Sprinter Reid springs a big surprise for bronze
MENAPIANS SPRINTER Leon Reid sprung a huge surprise at the British track and field championships in Birmingham when he blasted his way to a bronze medal in the 200m.
His time of 20.38s is not just a huge P.B., it is also within the qualification time set for the world championships in August. The first two across the line are automatically selected, with selectors having discretion on sending any others.
Should he get the nod he will be lining up with the top sprinters in the world next month. Leon’s time also secures his slot at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. There is good news for Athletics Ireland in that Reid, whose mother hails from Enniscorthy, has applied to run for Ireland.
The Irish Life Health National Junior and Under-23 championships took place in sunny Tullamore on Saturday. A relatively small contingent from the county bagged a handful of medals with a whole bunch of quality performances.
Under-23 men: 200m, seventh, Mel O’Callaghan, Menapians (23.82s); triple jump, third, Emmanuel Ogbanna, Menapians (12.91m); 3,000m steeplechase, first, Enda Cloake, Slaney Olympic (10.16.60m); 400m hurdles, third, Conor Gaffney, Menapians (56.94s); long jump, second, Mikey Cullen, Menapians (6.88m); seventh, James Fortune, Enniscorthy (5.96m).
Menapians won the 4 x 400m relay (3:27.56m).
Junior men: 200m, eighth, Ciarán Maher, Menapians (23.51s); javelin (800g), second, Peter O’Shea, D.M.P. (48.52m); 110m hurdles, second, Aaron Tierney-Smith, Menapians (15.26s), and fourth, Peter O’Connor, Enniscorthy (16.31s). Peter also placed eighth in long jump (6.18m); high jump, first, Ryan Carthy-Walshe, Adamstown (2.05m).
Menapians took silver in the 4 x 100m relay (44.43).
Junior women: Aoife Cloke-Rochford of Bree was fourth in 100m (12.11s) and fifth in 200m (25.8s).
Athlone hosted the national Juvenile inter-club relays last Sunday. The Under-13 boys from Bree ran their fastest-ever time to win silver medals. Menapians’ Under-16 girls’ and boys’ teams finished just outside the medals, with the girls finishing in fifth and the boys in sixth.
According to the eleventh century Leabhar Gabhála na hÉireann, or Book of Invasions, the Tailteann Games were started by Lugh Lámhfhada around 1600 BC as a mourning ceremony for the death of his foster-mother Tailtiu.
Lugh buried Tailtiu underneath a mound in an area that took her name and was later called Teltown in County Meath. The event was held in this place annually during the last fortnight of July and culminated with the celebration of Lughnasa.
These days the action has moved to Morton Stadium, Santry, and takes place at the end of June. And while many of the same athletic events still play a part in the competition, there is no longer a place for hurling, spear throwing, boxing, swordfighting, archery, wrestling or chariot racing.
The Irish Life Health Tailteann Games is an annual inter-provincial schools athletics competition featuring the best athletes from each of the four provinces on the island. County Wexford schools had a number of athletes on the Leinster team.
Marguerite Furlong (St. Mary’s, New Ross) won the 1 kg. discus with a throw of 36.07m. Joshua Hewlett (New Ross C.B.S.) won silver in javelin (700g) with a best throw of 52.34m.
Lystus Ebosele (C.B. Enniscorthy) won a bronze in the shot putt (3 kg.) with a best putt of 12.90m. She also placed sixth in the discus. Bronagh O’Hanlon (Pres. Wexford) was fifth in the 3 kg. hammer (41.04m).
Maeve Hayes (Loreto Wexford) finished in fourth place in the high jump with a jump of 1.60m. Tara Doyle and Grace Cloney (both St. Mary’s, New Ross) placed sixth and seventh respectively in the triple jump.
With the first round of the national track and field leagues behind us, Menapians are joint second in the Premier Division while the county Wexford women’s team is in fifth place in the women’s Premier Division. The county men’s team finished up in fifth place in Division 1. Wexford results are below with full results at http://www.athleticsireland.ie/ competition/results.
Premier Division men - Menapians placings: Aaron Smyth, third, 110m hurdles (16.24s); Jimmy McDon- ald, third, 3000m walk (15.54.39m); Conor Gaffney, first, 400m hurdles (57.54s); Sam Mitchell, first, 1,500m (4.09s) and first, 800m (1.56m); Shaun Donohue, fourth, 400m (50.73s); Jonathan Goringe, first, 3,000m S/C (9.38m) and first, 5000m (15.16m); Ciarán Maher, third, 200m (23.50s); Conor Wilson, third, 100m (11.30s); Shane McCormack, fifth, hammer; Conor Gaffney, second, pole vault; Mikey Cullen, second, long jump (6.49m) and second in high jump (1.75m); Mel O’Callaghan, fifth in both discus and javelin; Emmanuel Ogbene, second, triple jump (12.83m); David Hynes, fourth, 56 lb. Weight. Menapians won the 4 x 400m relay (3.24.39m) and placed secnd in the 4 x 100m (43.60s).
Premier Division women - Wexford county placings: Karen Murphy, first, 100m hurdles (15.61s); Triona Mooney, third, 1,500m walk (7.47m); Fiona Kehoe, first, 1,500m (4.52.07m); Sophie McCabe, first, 400m (59.50s); Ciara Wilson, first, 3,000m (10.23m) and fifth, 800m (2.29m); Aoife Rochford, second, 200m (25.71s) and fourth, 400m hurdles (1.12.21m); Olivia Howe, fifth, 100m (13.20s); Karen Murphy, first, long jump (5.16m); Marguerite Furlong, second, shot putt (9.86m); Ciara Kelly, fourth, high jump (1.35m) and fifth, triple jump (7.61m); Marguerite Doherty, first, discus (36.70m); Lisa Kelly, fifth, javelin (22.78m). Third in 4 x 400m relay and sixth in 4 x 100m.
Division 1 men - Wexford county placings: Peter O’Connor, secnd, 110m hurdles (16.71s) and third, high jump (1.75m); Joe Mooney, first, 3,000m walk (14.53.28m); Enda Cloake, third, 400m hurdles and third, 3,000m steeplechase (10.52.72m); Aaron Rogers, fourth, 1,500m (4.21.95m); Chris St. Claire Johnson, second, 400m (51.06s); Ross Daly, second, 200m (22.75s); Ger Forde, second, 5,000m (15.48.82m); Thomas Furlong, third, hammer (59.26m) and secnd, 56 lb. weight (6.53m); James Fortune, second, long jump (5.76m); Peter O’Shea, first, javelin (49.83m). Second in 4 x 100m relay (44.95s) and third in 4 x 400m (3.35.83m).
Fixtures: July 5 (Wednesday, 7 p.m.) Mr Oil Co. Wexford Senior track and field day one, Enniscorthy track; July 5 (7 p.m.), Leinster Junior championship (javelin and discus), Irishtown, Dublin; July 8 (7 p.m.), Kilmore 5km (Kilmore Seafood Festival); July 8, Irish Life national Juvenile day one, Tullamore; July 9, Irish Life national Juvenile day two, Tullamore.