Sarah Lavin splashes to victory on route to breaking Derval O'Rourke's National Championships record

On the first day of the 123.ie National Athletics Championships, it would have seemed that fast times and long throws were out of the question.

At the Morton Stadium in Santry the relentless drizzly rain poured down for the entire competition.

Temperatures sat at a modest 13 degrees, making conditions less than ideal. Water was bouncing off the blue Morton Stadium track, with athletes in blocks almost kneeling in puddles of water.

Despite weather not being in her favour Sarah Lavin added a 12th outdoor title to her locker, winning the women's 100m hurdles in a new championship record of 12.79, taking 0.16 off Derval O’Rourke’s 2005 mark of 12.95.

To put this performance in perspective she ran 12.73 in her season opener in Qatar in perfect conditions and which was an impressive mark at the time. The Emerald AC athlete has certainly bounced back ahead of the Paris Games.

Lavin is also entered in the 100m, for which she is the defending champion and national record holder. That event takes place on Sunday.

Molly Scott finished second, equalling her season’s best time of 13.64 which she set in Malta at the start of this month. Kate Doherty from Dundrum South Dublin was third in 13.67.

In the women’s 200m there was a late withdrawal from European gold medallist Sharlene Mawdsley.

Given the miserable weather conditions it may be too much of a risk in the month leading up the her first Olympics.

Phil Healy was the eventual winner. She ran a good bend and put further daylight between her and the rest of the field on the home straight. Alana Ryan had a late charge and claimed silver.

Healy crossed the line with the time 22.44 flashing on the clock but it was corrected to 23.42. Aoife Lynch made a return to the national podium claiming