Running legends hail Athlone IT indoor track

Senator Eamonn Coghlan has hailed the new indoor athletics arena at Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) as the "best news story in Irish athletics history". Speaking at a tour of the International Arena for members of the media today (Wednesday), the legendary athlete said: "This world-class facility will inspire future generations of athletes towards greatness for many years to come." His "only disappointment," he added, was that he would "never get a chance to break a world indoor mile record on its magnificent 200 metre oval track". The €10 million facility will open its doors to the public this weekend, with the staging of the Athletics Ireland Combined Event Championships on Saturday and the Athletics Ireland Open Indoor Games on Sunday. Another sporting legend, Sonia O'Sullivan, noted : "The investment and foresight by AIT will be sure to enhance the ability of many Irish athletes to train at a high level throughout the winter months and also perform at home in front of their friends and family in a world-class facility." According to Professor Ciarán Ó Catháin, President of AIT and also President of Athletics Ireland, there is "an enormous degree of excitement and anticipation about the new facility. There is a sense that this is a development of considerable importance, a red letter occasion for Irish sport," he stated. The new arena "is not just a resource for elite athletes," he advised, "it is there to be used by the entire college community," he said. The International Arena is part of a comprehensive programme of investment in AIT which has exceeded €115 million since the start of the millennium. While much of the funding has come from the Exchequer, the vast majority of the €10 million spend for the arena has been raised directly by AIT. The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport awarded €737,500 in funding towards the construction of the facility in 2012 under the Special Athletics Tracks Initiative. The official opening of the arena will take place next month, prior to the hosting of the Athletics Ireland Senior Indoor Championships on 16-17 February.