Orla Comerford clocks lifetime best to win at Bislett Games in Oslo
Paralympic sprint star Orla Comerford continued her blazing start to the season by powering to victory in the para women's 100m at the Bislett Games in Oslo on Wednesday evening, the Dubliner clocking a lifetime best of 11.87 into a slight headwind of 0.7m/s.
That brought her home well clear of Norway's Ida-Louise Overland (12.88) and Dutch sprinter Zara Temmink (12.88). The para 100m was among several events staged on the eve of the main programme at the Oslo Diamond League, where Rhasidat Adeleke and Mark English will be in action on Thursday.
Comerford's race came just 48 hours after her victory at the FBK Games in Hengelo on Monday, where she clocked 11.96 into a 1.2m/s headwind.
'It's really early in the season, this is my second 100m and I was able to take some of the things from last week, change them and I'm happy we've been able to improve,' she said in Hengelo.
'The World Championships is the big one for us in New Delhi at the end of September so I'm keeping everything focused for that. I'll get a few nice races in, get back into good training and hopefully go faster and faster. That's the name of the game.'
Comerford won 100m bronze in the T13 (visually impaired) category at the Paralympics last year and powered to victory in the para 60m staged at the European Indoor Championships in the Netherlands in March.
With more Diamond League appearances on her horizon this summer, she's hopeful other major events will incorporate para races.
'I'm blue in the face saying it, but para athletics is athletics and if you're a fan of athletics there's no reason there can't be meets like this who all integrate with different events,' she said. 'Here's to more of that.'
Elsewhere, Nicola Tuthill broke new ground in the hammer throw in Lahti, Finland on Wednesday evening. The Paris Olympian smashed her Irish U-23 record with 71.71m, which placed her third in a competition won by Finland's Krista Tervo with 77.14m.
While Tuthill's throw is short of the automatic World Championships qualifying standard of 74.00m, it will all but ensure her place in Tokyo via her world ranking.
There was a second Irish U-23 record at the same meeting as Ava O'Connor clocked 9:45.00 to finish third in the 3000m steeplechase, taking one second off the mark she set in California in April.
Meanwhile, seven Irish athletes will be in action at the NCAA Championships in Oregon over the coming days with Sophie O'Sullivan, the reigning European U-23 champion, looking to hold the best chance in the women's 1500m.
O'Sullivan, who is in her final season with the University of Washington, will race the 1500m heats on Thursday afternoon, with the final scheduled for Saturday evening.
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