Tipperary sprinter bidding to get on the podium at indoor championships

Several of Ireland’s leading athletes will ramp up their indoor campaigns this weekend as the AAI Games and the 123.ie National Indoor Combined Events Championships take centre stage at the Sport Ireland National Indoor Arena (NIA) in Abbotstown.

Competitive fields are expected to line up across all events on Saturday for the AAI Games, while national titles in the combined events will be confirmed on what will be a busy Sunday for those competing in the multi-event competitions.

Sprint action gets proceedings underway on Saturday, with a number of familiar faces returning to competition as the 2026 indoor season begins.

The 200 metres events promise to be particularly competitive as athletes build towards the national championships.

Mark Smyth (Raheny Shamrock AC) returns to action in the men’s race alongside exciting talents including Joe Doody (UCD AC), Joe Burke (Templemore AC) and Sean Doggett (Athenry AC).

READ NEXT: Tipperary athlete with devastating turn of pace enjoyed very successful year

Joe Burke will be looking to build on his achievements of last year, when he won bronze in the Boys’ 200 metres at the 2025 European Youth Summer Olympic Festival in Skopje, North Macedonia in July.

READ NEXT: Here are the key dates in Tipperary's National Hurling and Football League campaigns 

He also won bronze in 2024 at the European Under 18 Championships in the same event.