Sean ‘buzzing’ after breaking 200m record
TALLAGHT native Sean Aigboboh has broken the Irish 200m record managing a time of 20.27 racing at the Cameron Burrell Invitational.
The previous record has stood for nearly 20 years with Paul Hession managing a time of 20.30 back in 2007.
Aigboboh has only started racing the 200m this season in his first year as a student at the University of Houston after previously focusing on the 100m during his schoolboy days.
The time is the sixth fastest in the University’s history and qualifies him for the 200m at the European Championships which are held in Birmingham this August.
Aigboboh also recently improved his time in the 100m managing a time of 10.27 at the Penn Relays and will also be competing in that event at August’s championships.
“I’m buzzing with it, it was a huge thing for me. There’s a lot more to come and I’m far from what I can achieve in future.”
“If I’m being honest the record had been on my mind a long time.
‘I was actually considering not running at all until my training partners told me that they felt I could break the Irish record last weekend.
A lot of my teammates and coaches told me I could do it too. It’s something that had been on my mind for a few weeks and I was working towards doing it.
Getting something I’d been trying so hard to get was a great feeling.”
Aigboboh spoke on the switch to Houston from Tallaght and how he is faring in the new environment.
“It’s a lot more of an intense system. The volume of training is a lot higher.
‘Back in Dublin I would only get to compete against exceptionally quick runners like Israel Olatunde or Bori Akinola once or twice a year whereas here I’m going against Bori’s and Israel’s every day.”
“I think I’ve transitioned quite smoothly actually.
‘I didn’t have any initial issues, the only thing that was a slight issue was the heat which took a while to get used to but I’m fine with that now.
‘I wanted a high performance environment and it’s been great for my development so far as the times show.”
Aigboboh has now qualified for the European Championships which was his overall goal for the year.
When looking at his American season he hopes to perform well at the Regional Championships at the end of May which will then have him compete at the NCAA’s later on in the year.
He touched on the talent pool that is present at those upcoming National Championships.
“I’d go as far to say it’s like a World Championship environment.
‘You’re racing against numerous sub 10 and sub 20 guys every week.
‘You have to get fast. They do say the NCAA is a bit of a pressure cooker but I personally see it as motivation rather than pressure.
‘I just use it and allow it to help me drive on towards my goals.”
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