World silver medallist Kate O’Connor and Irish nationwide champion Nick Griggs have been named in Ireland’s team for the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Poland.
O’Connor received Ireland’s first medal on the championships since 2006 in Nanjing final yr when she completed second within the pentathlon.
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The 25-year-old then adopted that up with a surprising second-place end within the heptathlon on the World Championships in Tokyo in September.
In a historic yr, O’Connor received a gold medal on the University Games and claimed bronze on the European Indoor Championships.
Nick Griggs, who received the Irish senior title earlier in March, will race within the 15-strong 3,000m closing alongside Andrew Coscoran.
Five-time European medallist Mark English can be a number one title for the Irish team when he races within the 800m on the occasion in Torun, which runs from 20-22 March.
Paul McNamara, Athletics Ireland’s excessive efficiency director, mentioned it was “an exciting team with real prospects for medal success”.
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“Kate’s achievement in Nanjing last year has set a bar for what Irish athletes can achieve at these championships, and we travel to Poland with real intent,” he mentioned.
“Along with our seasoned performers it’s great to see emerging talent make an impact this season and earn the opportunity to compete against the best in the world.”
Sarah Lavin will enter the Women’s 60m hurdles, whereas Bori Akinola and Lauren Roy will race within the males’s and girls’s 60m respectively.
Maeve O’Neill will make her senior Irish worldwide debut in Poland within the ladies’s 800m, whereas Ciara Neville (Women’s 60m), Emma Moore (Women’s 800m), James Gormley (Men’s 1500m) and Elizabeth Ndudi (Women’s Long Jump) have achieved the ‘B’ Standard and are provisionally chosen pending affirmation of their qualification standing by World Athletics.