The inclusion of Terry McHugh was the only surprise element of the Irish team announced yesterday for the World Athletics Championships in Edmonton. A total of 19 athletes, including a men's 400 metre relay team, will make the trip to Canada for the championships which run from August 3rd to 12th.
McHugh (37) had failed to achieve a qualifying standard in the javelin this season - one of the requirements for selection laid down by the AAI. But under the IAAF rules, marks from last year can also be counted and McHugh, who won his 18th consecutive national title on Saturday, was included as a special circumstances case by the AAI.
Last August, he threw 82.75 metres - his current national record - to qualify for the Sydney Olympics and that distance was also beyond the 82.50 A-standard for Edmonton. It will be McHugh's fifth consecutive world championship appearance and 12th major event.
In 13 years the only one he has missed was the 1991 Worlds in Tokyo when he was injured.
"Obviously I'm delighted that the association made this decision," said McHugh, who competed in the London Grand Prix on Sunday night and them moved on to Switzerland to complete his preparations for Edmonton.
Tomβs Coman was another late addition to the expected selection. On Sunday, he won the national 400 metre title in 45.99 seconds, a championship best performance and inside the 46.10 B-standard. The Templemore athlete admitted that it was a "huge bonus" to achieve the time at the last opportunity, but it was just reward for his persistence throughout the season.
Coman will also lead the 400-metre relay entry, where he will be joined by the two runners-up at the national championships, Dundrum's Robert Daly and Beechmount's Paul McKee. Tom Comyns of Limerick completes the quartet.
Mark Carroll (5,000 metres), Peter Coghlan (110 metre hurdles) and Robert Heffernan (20km walk) had all achieved A-standards this summer and their inclusion was a formality. Carroll is also entered in the 10,000 metres with a qualifying standard from last summer, but he is certain to bypass that option and concentrate on the 5,000 metres where he is the only genuine Irish hope for a medal.
Daniel Caulfield (800 metres) and James Nolan (1,500 metres) - both with B-standards this summer - sealed their selection by winning the respective national titles at the weekend while Waterford's Jamie Costin is entered in the 50km walk on the basis of an A-standard time from last year.
The only event with three entries is the women's 5,000 metres. Breda Dennehy-Willis, Maria McCambridge and Una English each clocked A-standard times over 5,000 metres and in the absence of Sonia O'Sullivan, represent the best chance of an Irish finalist on the women's side. Dennehy-Willis has also been named for the 10,000 metres.
The selection of Sarah Reilly (200 metres), Karen Shinkins (400 metres) and 20km walkers Gillian O'Sullivan and Olive Loughnane is also no surprise. Teresa Duffy, in the marathon, completes the team. She clocked two hours 35 minutes, 27 seconds in London last April, inside the necessary 2:36.0.
The British selectors omitted Darren Campbell, who has been struggling with a hamstring injury, from the 100 and 200 metres, although he has been included in the 4x100 relay team.
