Arlene Crossan took another chunk off her 400m personal best in Spain tonight. The Finn Valley AC athlete clocked 53.11 seconds while running in the Granada Challenger/Mitin Internacional Andalucia meet in Granada. Around a lap of Estadio de la Juventud de Granada, Crossan took 0.52 seconds off her previous best, setting a new Finn Valley AC club record in the process. Crossan, out of lane two, placed fourth in the race following a strong showing. The Letterkenny native’s previous fastest time in the one-lap race
was the 53.53 seconds from Belgium last year. Ana Benitez won in 52.29, with Carmen Palos second in 52.62 and Poppy Malix crossing the line in 52.65 in third. Ten days ago, Crossan set a new 400m hurdles PB when going 57.95 seconds. At the start of May, Crossan impressed with the Irish women’s 4x400m team at the World Athletics Relays in Botswana, helping to seal qualification for next year’s World Athletics Championships. Crossan will now be eyeing 52-second territory. Her Finn Valley AC colleague
Sommer Lecky was also in action in Spain, going over 1.79m in the high jump. Meanwhile, Mark English is on the start list for an 800m in Rome on Thursday night. The race is on the Diamond League card, but the 800m is a non-Diamond League race. However, the likes of Bryce Hoppel, Gabriel Tual, Yanis Meziane and Donovan Brazier ensure that it is a world-class for English to tackle. On Sunday evening, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, English clocked 1:45.00 to
place 11th in a loaded 800m field and a race won by Max Burgin from Great Britain in 1:42.98. A couple of weeks ago, English won a Diamond League 800m in Shanghai, the 1:43.85 clocked a meeting record and the second fastest time of his career.
Arlene Crossan, 400m, personal best, Granada Challenger, Finn Valley AC, Estadio de la Juventud de Granada, Mark English, 800m, Rome, Diamond League