Avril Dillon of Dundrum South Dublin AC competing in the Women's F40 60m Hurdles during the 123.ie National Masters Indoor Championships at the TUS International Arena in Athlone, Co. Westmeath in February, 2023. Photo: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

Defending champions and record breakers set for Athlone

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The national athletics schedule returns to the TUS International Arena in Athlone tomorrow (Saturday), January 13 for the 123.ie National Masters Indoor Championships.

A host of familiar names including recent world record breaker Shane Healy are set to return to indoor championship action across the busy schedule which gets up and running from 10am on Saturday.

Healy (Metro St Brigid’s) smashed Guenther Hasselmann’s O55 3000m world indoor mark of 8:58.7 set 44 years ago with a brilliant 8:47.71 in Dublin last weekend. The MSB athlete will drop down in distance on Saturday as he takes to the 800m.

Dundrum’s Avril Dillon (DSD) set a world record of her own last year, clocking a blistering 8.68 over the 60m hurdles back in March. Dillon returns to defend her 60m hurdles O40 title while also taking to the blocks in the 60m and 200m.

Gemma Thompson of City of Derry Spartans will be another of the sprinters to keep a close eye on in the O35 60m and 200m.

Paul Broderick (SLOT) will be looking to defend his double gold from indoors last year having taken the O35 200m in 23.97 as well as the 60m in 7.41.

2023 Masters Athlete of the Year Annette Quaid (Leevale AC) will look to pick up where she left off last season as she looks to defend her indoor 200m and 400m titles which she won so impressively in 2023.

The evergreen Pat Naughton (O90) from Nenagh Olympic also returns for a busy day of competition as he looks to add to his nearly 400-masters-medals. He’ll take to the 60m, long jump, and shot putt.

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