Golden run by super Striders
THE IRISH Life Health All-Ireland Championships for Senior and Juvenile (even ages) took place at the National Sports Arena grounds in Abbotstown on Sunday.
On what was a perfect day for running - dry and little or no wind - a record crowd turned up to witness a top-class day of athletics. Indeed, such was the turn-out that there were massive traffic tailbacks from the M50 to the grounds.
Unfortunately, this contributed to some of the younger athletes missing their races, notwithstanding the start times being put back. Given that all athletes qualified out of their provinces for the right to compete at the nationals, this caused no little amount of distress.
As regards the racing, the bulk of the media attention was on the Senior races as these were being used as qualifiers for the European cross-country in Slovakia on December 10.
Our top performer in the women’s race was Fiona Kehoe (Kilmore) in 23rd place. Elizabeth Egan also competed in the women’s race while Michael O’Flaherty (Kilmore) was our sole representative in the men’s race.
The real interest, from a Wexford point of view, was in the boys’ Under-14 3,000m. At the Leinster championships in Navan in October, Myles Hewlett (United Striders) won a silver medal behind clubmate Aidan Shannon, while both the U.S.A.C. and county teams won gold.
Myles subsequently took another individual silver in the Leinster Under-13 race in Adamstown, leading both club and county to silver medal finishes also. No pressure then!
Myles got stuck in from the start, didn’t let the sticky underfoot conditions faze him, and romped home for an excellent twelfth place finish and an individual medal. His clubmate, Darragh Flannelly, followed up his fine run in the Leinsters to cross the line in 18th place.
Wexford Chairman Paddy Morgan, who knows a thoroughbred when he sees one, says Darragh is definitely one to watch. Adamstown athlete Ben Wall was 32nd, Cosmo Hewlett (U.S.A.C.) 38th, James Hegarty (D.M.P.) 61st, Eoin Shannon (U.S.A.C.) 64th, and Finbar Kelly (U.S.A.C.) 84th.
Aidan Shannon (U.S.A.C.), who won the Leinster Under-14 race and placed ninth Under-15, was very much below par in placing 107th, with David Kirwan 123rd and Robert Wall 126th.
Striders on 132 points went one better than their Leinster performance in taking the gold for top club team, seven points clear of Spartans/City of Derry, with St. Senan’s in third.
The Co. Wexford team placed second behind a strong Dublin, with Kilkenny City Harriers in third. To crown it all, both Myles and Darragh made the silver medal-winning Leinster team.
Head coach, Ted Flannelly, was naturally delighted. ‘A national gold medal is a great reward for the boys as they have trained hard for a number years to get to this level.’
In the girls’ Under-14, Claragh Keane (D.M.P.) placed 27th. With her season going brilliantly up to now (third in Leinster C.C.), she may have been expecting to place higher.
Her trademark efficient running style and a good cool head for tactics make her a natural cross-country runner. The advice from Chairman Paddy is that all she needs to do is bide her time and it will come together for her.
Conn Mernagh (D.M.P.) was 21st in the boys’ Under-12 race while clubmate Kevin O’Mahoney was back in 61st.
Aedan Rogers (U.S.A.C.) and Liam Turner (D.M.P.) competed in the combined Under-18/Junior race. The pace was fast from the get-go as some of the top Juniors were running for a place on the European cross-country team.
Aedan was very happy with his run and the experience he gained from it. Liam, finishing a handful of places further back, was also happy with his run.
In other news, the third and final leg of the Wexford winter league takes place at the Enniscorthy Sports Hub at 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 3, with registration from 1.15 p.m.
The series has been very well supported by clubs with athletes welcoming the opportunity to get a little sharpness into their running. There is, of course, also the competitive side with an award for any athlete who wins all three races in his or her age group along with prizes for best overall club, best overall boys’ club, and best overall girls’ club.
Athletes who compete in all three rounds get a commemorative medal.
Menapians currently lead the race for top girls’ club (383 points), with D.M.P. in second (434) and United Striders third (444.5). Bree, in fourth, are on 454.4 points.
United Striders (312.5) go into the final round as top boys’ club. Menapians are in second (427.5), and Bree third (447).
United Striders on 757 points is the leading club overall with Menapians in second on 810.5 points. Can Menapians make up that deficit and stop Striders taking the title? It’s all to play for!
Fixtures: December 3, 2 p.m. sharp, Wexford Juvenile winter league, Enniscorthy Sports Hub, registration from 1.15 p.m.; December 10, 12 noon, Mr Oil Wexford Intermediate cross-country (ladies’ 4,000m and men’s 8,000m), Lingstown, hosted by Kilmore A.C.; December 17, Irish Life Health All-Ireland Juvenile (uneven ages) and Novice cross-country championships, W.I.T., Waterford.