Nadia Power Sets New Irish U23 800m Record

Nadia Power set a new Irish U23 800m record in Rovereto, Italy, after running 2:01.01. Powers time also moves her up to sixth on the all-time Irish list.
Power, who is a 2019 European Under-23 Championships bronze medallist, broke her previous best of 2:02.39 on her way to third place in Italy.
Prior to this, the previous U23 record stood at 2:01.89 set by Aoife Byrne in 2001.
As spotted by sports journalist Cathal Dennehy, the Dubliner’s time was the fastest women’s Irish-time run for seven years excluding Ciara Mageean’s record breaking 1:59:69 in July.

Irish U23 record of 2:01.01 by @NadiaPower6 in Italy tonight - takes more than a second off her 800m best and moves to sixth on Irish all-time list.

Apart from Mageean's 1:59 in July, it's the fastest Irish time for seven years. pic.twitter.com/Fgp4nkHVE1
— Cathal Dennehy (@Cathal_Dennehy) September 8, 2020

From the off, Norway’s Hedda Hynne took the lead and looked in formidable form as she separated herself from the rest of the field and strode home to victory.
It was more of a closer affair with the rest of the field as Power made a move to the front of the pack coming into the final bend. She was overtaken with 100m to go by Lore Hoffmann of Switzerland who finished second. Power went stride for stride with Canada’s Lindsey Butterworth and narrowly pipped her to the line to take third place.
Recently, Power competed in Finland where she looked in fine form running her third fastest 800m time ever. Her trip to Finland did however rule her out of the Irish Athletics National Championships as Athletics Ireland imposed a 14-day quarantine rule on visiting “green list” countries.
Elsewhere Ciara Mageean put in a good performance in the Czech Republic city of Ostrava where she finished fifth place in the 800m in a time of 2:01.40.
With the final lap to go, Mageeean looked in contention but the impressive Laura Muir opened up a decisive lead and carried herself home to victory in 1:58.84. Sofia Ennaoui of Poland bagged second in 2:00.82 and Habitam Alemu of Ethiopia third in 2:01.06.
Sarah Healy was also in action at the same meet, she finished 12^th against a world-class field that was won by Kenyan Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon in 3:59.05. Healy ran a seasons best of 4:17.60.
In more athletics news, it has been confirmed that the European Cross-Country Athletics Championships, scheduled to take place in Dublin on 13 December, had been cancelled.
Power, Mageean and Healy will be disappointed with this news as they had previously been part of the 2019 Irish European team.