Diarmuid Doyle: Last week at the European Masters Indoor Championships in Toruń, Poland, Edel Maguire delivered an exceptional series of performances in the W65 category.
She won individual gold in the 60m (9.11), 200m (29.63), and 400m (1:07.65), setting a new W65 Irish record in the 200m. Her dominant 400m performance earned her the nickname “The Irish Torpedo.”
Edel was also part of two gold medal-winning relay teams. She contributed to Irish victory in both the O65 mixed 4x200m (2:01.55) and the W60 4x200m (2:01.05 ) – a new W60 national record.
Given that there were qualifying heats in both sprint events, this was 7 races in 7 days! And, not to be idle in her spare time, Edel secured silver in the high jump with a clearance of 1.37m, setting another W65 Irish record and only missing gold on countback.
Snezana Bechtina’s 4x200m (W40) team took silver and she was also part of the 4x200m O40 mixed team that set a National Record while just missing out on a podium place. In her individual events, she competed in the 60m and 200m, battling through the heats to make both finals.
In the 5k road race, Philip O’Doherty and Stephen Harkness both scored for their categories, earning gold and bronze team medals respectively.
With athletes from 32 nations competing, Clonliffe Harriers Athletes made a huge contribution to Ireland’s placing 7th in the overall medals table.