LIMERICK’S SARAH LAVIN is in strong contention to make the Tokyo Olympics, as she today became only the second Irish woman to ever break the 13-second barrier in the 100m hurdles.
Lavin cut 0.24 seconds off her previous PB as she ran 12.95 seconds at the World Athletics Continental Tour silver meeting in Madrid, finishing second in her final having qualified from her semi-final with a time of 13.2 seconds.
She follows only Derval O’Rourke in running under 13 seconds.
The time puts Lavin in strong contention for a place in the Irish team next month, with this time expected to push her high in the Olympic rankings. She arrived into this weekend placed number 43rd in the 100m hurdles Road to Tokyo rankings, with the top 40 qualifying for the Games.
In further encouraging news for Irish athletics, Mark English finished second in the men’s 800m, running a season’s best of 1:45.22.
