Olympic year and, after enjoying a record start in Boston last month, Ciara Mageean will look to continue that form in Athlone at the AIT International indoor meeting, this time when doubling her usual distance. In Athlone last year Mageean ran an Irish indoor 1,500m record of 4:06.76, before improving it to 4:06.42 in Boston last month; this time she’s doubling that distance to 3,000m when she steps back on the track on Wednesday evening (live on TG4, 7.30-9.30pm). That Irish indoor record has stood to Mary Cullen since 2009, the 8:43.74 she ran in Boston, although Mageean certainly believes she is in the form to test it. I’m still getting used to the altitude camp training as well, and everything this year is about working towards Tokyo.”Winter trainingThe organisers are also lining up Ethiopia’s Samuel Tefera for an attempt on the world indoor mile record, the 20-year-old already the reigning world indoor champion over 1,500m, breaking the indoor world record over that distance last year, clocking 3:31.04 in Birmingham. The current indoor mile world record is held by his fellow countryman, Yomif Kejelcha, at 3:47.01.

Source: The Irish Times February 12, 2020 01:06 UTC