Well done Mary Cullen

thirtyfoot

http://www.athleticsireland.ie/content/?p=5495#more-5495

Mary Cullen won Irish Times Sportwoman of the Month for December.

Rineanna

Tingle wrote: »

http://www.athleticsireland.ie/content/?p=5495#more-5495

Mary Cullen won Irish Times Sportwoman of the Month for December.

Congratulations to her; great to see an athletics person pick up the prestiguous award.

I can't wait to see what she can do over 5000m this season, and especially 3000m which seems to be a good fit of a distance for her (like Sonia, but not to the same extent). She said in a recent interview that prior to her injury last year, she was confident she'd run the A standard of sub 15.10 IIRC. Now, back to full fitness and raring to go having been cruelly denied her Olympic debut, this summer will hopefully bring PBs aplenty. Hopefully she'll knock a few seconds from her 1500m time too. She was supreme at the xc, it was just unfortunate she couldn't hang on for 3rd. Sublime performance, though.

thirtyfoot

Mary had a nice run out in a 3k race, 8:50 ain't bad. She is training in Oz at the moment.


http://www.athleticsireland.ie/content/?p=5596#more-5596

After her great run in the European cross country championships, Mary Cullen yesterday ran her first track race of the year when she clocked 8:50 for 3,000m at a meet in Australia. The race was run in very windy conditions and her time is just two seconds outside her best.

dna_leri

Tingle wrote: »

Mary had a nice run out in a 3k race, 8:50 ain't bad. She is training in Oz at the moment.


http://www.athleticsireland.ie/content/?p=5596#more-5596

After her great run in the European cross country championships, Mary Cullen yesterday ran her first track race of the year when she clocked 8:50 for 3,000m at a meet in Australia. The race was run in very windy conditions and her time is just two seconds outside her best.

What are the chances of a medal in the Euro indoors, what time would she need to get?

thirtyfoot

dna_leri wrote: »

What are the chances of a medal in the Euro indoors, what time would she need to get?

8:44 got a bronze last time out. Is she doing the indoors though? I haven't heard or read whether she was or wasn't?

dna_leri

Tingle wrote: »

8:44 got a bronze last time out. Is she doing the indoors though? I haven't heard or read whether she was or wasn't?

I hear that she will run the euro indoors instead of the cross country and is in australia to prepare.

Rineanna

Tingle wrote: »

Mary had a nice run out in a 3k race, 8:50 ain't bad. She is training in Oz at the moment.


http://www.athleticsireland.ie/content/?p=5596#more-5596

After her great run in the European cross country championships, Mary Cullen yesterday ran her first track race of the year when she clocked 8:50 for 3,000m at a meet in Australia. The race was run in very windy conditions and her time is just two seconds outside her best.

Take away the wind and get her into a high quality, paced race like Crystal Palace and she's going low 8.4's for sure.

stmochtas

I don't think it has been mentioned on here, but well done Mary Cullen on her latest achievement

http://www.sligoweekender.ie/news/story/?trs=mhqlojcwcw

thirtyfoot

stmochtas wrote: »

I don't think it has been mentioned on here, but well done Mary Cullen on her latest achievement

http://www.sligoweekender.ie/news/story/?trs=mhqlojcwcw

Yes, she is on fire. Anytime you beat a Sonia record it is a huge achievement and especially since it was her 3k record. Mary would probably have grown up idolising Sonia and to come through and break her record, what a feeling!

TheRoadRunner

yes great running. Hopefully she can medal in the Euro indoors after just missing out on the country.

Abhainn

Great winter season from Mary. Nice to see someone from my home county on the athletics world stage

hunnymonster

superb running. well done. It's great to see this.

Stupid_Private

http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view_video/234643/145627-w-3k-h01-irish-national-record - That didn't work first time...

This link was posted by Rineanna in the Indoors thread. It's the race where she gets the record.

thirtyfoot

I've merged this with the previous "well done Mary Cullen" thread. Interesting I said back in January that 8:44 got a medal in the last Euros and what does Mary come out and run, 8:43, so she is in with a shout but no pressure!!! Rineanna - who are the threats and likely medal winners in your opinion?

There is now an Irish Athlete of the Month award. Martin Fagan got Jan for getting close to John Treacy's half-marathon record so considering Sonia is more of a legend than Treacy and Mary broke her record, I'm starting my canvassing for Mary to get the February award:D

Then again, there is Gillick who rans the fastest 400m by anyone in the world this year so far or even Kelly Proper who equalled her own record and then beat it the following week while beating Jade Johnson and not to mention beating the Olympic Champion Ohurougo in the 200 in Belfast! Competitive, but Mary gets my vote (if I had one)!!

Running Bing

She did a short interview on RTE radio on Tuesday (it was on about 6:45 pm, not sure which show) and they talked about the record and Irelands chances in the upcoming euro's. Its probably up on the website if anybody is bothered digging it out.

Rineanna

Tingle wrote: »

Rineanna - who are the threats and likely medal winners in your opinion?

The Russian Alminova is the huge threat here. She's ranked no.1 with Mary Cullen in the no.2 spot, yet there's a gulf of around 15 seconds between their two SB's. She ran 8.28.49 in Stuttgart just behind Defar, which I must admit I had my eyebrows raised at just a bit. She's also entered in the 1500m, which is shaping up to be a fast race, so here's hoping that takes it out of her prior to the 3000m!

Jessica Augusto has been looking rather ordinary of late, mainly due the fact she's raced in practically every cross-country and indoor meet over the past few months (slight exaggeration). But she runs reasonably well at championships, as witnessed when she finished 2 places ahead of Ceullen at the Euro xc. She's a 9.22 'chaser, with good 3000m flat times so will be up around the medals.

Besides those two, the defending Champion, Lidia Chojecka of Poland, who is another who likes doing the 1500m/3000m double, will also be a threat, aswell as her team mate Ejdys. Haven't run anything near Cullen's time this season, but are ones to watch.

Those are off teh top of my head, but there aren't any other real standouts unless Turkey's Abygelesse (sp?) decides to run.

cfitz

Rineanna wrote: »

The Russian Alminova is the huge threat here. She's ranked no.1 with Mary Cullen in the no.2 spot, yet there's a gulf of around 15 seconds between their two SB's. She ran 8.28.49 in Stuttgart just behind Defar, which I must admit I had my eyebrows raised at just a bit. She's also entered in the 1500m, which is shaping up to be a fast race, so here's hoping that takes it out of her prior to the 3000m!

Jessica Augusto has been looking rather ordinary of late, mainly due the fact she's raced in practically every cross-country and indoor meet over the past few months (slight exaggeration). But she runs reasonably well at championships, as witnessed when she finished 2 places ahead of Ceullen at the Euro xc. She's a 9.22 'chaser, with good 3000m flat times so will be up around the medals.

Besides those two, the defending Champion, Lidia Chojecka of Poland, who is another who likes doing the 1500m/3000m double, will also be a threat, aswell as her team mate Ejdys. Haven't run anything near Cullen's time this season, but are ones to watch.

Those are off teh top of my head, but there aren't any other real standouts unless Turkey's Abygelesse (sp?) decides to run.

I predict:

1. Alminova
2. Abeylegesse
3. Cullen
4. Sidorchenkova

thirtyfoot

I was watching Mary's record again at the weekend and thought she can go faster, like into the 8:30's. Does anyone else think this?

She was constantly lapping which can be disruptive (or granted motivational) and she looked so strong throughout. The Flotrack guy says she went through 1500 in 4:25 which means she came home in 4:18 which is only 2 seconds off the standard for the 1500 in its own right in Turin. Aside from Sonia, nobody has got near this time indoors or out.

shels4ever

Tingle wrote: »

I was watching Mary's record again at the weekend and thought she can go faster, like into the 8:30's. Does anyone else think this?

She was constantly lapping which can be disruptive (or granted motivational) and she looked so strong throughout. The Flotrack guy says she went through 1500 in 4:25 which means she came home in 4:18 which is only 2 seconds off the standard for the 1500 in its own right in Turin. Aside from Sonia, nobody has got near this time indoors or out.

Thats the first thing I though on seeing , was amazed that not one person moved into the second lane to let her pass, maybe i'm a bit harsh but when i'm lapped i'd move out of the racing line...

cfitz

shels4ever wrote: »

Thats the first thing I though on seeing , was amazed that not one person moved into the second lane to let her pass, maybe i'm a bit harsh but when i'm lapped i'd move out of the racing line...

I didn't see the race so I don't know how bad the offenders were, but in any track race, it can be hard to judge how much faster the lapping runners are going so it's difficult to judge when to move out. And the last thing you want to do is move out as just as the athlete lapping you has decided to go around you. On a short indoor track with banked bends moving out becomes much more awkward. And I think it would be difficult for both the lapped and the lapping athlete to make sure there was enough space left on the inside when going around those bends.

thirtyfoot

cfitz wrote: »

I didn't see the race

http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view_video/234643/145627-w-3k-h01-irish-national-record

I like the celebration at the end when Roisin and herself realise they got the record!

thirtyfoot

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2009/0225/1224241774122.html

Although Mary mentions it in a quote, Keith Kelly is in an Ian O' Riordan article yet again, I'm starting to think he may have a crush on Keith;)

thirtyfoot

Piece in the Irish Times today (can't find link though) and basically in relation to the Sportwoman of the Month award they will have to create the "Mary Rule" in that no person will be able to win two monthly awards in one year (similar to their previous Jessica (Kuerten) rule. Mary's had her quota with the win in February and not to mention December '08, so I presume it'll be Derval's turn for March. A great news story and made me feel very happy reading it!

The two ladies are great ambassadors for our sport - talented, attractive, articulate and ultimately really care about our sport. Great to see.

Hard Worker

Yes, they are great ambassadors for Irish sport. There aren't really too many women at the top at World level, with the exception of Katie Taylor ( boxing and football ) and possibly Emma Byrne ( best goalkeeper in the World ). We also have the Maguire twins ( golf ) although they are still very young.

Pherekydes

Tingle wrote: »

...basically in relation to the Sportwoman of the Month award they will have to create the "Mary Rule" in that no person will be able to win two monthly awards in one year...

So if Mary wins the Euro cross in December, they'll have to give the award to...?

Ruby Walsh's mount (so long as she's a filly)?