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Indoor Championships: Ó Lionáird continues return to the top

The Corkman took his place in the 3000 metre European final with a tactically impressive run this morning.

IRELAND’S PROMISING START to the European Indoor Championships continued with victory for Ciaran Ó Lionáird in his 3,000 metre heat.

The Corkman ran a tactically perfect race, finding space soon after the start and keeping himself in a pack just behind the leaders throughout before stretching his legs on the final lap to come home in a time of 7 minutes, 55.12 seconds.

Stephen Scullion also wore the green singlet in the middle distance and he had made a break to lead the field after the midway point, but was soon sucked back into the chasing pack where O’Lionaird was biding his time.

Almost from the second Scullion dropped, the US based runner kicked on and made his way up to second place when the bell rang and from there he continued to accelerate clear of Florian Carvalho who finished second.

Scullion’s exertions took a toll, however. And the 24-year-old’s time of 8;00.78 was not enough to see him through to the final which takes place at 5.20pm tomorrow.

Ireland’s other 3000 metre hopeful, John Travers, also failed to advance. The 21-year-old led for much of the run, but ran out of steam around the 2 kilometre mark and ended in a time of 8:23.83.

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