World class athletics will return to Athlone Institute of Technology again on February 21 with the fifth AIT International Grand Prix.
The event has over the past four years attracted the cream of world athletics and the 2018 event looks set to be no different as the recently crowned world high jump champion Mutaz Essa Barshim will be back in town.
His appearance at the AIT International Grand Prix will add to the excitement of the event, as last weekend Barshim was named IAAF 2017 World Athlete of the Year. Irish interest will be stirred as Thomas Barr is lined up to run the 400m.
The fifth International Grand Prix is a celebration of the world champions that have competed at the event since its inception. The first big headliner for the inaugural event in 2014 was the now retired Ashton Eaton, the world and Olympic champion at the time.
Six stadium records were broken as big time athletics came to Athlone IT for the first time since the opening of the AIT International Arena.
The women’s 60m hurdles has been a staple annual discipline on the AIT GP programme and this was no different in 2017 as former Olympic champion Sally Pearson opted to come to Ireland to relaunch her career after injury. Pearson showed all her class & technique but only came third as Christina Manning ran a stadium and all comer’s record of 7.82. Pearson, however, progressed to the World Outdoor Championships in London where she claimed Gold.
A host of big names will be added to join Barshim and Barr in the coming weeks and this will be a great opportunity for sports fans to witness world class athletics on their doorstep.
Tickets are €20.00 for seated and €10.00 for standing and are on sale at www.aitsport.ie/ait-grand-prix/
