ATHLETICS: EAMON HARVEY’S TIR CHONAILL AC NEWS

Tir Chonaill A.C. notes

Success at Ulster/Athletics Northern Ireland clubs in Antrim

On Saturday and Sunday 16th/17th June a large contingent of the clubs juvenile athletes plus supportive coaches and parents, competed with much success in the Ulster/Athletics Northern Ireland Under 14,15,16,and 17 club championships at the Antrim Forum.

Facts and figures

Kelly McGrory, continues to iprove with every outing this year. The Laghey lass had a trio of very impressive victories in the U17 100m, 200m and 100m Hurdles U17 disciplines. In the 100m she sliced a huge 0.4secs from her P.B. when winning impressively in a very good time of 12.40secs. In the 200m she dipped under 26secs. for the first time. Drawn in the unfavourable lane 8 she blasted the bend and won by 5 metres -time 25.60secs. The 100m Hurdles, a technical event with new spacing’s and heights , found Kelly recrording her 3rd victory of the day in atime of 15.66secs.

Kate McGowan, was impressive in winning the U16 Long Jump –5.27m and in a closely fought 80m Hurdles final she had to accept 2nd place –11.92secs behind Megan Marrs, Lisburn, 11.91secs.The Lisburn lass, one of the new stars of the weekend earlier High Jumped 1.65m and ran sub 13secs for 2nd in the 100m into a headwind of -2secs. Kate also ran 13.21secs for 3rd in the 100m. Emma Brady, a relative newcomer to Triple Jump -introduced to the discipline at schools level in 2011 where she won a bronze medal – got out to new PB 10.38m to win the U17 event. Mark Boyle is another club athlete  that continues to improve with every outing. In the U16 800m he comfortably qualified via heats and in a closely fought final finished 2nd behind Letterkenny’s Peter Gibbons -times Gibbons 2mins 09.03secs, Boyle 2mins 09.08secs. Pole Vaulter’s Hannah Campbell U17 cleared 2.50m and newcomer to the event Katie Hoad, U16, with a best of 2.10m were victorious. Racewalkers Sarah Timoney and Jessica Quinn scored a 1st and 2nd in the 2k U16 event. The discipline of Hammer throwing, introduced to club athletes in 2011, found Chloe Masterson in a hapy mood when she recorded a series of PB bests and became provincial U15 champiopn with a best of 26.59metres. She is part of Paul O’Gara’s throws group in Donegal Town – a group that had another member Clara Herron, Nth Sligo AC, score a number of exciting PB’s at the Connaught championships on Saturday — Hammer 30.66m; Shot Putt -11.37m and Discus 22.22m.

Caolan O’Callaghan, recently joined the club via Michelle Harvey’s AVS training group. He was very happy with a 1.65m best for 2nd in the U16 High Jump. Eva McMullan, qualifed for the All Irelands with a 3rd place 200m best of 28.10secs while Christopher O’Loughlan had a similar finish in the U16 250H -36.38secs. Just outside a top three finish  were Ruth Gillespie U16 80H -4th 13.57secs and Mark Hegarty, 10.16m U16shot and 26.46secs -200m.

Enniskillen performances

 The local road racing scene is in full swing at the moment with numerous opportunities weekly to walk.jog or race over 5k /10k distances.The Enniskillen 10k on Saturday had the following club athletes record excellent times. Richard McCarthy 39mins 07secs;

Philomena Gallagher, 43mins 40secs; Sharon Thomas/Meehan, 45mins 40secs; Anne Donoghue, 48mins 21secs;Bernie McNeely, 50mins 08secs; Valarie Moore, 53mins 01secs.

Sympathy

The club would like to offer condolances to the Michael Maguire and the Maguire family Ardara on the death of Thomas recently in Australia

Next weekend

On Saturday a number of club athletes will be part of the Ulster schools team when the annual Inter Pro/Tailteann Games are held in Santry.The prestigious Irish schools team wil be selected immediately after this event

On Sunday Tullamore is the venue for the Irish Junior c/ships. A numbe rof club athletes are entered. Folloing this evnt the Irish team for the World Juniors will be announced.

The local road scene continues at a pace with the Aghyarn 5k on Friday 29th June a special attraction where prizes, organisation and hospitality are exceptional

Eamon Harvey

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