Mayo AC athlete helps Irish W70 team to world record in 4 x 800m relay

Mayo AC member Mags Glavey has helped the Irish W70 team to a world record run in the 4 x 800m relay, writes Tom Hunt.

The Dublin Graded Meet 8 took place at Morton Stadium, Santry, on Wednesday (July 31), with three Irish teams competing in the same race at 6.30 p.m. in attempts at three world 4 x 800m age category records – W35, W45 and W70.

The W70 record was held by a German team that ran 14:45.88 in Essen in September 2013.

At Morton Stadium on Wednesday, the Irish W70 team ran in the inside lane. Brilliant running by all four masters women ensured they broke the previous record time by about 78 seconds in 13:27!

The splits were as follows: Eileen Kenny (Athlone AC) – 3:20; Mags Glavey (Mayo AC) – 3:15; Mary Lynch (Raheny Shamrock AC) – 3:30; and Brigid McCabe (Mullingar Harriers AC) – 3:15.

Congratulations to Mags and her team-mates Eileen, Mary and Brigid.

Mayo AC are delighted for Mags, who prepared well as usual, joining up with other team members for training sessions and baton changing practice in Athlone. Mags has enjoyed great national track and international cross-country success over many years. She is an inspiration to all.

The Irish teams had been preparing for the relays over recent weeks under the direction of Ronan Gately from the Irish Masters Athletics Association. Ronan also helped manage the recent successful world record attempt by an Irish W65 team over the 4 x 800m distance.

As previously, the new record time has to be ratified and this can take quite a while; all the official record attempts are required to be validated by the World Masters Association.

Both of the other Irish teams (W35 and W45) also broke the previous world records.

The previous W35 record of 9:25.27 was achieved by the USA in 2011. Well done to Irish W35 team of Michelle Cox (Newbridge), Eimear English (Dunboyne), Hannah Frey and Fiona Gettings (Longford).

The previous W45 record of 9:43.13 was set by Australia just last year. The Irish W45 team comprised Maria Dunne (St. Laurence O’Toole), Maria McCambridge (DSD), Denise Egan (Ferbane) and Denise Toner (Monaghan), who ran 9:26.49.