Fine medal haul for Wexford
County a force to be reckoned with at All-Ireland event
YOUNG ATHLETES from County Wexford last weekend enjoyed one of their best national track and field championships in some time.
Indeed the fine showing at the recent Leinster championships had indicated that, all going well, Wexford would be a force to be reckoned with at the All-Irelands. Suffice to say that all went well!
Conditions were close to perfect with some welcome cloud cover and an absence of wind.
Ruby Reynolds (Menapians) opened the account for Wexford as she stormed to a convincing victory in the Under-13 60m hurdles in a time of 9.65s, just 0.13s off the C.B.P.; Abbie Doyle (Bree) placed fourth (9.91s).
Following three fouled throws, Joshua Hewlett (United Striders), in Under-18 javelin, saved the best until last as he took the gold with a throw of 48.56m.
Aisling Kelly (Taghmon) is in wonderful shape right now. Having won her heat of the Under-17 100m in 12.46s, she found an extra gear and won the final in some style in a P.B. of 12.28s.
This will surely serve as a great boost to her confidence as she heads to the S.I.A.B. (Schools International Athletic Board) meet in Glasgow at the weekend.
Aaron Tierney-Smith (Menapians) placed second in the Under-19 110m hurdles (15.34s).
In the Under-17 long jump, Maeve Hayes (St. Paul’s) put in a strong series of jumps, her second round jump of 5.33m being her best. She had the eventual competition winner worried right up to the final jump as they were fairly evenly matched. In the end Maeve was happy to take the silver.
The ever-consistent Gergely Papp (St. Paul’s) won the Under-17 shot putt with a P.B., on his sixth and final effort, of 13.89m. He also placed fourth in the discus (33.42m). Gergely received a well-deserved late call-up to the Irish team for next weekend’s S.I.A.B. meet in Glasgow.
Jack Forde (St. Killian’s) had a facile victory in the Under-16 high jump, jumping 1.85m. He followed up with silvers in both shot putt (12.52m) and triple jump (12.26m).
Myles Hewlett (United Striders) bettered the C.B.P. in winning the Under-14 800m at the Leinsters a few weeks back. He really lit up the track on the occasion as he took off from the pack early and never let up.
On this occasion he chose to stay off the front, so allowing the front-runners establish a small advantage. When, on the second lap, he made his move he was moving faster than everyone else.
This meant that, come the finish line, he was really flying and had passed all but one of his opponents. So, silver for Myles in a time of 2:11.40 minutes, a few tenths outside his Leinster time. It was a fine run.
Fellow Strider Darragh Flannelly lined up in the Under-15 800m. One of the county’s most improved young middle distance athletes, Darragh took a more aggressive approach than Myles, moving to the front on the first lap.
Into the second lap there were three of them clear of the field and moving away. On the back straight Darragh was relegated to second; around the final bend he slipped back to third; down the home straight and he could sense an attack coming from behind to go with the lactic attack in his legs; the fresher legs pipped him.
Darragh was fourth in a time of 2:09.69 minutes, a P.B. by three seconds. After all that, he is still one of our most improved athletes.
Steeplechase specialist Róisín O’Reilly (Menapians) has been improving with every race. Last Saturday she showed further improvement as she literally ran away with the Under-17 2,000m in a C.B.P. and P.B. of 7:06.73 minutes.
The race, which had both Under-17 and Under-18 athletes, was a two-horse race from the start between Róisín and her Ashford rival Róisín Treacy. The latter set a hot pace from the start which the Wexford girl was happy to go with.
Two laps to go and the early efforts were showing on Wicklow Róisín. With nothing other than a lengthening of the stride it was game, set and match to the Menapians lady as she moved ahead for a big win. Both girls will be competing on the Irish team at the S.I.A.B. next weekend.
Lystus Ebosele (D.M.P.) was an easy winner of the Under-18 shot putt with 13.55m, the best of a consistent series; Éadaoin Stafford (Adamstown) was fifth (10.35m).
In discus, Lystus achieved a first round throw of 31.94m, her best of the competition. This was good enough to give her the win with a 19cm winning margin. Éadaoin Stafford placed fifth once again with a throw of 24.60m.
Marguerite Furlong (Adamstown) won the Under-19 discus, only clinching the title with her final throw of 32.73m. Amy Forde (St. Killian’s) placed third (27.28m).
It was a similar story for Marguerite in the shot putt as it wasn’t until her sixth effort that she secured the victory (10.67m). Clubmate Zara Power finished in seventh place.
Pádraig Hore (Taghmon), in his final year at Juvenile level, was, up to the final round, lying second in the Under-19 shot putt with throw of 12.77m. A big final effort by long-time rival Patrick Corrigan of Suncroft surpassed Pádraig’s best, pushing him into the bronze medal position.
In an exciting Under-14 high jump competition, Orlaith Deegan (S.B.R.) cleared 1.48m to guarantee her the bronze. She almost cleared 1.51m to challenge for the silver. However, she was very happy to take the bronze.
Ciara Mooney (Adamstown) placed sixth in the Under-14 javelin (29.20m) and ninth in the shot putt.
Nathan Murphy (Menapians) was fourth in the Under-16 discus (33.83m). Next Sunday he lines out in his first All-Ireland 1,500m.
Cosmo Hewlett (United Striders) placed fifth, with a throw of 37.73m, in a very competitive Under-14 javelin, an event in which the top three broke the championship record.
The highlight in the walks from a Wexford point of view was the gold won by Brídín Doyle of Craanford Harriers) in the Under-14 2k (11:35.48 minutes); Isabel Bawden (United Striders) was third (12:16.66 minutes).
Triona Mooney (Adamstown) won a silver in the Under-19 3k walk (16:18.05 minutes). Eve Byrne (United Striders) placed sixth in the Under-16 2km walk. Jack Byrne (S.B.R.) won a bronze in the Under-15 2k walk.
Other Wexford results: Saidhbhe Byrne (Enniscorthy), eighth, Under-15 80m hurdles (12.91s); Kaylem Codd (D.M.P.), ninth, Under-15 shot putt (11.24m); Elaine Oladiran (Enniscorthy), sixth, Under-15 hammer (32.63m), fourth, shot putt (11.11m); Sammy Delaney (St. Paul’s), sixth, Under-19 long jump (6.00m); Rachel Power (Adamstown), eighth, Under-17 triple jump; Katelyn Boggan (Kilmore), eleventh, Under-15 long jump (4.52m); Eimear Halpin (Menapians), seventh, Under-15 discus (24.50m); Aaron Browne (United Striders), sixth, Under-17 400m (54.04s); Kevin O’Mahony (D.M.P.), eighth, Under-12 60m (8.63s); Abbie Doyle (Bree), eighth, Under-13 80m (11.13s); Orlaith Byrne (S.B.R.), seventh, Under-14 80m (10.69s); Olivia Howe (Bree), seventh, Under-19 100m (13.54s).