Amy sets bar higher after title defence

BOYNE AC’s Amy McTeggart got 2017 off to a fantastic start as she made a successful defence of her National Indoor Combined Events title in Athlone on Saturday last.

McTeggart had five events to contest in the senior competition and began her campaign with a new PB in the 60m hurdles, crossing the line in 9.68sec. Another PB followed suit, this time in the high jump, wheree a clearance of 1.72m gave her an early lead. Her long jump of 5.16m and a shothot putt to of her 9.43m overall added dl score to ensure a leading position as she headed into the final event, the 800m..

An exciting g race cross saw the McTeggartline ege in a super 2:35.44, enoughnough to ensure gold with a clear margin of 394 points over the second-placed athlete. Her aggregate of 3,373 points overall was yet another PB.

After a quick change of clothes and shoes the talented all-rounder took to the stage that night at the Leinster Star Awards, held in Carlow, where she deservedly won the Leinster Award for Senior Louth Female.

A little closer to home on Sunday last, some of the juvenile members of the club made the short journey to Cushinstown for the first of the local indoor sports days.

Competing in the Under-9 60m sprint, Paige Gaynor ran superbly, as did Luca McLoughlin who qualified for the final. In the U-10 races, both Shola Lawrence (pictured below) and Alex Robertson qualified for the final, with Lawrence taking an easy win.

The U-11 Girls saw Eabha McGabhann and Aine Sheedy run a great race, as did Ella McLoughlin in the Girls U-12 event. In the Boys UU-112 60m Aaron Fennell and Amitesh Bala both qualifiedqua for the final, nal,final, wwith Bala taking the ssilver medal in a tigtight finish.

Amelia Lawrence renLawrence competed edcompeted well in her toutough U-13 race, whiwhile in the Boys U-15 event Killian McLoMcLoughlin took the win overo clubmate Euan CannCanniffe, who finished ishedfinished in second.

In the field events, U-9 athlete Ally Fennell finished in a super fourth place in her first long jump competition, while brother Aaron had a comfortable win in the U-12 60m hurdles and then took silver and bronze in the shot putt and high jump respectively. Finally, Euan Canniffe had a strong win in the U-15 shot putt.

Wednesday evening last also saw some of the club’s Fit4Life group take on the challenge of the paced miles in Santry, an increasingly popular event. The four-lap paced race benefits both those looking to establish a personal time, and those hoping to improve their time.

Despite the freezing temperatures, Edel Gartland, Christine Kennedy, Nicola Finnegan, Julie O’Shea and Catherine Tiernan Bell all ran well and have now set their personal benchmarks for the coming year.

Boyne AC held their agm on Friday last, electing their committee for the coming year.