Carolan leads way for Boyne in Balbriggan

IT wasn’t only the sun that shone last week, as Boyne AC athletes took to the roads and track for an exciting few days of competition and performed with distinction.

Thursday last saw the inaugural Balbriggan Summerfest 5k take place along the coast, with the sea and sun as its backdrop. Some fantastic running from the four Boyne athletes garnered them fourth team, and first home for the club, Rebecca Carolan, was delighted with her fourth-place finish overall in 20.58.

Next to cross the line for Boyne was Catherine Tierenan Bell who was also delighted with her time of 22.36, while clubmates Edel Gartland and Judith McGuinness Faulkner both secured new PBs - 24.24 and 24.59 respectively.

Further along the coast, the annual beach races hosted by Blackrock AC took place on Friday night last, when a small but mighty group of youngsters took to the sand to battle it out against fierce competition.

Calum Byrne and Luca McLoughlin both ran well in the U-8 race, with Calum taking a medal for sixth place. A regular to the medal winners’ podium, Oliver Carolan once again led from the outset to take home gold in the U-10 500m, while Rhys Clarke was unlucky to miss out on a medal, finishing in seventh.

Ella McLoughlin ran a strong race in the Girls U-12 750m, Adam Byrne had a great sprint finish in his race to take home a medal for fifth place and Killian McLoughlin continued his improvement with a fine fourth place in the Boys U-14 race.

Saturday saw a weekend of athletic action in Tullamore get under way with the National Schools Athletics Championships, where Ruarcan O’Gibne stormed home to victory in the Boys Steeplechase and clubmate Tara Meier just missed out on a medal in the Long Jump. This was no mean feat for both athletes, who had qualified through both North Leinster and Leinster competitions to reach this stage.

It was then back to Tullamore on Sunday, with the Athletics Leinster Master & Senior Track & Field Championships the order of the day.

Jamie Bull, in his first competitive event for the club, was delighted with his win in the M35 100m, while Jonathan McCabe took silver in the M40 javelin.

Amy McTeggart seems unstoppable at the moment and she got straight back to competitive action, having represented Ireland the weekend previously in Scotland. This time she claimed gold in her high jump with a jump of 1.60m, bronze in the long jump and a bronze in the javelin with a throw of 30.61m.