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Sophie O'Sullivan moved up to third on the Irish all-time list (file photo). Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

Sophie O'Sullivan sets new Irish U23 3000m record in Italy

Sarah Lavin and Brian Fay also turned in impressive performances in Italy on Wednesday evening.

SOPHIE O’SULLIVAN TOOK more than a second off the Irish U23 record as she set a new personal best at the Palio Citta’ Della Quercia meet in Rovereto, Italy on Wednesday evening.

O’Sullivan finished second behind Ethiopia’s Wubrist Aschal in a time of 8.44.72, lowering the previous U23 best of 8:46.14 set by Sarah Healy last year.

The 21-year-old’s time is also the third-fastest on the Irish all-time list behind only her mother Sonia, whose national record of 8:21.64 has stood for almost 30 years, and Mary Cullen’s indoor time of 8:43.74 from 2009.

Elsewhere at the meet, Sarah Lavin — who continued her remarkable season earlier this week by setting a new 100m national record on the flat — won the 100m hurdles in 12.76 seconds.

Brian Fay smashed his 3000m PB, lowering his best by almost seven seconds as he ran 7:36.89 to finish second behind Grant Fisher of the United States (7:33.32).

The Dubliner’s time is also good enough for third on the Irish all-time list behind Mark Carroll’s 1999 national record of 7:30.36 and Alistair Cragg’s 7:32.49.

Mark English finished eighth in the men’s 800m (1:46.64), won by Italy’s Catalin Tecuceanu in 1:45.25, while Louise Shanahan also finished eighth in the women’s equivalent (2:01.89), won by Vivian Chebet Kiprotich (1:59.56). 

At the Memorial Wieslawa Maniaka meet in Poland, Christopher O’Donnell finished second in the men’s 400m (46.38) behind Great Britain’s Charles Dobson (45.17).

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