ATHLETICS: Ciara Mageean records personal best for indoor 1500m in Germany

The Portaferry girl who competes for UCD was always placed handily in the large field as she hugged the inside in sixth.

She moved into third at the bell with a big group of seven still in contention and held the position in a frantic finish as five athletes finished within a second.

The race was won by Axumait Enbaye of Ethiopia in 4:08.22 with Konstanze Klosterhalfen of Germany second in 4:08.38 with Ciara third in 4:08.66.

This time is not only a personal best but is a qualification for the World Indoors in six weeks time. It breaks the Irish record set by Sinead Delahunty in 2000.

It has been a good start to the year for 23 year old Ciara who opened with a new indoor best of 2:04.90 over 800 metres in Athlone.

She said: “I am happy with my first 1500. Plenty to learn from this although new race I will be stronger and smarter.”

She has already qualified for the Rio Olympic 1500 after her 4:06.49 Northern Ireland record in the summer.

Meanwhile in the AAI Games in Athlone Amy Foster won the 60 metres in 7.33 which is just 0.1 second off the World Indoor qualification.

Jonathan Browning won the Mens sprint in 6.83.

Commonwealth athlete Katie Kirk returned to competition after injury with second in the 800 metres. She just lost in a blanket finish to GB’s Jade Williams who ran 2:07.85 with Katie clocking 2:07.91. Master champion Kelly Neely was an impressive third in 2:08.49.

l David O’Flaherty and Rebecca Henderson took the major honours in the Rollercoaster 5K Race promoted by East Down AC at Downpatrick Racecourse.

O’Flaherty rarely out of the medals here fought out a duel with defending champion Brendan Teer before coming out the winner by twenty one seconds. David Simpson was third.

Rebecca Henderson successfully defended her title reaching the winning post twenty seven seconds before Gerrie Short with Catherine O’Connor in third.

l Paul Pollock and Kevin Seaward both recorded sub thirty minute times in the Chichester 10K Road Race in Sussex.

Pollock from Annadale won in a close finish in 29:42 by just one second from Luke Caldwell of Mole Valley and Scott Overall of Blackheath with Seaward fifth in 29:59.