Sarah Lavin faced disappointment at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, where she finished seventh in the 60m hurdles semi-final with a time of 8.14. Needing a strong start, she made a critical error by hitting the first hurdle. With top performances from competitors like Pia Skrzyszowska, Lavin’s time fell short compared to her recent personal best. Despite her setback, the championships were generally successful for the Irish team, highlighted by Kate O'Connor's medal, marking a significant achievement in Irish athletics.
With only the top two advancing to the final automatically, it was always going to be a difficult assignment for Lavin, and she knew she needed to attack the first barrier to stand a chance.
Lavin got that one wrong, clattering the hurdle and with that her chance was gone. Poland's Pia Skrzyszowska took victory in 7.79 ahead of Jamaica's Ackera Nugent (8.00) and China's Wu Yanni (8.01).
There are some disciplines at the World Indoors where fields are diluted in quality, but the hurdles is certainly not one of them, the majority of the world's best toeing the line at a time of unprecedented quality.
For the Irish team, it brings to an end what was nonetheless a hugely successful championships, with Kate O'Connor winning the first Irish medal since Derval O'Rourke's 60m hurdles gold 19 years ago.
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