By Daniel Noble
NORTH Down Athletic Club sprinter Rachel McCann secured her first national senior title as she won gold in the women’s 400m at Dublin’s Morton Stadium on Sunday.
The 24 year-old Irish international upset the odds to beat the pre-race favourite, Raheny Shamrock AC’s Sophie Becker, at the National Championships, with UCD AC athlete Michelle Duggan finishing third.
McCann and Becker were both members of the Ireland team which qualified for the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing, when they won the women’s 4x400m event at the World Relay Championships in Gaborone, Botswana, in May.
They may have been direct competitors this time out, but they still shared a common goal – a national 400m gold medal – and when Becker stormed to the front over the first 200 metres, the lead appeared almost insurmountable.
However, McCann produced the goods on the home straight, passing Becker to set a new personal best of 52.93 and become a senior champion on the national stage for the first time, and she expressed her delight at how the gameplan was executed to a tee.
“Winning a national senior title is a big goal that most athletes have, especially when the standard is so high across women’s sprinting in Ireland at the moment and considering I was second in the previous two years,” she said.
“I was aware that Sophie has anincredible first 200 metres in her, so I just had to stay with her and knew, as an endurance 400m sprinter, I had enough to gain the edge in the second half of the race.
“I think I attacked the race more this year and had the confidence that I could win. Last year, I just ran out of track because I left it too late to challenge the leader, but this time, I went for it earlier and got the win.”
While the victory marks a milestone moment for the Bangor athlete, there is little to no time for her to sit back and admire the achievement, with another major tournament fast approaching.
McCann is set to represent Ireland in both the 400m and 4x400m at the European Championships, which will take place in Birmingham from August 10-16 – something she is relishing.
“The Europeans will be my first experience of senior championships in an individual sense,” she added.
“I’ve represented Ireland in the 4x400m before, but this will be my first experience of the individual competition, so my goal is o go there, give it my all and hopefully set another new PB.”
