The growing reputation of the AIT International Arena has been enhanced even further in the last two weeks as five new stadium indoor athletics records have been broken. This augers well as we are still in the early stages of the indoor season. The Arena records started to tumble two weeks ago during the Galway County Indoor Athletics Championships. In a special invite Mile event AITs own John Travers came agonisingly close to a first sub four minute mile as he ran 4:01:47 backed by an enthusiastic crowd. It is more likely than not that we will see the Arenas first ever sub four minute mile this season, what an occasion that will be.
Cathriona Farrell from Craughwell AC was next to post a new AIT Arena standard in the high jump of 1.80m. She is now ranked 5th on the all-time Irish indoor list. Cathriona cleared 1.65m, 1.70m and 1.75m on her first attempts at these heights. On her second attempt at 1.80m she was successful.
Last weekend AIT hosted the National Masters Championships on Saturday and the Junior and U-23 Championships on Sunday. Three Arena records fell on Sunday. Jamie Murtagh from St Andrews AC claimed the new Arena best with a jump of 2.10m in the Junior Mens event. Sarah Lavin from UCD AC put her name on the Arena record board with a super quick 8.33 seconds in the 60m Hurdles. The final standard to be extended came from Caoimhe King, formerly a students of Our Lady’s Bower in Athlone, who jumped 12.68m in the Triple Jump.
The fact that so many Arena records were broken promises much as AIT hosts the Woodies DIY AAI Indoor Open Games this Sunday the 2nd of February and the National Senior Championships over two days on the 15th and 16th of February.
The new updated Arena Rocords can be viewed here: AIT Arena Records