DUBLINER SIOFRA CLEIRIGH-Buttner posted a new Irish indoor record last night as she powered to second place in the 800 metres at the NCAA Championships in Texas.
Cleirigh-Buttner finished in 2:02.46, shaving .12 seconds off the record Ciara Everard set in 2013, while simultaneously earning a historic result for Villanova University, celebrating their best result in the event for 30 years.
In addition to her latest PB, Cleirigh-Buttner now holds the Philadelphia institution’s top six best indoor records over the distance.
The 22-year-old set out at a comfortable pace and was seventh at the halfway stage before making her move. Oregon athlete Sabrina Southerland took the NCAA title in a time of 2:01.55, while Texas A&M’s Sammy Watson was unable to match Clerigh-Buttner’s final push and came in third.