World X Team

DaveH

I heard a rummor that Ireland will not be sending a team to the World X if Alistar Cragg isnt running.
Cragg is said to be considering an entry at the moment.

What is the general feeling on this?

Im disgusted were not entering a team at World X, having only sent the winner to Japan and Kenya!

I was in Toro for the Europeans and no one was dening or confirming the entry of an Irish team in the championship.

Any opinions?

thirtyfoot

That would be strange, does the rumour say that the senior women or both junior team's entry is dependent on Cragg too?

If true, its crazy considering the event is so close.

Is this the same rumour source that said Cragg was running the inter-counties?

DaveH

Tingle wrote: »

Is this the same rumour source that said Cragg was running the inter-counties?

No its not the same rummor source. However there is nothing from AAI on whether a team is going or not. All I said is it was a rummor.

As for the Alistar Cragg story........I know who started it tingle...and it was members of your club!!

I also know as FACT that Brendan Mooney of the Irish Examiner interviewed Vinny Mulvey the Thursday before inter-counties and asked him how he was going to handle Cragg! Brendan rang vinny back an hour later and told him
he wasnt coming.

thirtyfoot

DaveH wrote: »

As for the Alistar Cragg story........I know who started it tingle...and it was members of your club!!

I also know as FACT that Brendan Mooney of the Irish Examiner interviewed Vinny Mulvey the Thursday before inter-counties and asked him how he was going to handle Cragg! Brendan rang vinny back an hour later and told him
he wasnt coming.

Goes to show how good a rumour it was!!:D

It was amusing reading on the leevale chatboard about sightings of Cragg training in Santry Demense or shopping for socks in Dunnes in Northside Shopping Centre etc etc, it was almost Shergar-like and an obvious windup.

Agree with you it would be shocking if they don't send teams for whatever reason and also would be shocking if they held one athlete to ransom and used them as an excuse for sending a team or not.

Rineanna

Tingle wrote: »

Agree with you it would be shocking if they don't send teams for whatever reason and also would be shocking if they held one athlete to ransom and used them as an excuse for sending a team or not.

True. I'd imagine Fionnuala Britton will be going for certain. IIRC, she didn't compete in the indoor season at all (or at least sparingly) last year in favour of the CC season, and Mombasa in particular. I wouldn't rule out Deirdre Byrne being sent either given her good CC form. Whether Mary Cullen and/or Róisin McGettigan opt to run the Worlds is another story. Doubt it though.

As for the Mens, well I don't know how much substance is in that rumour, but it seems a strange decision to base the fate of the whole Senior Men's team on one athlete; obviously he is our top distance runner (although I can't remember a time he ran CC) but surely this shouldn't rule out the chances of the others. I doubt Martin Fagan will opt to run there as he's preparing for a marathon, but he just might.

TheRoadRunner

They should send a team. Its only across the water and won't break the bank. I can partially understand (although I don't always agree) the reasoning in not sending a full team to far flung destinations but in this case its a bit of a no brainer

I reckon Fagan could consider running the world CC. They are mid March and his marathon is planned for this month. I suppose it all depends on whether he gets the olympic qualifying time for the marathon and what he decides to do with the rest of his season.

Rineanna

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

I reckon Fagan could consider running the world CC. They are mid March and his marathon is planned for this month. I suppose it all depends on whether he gets the olympic qualifying time for the marathon and what he decides to do with the rest of his season.

Is the marathon this month? Great, I can't wait to see what he can do. It would be great to have an athlete on the marathon starting line in Beiijing. He's young, and he could go a long way (no pun intended) in the event.

In that case, hopefully we will see him at the Worlds.

P.S I don't know if ye know or not, but the training group that he (Fagan) is working with has a website and a weekly updated blog. It might be of interest:
http://www.mcmillanelite.com/about.htm

DaveH

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

They should send a team. Its only across the water and won't break the bank. I can partially understand (although I don't always agree) the reasoning in not sending a full team to far flung destinations but in this case its a bit of a no brainer

I reckon Fagan could consider running the world CC. They are mid March and his marathon is planned for this month. I suppose it all depends on whether he gets the olympic qualifying time for the marathon and what he decides to do with the rest of his season.

I actually found out that IAAF pay for 5 athletes to go. The other 3 are picked up by the National assocation.

Fagan should be in ok for europeans. Funnily if Cragg had run Euro's ireland probably would have medaled. Should have 2 in top 10.

lindab

Martin will be racing in Dubai.haile going for under 2.04.
pity he hasn't few guys to pace him as he can get the standard.
usually in big marathons like London there is the elite group ie sub 2.10
and then guys like Dan Robinson(gb runner),who run there own race pick of the guys that die in the last 5 miles.Martin will have to run smart.
wish him the best.

Stupid_Private

There'll be a fair whack of elite runners there to pace off as the prize money for winning is $250,000 and $1m for breaking the world record. I think last year the top 10 there all did a sub 2.15 and there'll probably be more this year what with the money on offer.