Balbriggan man Andrew Coscoran stormed to a new national 1500m record last night in France.
Racing at the Meeting International Nikaia de Nice Coscoran took an impressive victory in 3.32.68 knocking just over a second off his previous outdoor best.
Coming off the final bend the Star of the Sea club man sat in second place, but timed his move perfectly in the final forty metres to finish just ahead of Niels Laros (Netherlands) and Samuel Tanner (New Zealand).
Laros' time equalled the Dutch national record, an noteworthy feat given the fact that he is still only 18.
The last 200m as @AndrewCoscoran storms to his new national record 🤩
What a finish 👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/Eae6GqTyL0— Rory Cassidy (@rorycassidy01) June 17, 2023
Coscoran, who celebrates his 27th birthday today, had ran 3.33.49 indoors earlier this year in Birmingham, which at the time was a national record.
Ray Flynn congratulates Andrew Coscoran on national record
The outdoor record which fell last night had survived in the hands of Ray Flynn for 41 years. Flynn's best came in Oslo in 1982 when he ran a hand timed 3.33.5.
Flynn took to Twitter after the race to congratulate Coscoran.
"I'm proud to have minded it for the past 41 years," he said.
Huge congratulations @AndrewCoscoran ! on setting the new @irishathletics 1500m outdoor record!! today in Nice, I'm proud to have minded it for the past 41 years!. @MeetingNikaia https://t.co/7ktgbPUcAC
— RayPFlynn (@RayPFlynn) June 17, 2023
Also running in the race was Tyrone teenager Nick Griggs.
Griggs, who is a member of the newly established Candour Track Club based in Belfast, was in scintalling form clocking a massive personal best of 3.36.09.
That knocks nearly four seconds off his previous best which he ran indoors in Birmingham once again finishing behind Coscoran in February.
Decent run to open the campaign over 1500. Looking forward to running a few more races over the blue ribboned event very soon. @AndrewCoscoran runs sub 3:30 in the diamond league. You heard it here first😉 https://t.co/vm0v6SRW32
— Nick Griggs (@nickgriggs4321) June 17, 2023
The 18-year-old crossed the line last night in ninth place setting a new national U20 outdoor record in the process.
Longford man Cian McPhilips, who along with Griggs and Rhasidat Adeleke won gold medals at the European U20 Championships in 2021, had held the record of 3.40.56 for the last two years.
Coscoran will take a break for the next couple of weeks before racing on the Diamond League circuit in Poland and London. His main aim will be the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August.
Griggs' main target will also come that month as the European U20 Championships take place in Jerusalem.
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