All eyes are set on the National Indoor Arena in Abbotstown on Sunday, February 9th, for the 33rd edition of the Irish University Indoor Track and Field Championships. With over 500 athletes entered, the team points race will be a key focus throughout the day. Competition will be fierce as teams battle for the prestigious John Pius Boland Cup and Maeve Kyle Cup, awarded to the winning men’s and women’s teams.
Team Competition
Defending champions Dublin City University (DCU) claimed both the men’s and women’s team trophies last year and will once again have to fend off strong challenges from the University of Limerick (UL) and University College Dublin (UCD), both of whom boast competitive squads across nearly every event. Other colleges will be eager to disrupt DCU’s dominance, with Munster Technological University (MTU) fielding a strong team in pursuit of top honours.
Sprints
The women’s 60m promises to be a thrilling contest, with last year’s silver and bronze medallists, Sive O’Toole (UCD) and Katie Bergin (UCC), returning to the lineup. Bergin is also set to compete in the 200m, where she will face stiff competition from Blanaid Fogarty (SETU) and Fatima Amusa (MTU). In the 400m, IUAA Indoor Record holder Rachel McCann (QUB) aims to defend her title but will have to contend with tough competition from Kate O’Connell (DCU) and Miriam Daly (UL), both of whom reached last year’s final. The 60m hurdles will see defending champion Arabella Adeoya (SETU) face a strong challenge from Niamh O’Neill (DCU).
The men’s 60m will be hard to look past Bori Akinola (UCD), whose recent form saw him achieve a European B Standard time of 6.65s. Max O’Reilly (MTU) and Gabriel Kehinde (TUS), the next two fastest Irish sprinters this season, will be hot on his heels. The 200m is set to be a thrilling rematch between Colin Doyle (MTU) and Robert McDonnell (UG), who have battled many times before. In the 400m, twins David and Stephen Mannion (UG) will face competition from hurdlers Fintan Dewhirst (UL) and Sean Carmody (DCU), who are making rare appearances in the flat event. In the 60m hurdles, Adam Nolan (SETU) is the clear favourite for the title.
Middle Distance
With Sarah Lane (DCU) absent, Renee Crotty (UCD) is expected to lead the charge for gold in the women’s 800m, though Sarah Butler (UCC) will pose a challenge. Last year’s top two finishers, Eimear Maher (UCC) and Lucy Holmes (MTU), will renew their Munster rivalry in the 1500m, while Aimee Wallace (DCU) looks to keep the title from heading south again. In the 3000m, Faye Dervan (DCU) and Sorcha McAllister (UCD) will go head-to-head for the title, while Ciara Wilson Bowen (DCU) appears set to dominate the 1500m walk.
University of Galway’s dominant cross-country performance earlier this year sets the stage for an exciting distance showdown. Oisin Kelly (DCU) aims to defend his 800m title but faces stiff competition from teammates Finn Woodger and Callum Hurley, along with Kyle Moorehead (UG). The men’s 1500m will be highly contested, with Roland Surlis and Oisin Davis (UG), Jonas Stafford (UCD), and Harry Colbert (DCU) all looking to make their mark. UL, UG, and DCU will battle it out in the 3000m, with Mark Hanrahan, Daniel Ellis Ryan, and Michael Murphy among the top contenders.
Jumps
In the women’s jumps, multi-eventer Laura Frawley (UL) will have multiple chances to claim silverware. In the high jump, Ava Rochford (UG) is the standout favourite, with Frawley and Annabelle Walsh (UL) expected to contend for the remaining medals. Daphni Doulaptsi Teeuwen (DCU) looks set to defend her triple jump title, while Abbie O’Neill (QUB) is a strong contender for the pole vault crown in an event featuring a fresh lineup of competitors.
Luke O’Carroll (UL) hopes to improve on last year’s silver medal in the men’s long jump, but Oisin Thompson (ATU) and Jordan Knight (DCU) will make it a tough contest. The triple jump is wide open, with Richard Kamson (ATU) relying on his experience to hold off newcomer Aaron O’Connor (UL). In the high jump, DCU could sweep the podium, with Emmanuel Osas, Jack Forde, and Jordan Knight all strong contenders. Defending pole vault champion Connor Callinan (DCU) will aim to retain his title but will have to fend off Aaron Malik (UL), who hopes to reverse last year’s result.
Throws
Ciara Sheehy (DCU) is the favourite to retain her shot put title, but Kotryna Pacerinskaite (UL) will provide stiff competition. Pacerinskaite will also aim to defend her dominance in the women’s weight-for-distance event after breaking the IUAA record last year, with UL teammate Laura Frawley looking to secure a 1-2 finish.
Defending men’s shot put champion Sam Vines (SETU) aims to retain his title, but Callum Keating (UL) will look to improve on last year’s third-place finish. The men’s weight-for-distance event will feature a strong battle, with defending champion Robert Higgins (MU) looking to hold off Padraig O’Callaghan (UL) in what promises to be a closely contested competition.
Combined Events
IUAA Female Athlete of the Year Laura Frawley (UL) is the favourite to claim the women’s pentathlon title after her dominant performances last year in claiming both indoor and outdoor titles.
In the men’s event, Irish National Senior Champion Jack Forde (DCU) looks to continue his indoor dominance by securing a fourth consecutive title while also collecting medals in multiple individual events.
With top-class athletes, intense rivalries, and team glory on the line, the 2025 IUAA Indoor Championships promise an action-packed day of competition in Abbotstown.
