Bowling them over!
Multi-eventer Michael wins in England
WELL DONE to Enniscorthy multi-eventer Michael Bowler on his win at the British university championships.
He described it as ‘ a perfect ending to my university athletics career’. This result, along with his second place finish in the U.K. decathlon championships, with a P.B. of 7,263 points, makes it a very good year for Michael.
Indeed, this result would have won the U.K. championships in any of the last five years. The performance puts him at No. 8 in the all-time Irish list for decathlon, and No. 1 for this year.
He also came third in the British universities pole vault earlier in the month with a new P.B. of 475 cm. which puts him at No. 1 in Ireland for the event.
He is looking forward to returning home later in the summer to prepare for the Irish national championships. Having finished second in the A.A.I. national championships twice over the past three years, he will undoubtedly be targeting gold this year.
Michael, in recalling how his love of combined events started many years ago in the fields of Caim, says he owes a great debt of gratitude to those who have guided him along the way.
He mentions the late Willie Rackard who, in his time, was a fine high jumper. Local race horse trainer Pat Sinnott also devoted much time to helping Michael, and a number of other enthusiasts, get off the ground, literally, in the pole vault.
The resourceful mentor started by digging a hole in the ground as a box for the pole and heaping together old mattresses from St. John’s Hospital in Enniscorthy, along with straw bales, as a makeshift landing mat!
Michael now plans on giving something back and, in the process, putting his expertise to good use.
‘I want to play a part in developing the next generation of combined events hopefuls,’ he said.
‘If any club wants help getting organised or motivating young kids, please contact me via Facebook.’
Well done to Kilmore’s Fiona Kehoe on her third place finish over 800m at the Irish Milers Club meet in Belfast in 2.10 minutes.
Fixtures: June 16, Leinster Under-12 to Under-19 Juvenile championships, Tullamore; June 22 (Friday), Mr Oil Wexford Juvenile ‘B’ championships, Enniscorthy; June 23, Irish Life Health Tailteann Games track and field championships, Santry; June 24, Irish Life Health National League round one, Templemore and Mary Peters Track, Belfast.