Karen storms her way to victory
LOUTH’S ladies National League athletics team has been nominated for Team of the Year in the Drogheda Independent/Coca-Cola Sport Star of the Year competition, having earned promotion to the Premier ranks in the National League for 2018.
Ladies athletics is booming, and further proof of that came on Sunday as Karen Costello of Dunleer AC stormed her way to another victory, this time in the Leinster Masters 4km Cross-Country Championship in Dunboyne.
She clocked a time of 15:18 and has been in brilliant form all season. She may be just over the 40 years mark but few can keep up with this racing phenomenon. She just grits her teeth and gets stuck into the races, whether its mud, hills, sunshine or even terrain.
Victory in the Louth masters cross-country, a place on the Irish and British masters team, second in the Louth Senior, second in the Antrim International over-40, first lady in the Dundalk Kristkindl 5km in 18:19, seventh in the National Novice 4km and holder of the ladies best time in Parkrun Oldbridge 5km with 18:56 - the list goes on.
On Sunday Karen led the Louth ladies to team gold and her Dunleer AC club team to fifth, with her training partner Nicola Welsh a hugely impressive fourth in the Leinster Masters in 15:48, with Sally Clarke (Boyne AC) making up the Louth team and Nicola Courtney completing the Dunleer AC team.
Dunleer AC club coach and vice-chairman Kevin Matthews said he is very proud of these athletes and is delighted to see female athletes taking part in a range of events.
Next up is indoor competition and then the almost 50-year-old tradition that is Rás na hÉireann on February 18th.