It should be the Odyssey Weekend, cancelled for a pop concert, but leaving a taste for indoor athletics. Kiki Malomo Paris was 5th in the 60m Final and 6th in the Long Jump at a crowded Kelvin Hall in Glasgow in the Scottish Under 15 Championships while Paul Curran was 3rd in the Triple Jump at Nenagh in a sparsely attended Irish Senior Championships in Nenagh.
Kiki was the only club representative today although several go tomorrow in different age groups. She won her heat at 60m in 8.13, was 2nd in the semi-final in 8.15 and 5th in the final in 8.16.
There were two pools in the Long Jump Final and Kiki was 2nd in Pool A but Pool B was the more competitive and Kiki was 6th overall across the two pools with 4.54m. Kiki hurt her back in the Long Jump and required physio treatment so she did not start in the 200m.
It has to be remembered that nowadays there are indoor facilities all across the UK except in Northern Ireland and a Northern Irish winter does not give the best preparation for technical events.
Meanwhile Paul drove a total of seven hours to compete in a freezing cold converted barn in Nenagh for a reminder of pre-Odyssey winter athletics. He was 3rd in the Triple Jump with 13.46m.