kate O’connor opened with a 6.50m jump to set a championship record and move into the top three all-time in Ireland, in a packed weekend of national indoor action
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The atmosphere at the sold-out Sport Ireland National Indoor Arena reached fever pitch as the 123.ie National Senior Indoor Championships closed with a series of decisive performances. Across two days, domestic stars combined technical quality with competitive nerve to produce memorable moments on track and in the field.
Broadcast live on Virgin Media 2 for the first time, the event showcased both rising talent and established domestic champions.
At the centre of attention was Kate O’Connor, who announced herself with an opening-round long jump of 6.50m.
That leap was a new championship record and a career best—an personal best—that propelled her into third on the Irish all-time list. The mark capped a superb weekend for O’Connor, who had earlier clocked an 8.21 seconds 60m hurdles PB, illustrating the versatility that multi-event athletes bring to championship settings.
She described the jump as the result of winter work and careful preparation, stressing the difference between training performances and delivering under competition pressure.
Middle- and long-distance finales: tactical races and last-lap drama
The afternoon session served up tactical intrigue and sprint finishes across the longer distances. In the men’s 3000m, Nick Griggs claimed his first senior indoor title in 8:14.52 after a dramatic final-lap duel with Darragh McElhinney (8:15.08). The race was further complicated when Andrew Coscoran fell on the final bend, underscoring how finely balanced championship tactics can be. Griggs called the win special and acknowledged the extra pressure this year as selection considerations for international meets intensified the stakes.
Women’s distance and middle-distance highlights
In the women’s 3000m, Louise Shanahan timed her surge to perfection, crossing the line in 9:22.47 to add another national indoor title to her résumé. She narrowly held off Zoe Toland (9:22.59) and Michelle Finn (9:23.03) in a thrilling blanket finish. The 1500m races also delivered decisive tactical moves: Lucy Holmes captured her first senior indoor crown in 4:31.10, while Lughaidh Mallon produced one of the day’s most dramatic finishes with a late pass to win the men’s 1500m in 3:43.45, edging out Luke McCann in the final strides.
Sprint, hurdles and middle-distance titles underline consistency
Sprint events highlighted reliability and explosive finishing power. Sharlene Mawdsley reinforced her dominance in the indoor 400m by claiming a third consecutive national title in 51.89, while Sean Doggett took the men’s 400m in 47.33 despite intense pressure from Fintan Dewhirst. Short sprints returned stars to the top: Ciara Neville won the women’s 60m in 7.27, her first indoor crown since 2026, and Bori Akinola defended his men’s 60m title with a time of 6.60, signalling form ahead of the World Indoors.
800m and race walk outcomes
The 800m finals were fiercely contested. Hannah Seagrave secured her first senior indoor title in the women’s race, while Cillian Kirwan produced a standout men’s performance, blitzing the field in a new championship record of 1:47.68. In the race walks, Kate Veale added an extraordinary tenth consecutive national indoor title to her collection, and Oisín Lane impressed by taking his first senior indoor crown, demonstrating depth and longevity in Irish walking disciplines.
Field events: power, precision and veteran success
The throws and jumps provided further headline moments. Eric Favors smashed the championship record in the men’s shot put with a best of 19.57m, while veteran Michaela Walsh continued her remarkable indoor dominance, claiming a ninth consecutive title in her event. Michael Kent retained the men’s pole vault with a clearance of 4.50m, underscoring the technical consistency required to succeed at this level.
Looking ahead and context
Across two days, the championships offered a mixture of breakthrough moments and experienced composure. The live broadcast and packed arena highlighted the appetite for high-level domestic athletics and the role national championships play in shaping selection and confidence ahead of international assignments. With athletes like Kate O’Connor, Nick Griggs and Cillian Kirwan posting performances that combine personal progression and championship records, Irish track and field heads into the indoor season with momentum and clear targets for the months ahead.
