the European Indoor Championships in Glasgow on March 1-3. Before then, the trio will compete in Dusseldorf and all three are looking forward to racing the 1500m in the Arena-Sportpark.

“We are well prepared and ready to rock Düsseldorf,” said older brother Henrik, the 2012 European 1500m champion.

At the age of 17, younger brother Jakob completed an astounding 1500m/5000m double at last year’s European Championships in Berlin. In doing so, he became the third member of the family to win a senior European title with Filip having won the 1500m crown in 2016.

The brothers will face stiff competition in Dusseldorf as they’ll take on Djibouti’s 2014 world indoor champion Ayanleh Souleiman, Poland’s world indoor silver medallist Marcin Lewandowski, 2015 European indoor champion and two-time world indoor silver medallist Jakub Holusa, and 2014 world indoor silver medallist Aman Wote of Ethiopia.