Dunleer team edged out after unlucky fall

AN unlucky fall by one of their athletes possibly cost Dunleer AC a team medal at the National B Cross-Country Championships in Waterford on Sunday.

In cold and windy weather and on a very hilly and tough course, Lucy Sheridan made light of the conditions and went on to finish a superb second in the Under-11 age group, just being pipped on the line by the winning athlete.

Further down the field of more than 150, Lucy’s teammates gave it their all, with Vanessa Brennan ending the race strongly in 24th place, closely followed home by her sister Danielle and Aibhe Reilly who were both running out of their age group.

Dunleer were close to winning a team bronze and only for a fall by Aibhe on the uneven surface 200m from the finish that team medal could have been a reality.

In the National Masters race, also in Waterford, Dunleer AC’s Karen Costello finished seventh overall and fourth in her Over-40 age category, rounding off a brilliant cross-country season.

Elsewhere, the Dunleer AC Fit4Lifers performed very well in the Erin 5km run on Saturday.

On day one of the Leinster Indoor Championships in Athlone, Liene Kaugare was second in the U-16 shot putt and Karlis Kaugras second in the U-13 long jump with a new PB of 4.32m.

On day two - Sunday - Karlis added two more medals to his tally and a Leinster record for good measure! Karlis was first in the shot putt with 12.29m and second in the high jump. Coach Santis deserves to be congratulated on a great job.

Aeyla Orr was fourth in the U-14 long jump and high jump, while Emma Cheshire won the U-18 long jump (5.27m, PB) and came fourth in the 200m. Nicola Welsh had a time of 2:27 and Garry Campbell clocked 1:57, both over the 800m distance.