Glorious weekend for St Gerard’s athletes
IT was sunshine all weekend for the three day Louth juvenile championships at Drogheda and Bush.
While the sun shone brightly the north and east winds made it chilly on the first two days but thankfully abated on Sunday to make the closing day simply glorious.
And glorious it was on the competition front too for all the young athletes of Dundalk St Gerard’s AC who performed brilliantly and did themselves and their club proud.
Getting the back rolling on Friday evening was Ciara Cunningham with a great bronze in the U12 girls hurdles and went on to take 4th in the sprint and had a good run in the 600m on Saturday. Leah Miele took a week deserved bronze in the U13 javelin.
Ava O’Hanlon had a great weekends competition taking gold in the U14 girls javelin, 4th in the shot and doing really well in her other events. Kerrie Hazzard took a fine silver k.
The U15 high jump and bronze in the hurdles. Adam Hanratty took silver in the U15 boys javelin and bronze in the shot putt. The enigmatic Maria Smith had a superb championships taking gold in the U16 girls long jump, gold in the 100m, silver in the 200m and another gold in the relay.
Keanu Van Beek lead a 1, 2, 3 for the club in the U16 boys shot with George Maas 2nd and Jamie Wynne 3rd. In the long jump Keanu took 2nd and another great silver in the 100m. In the javelin George Maas took gold and Jamie was 2nd in the 200m with George 3rd.
In the U9 girls events Cara Miele was in top form with gold in the long jump and turbo javelin with Zariah Faapito taking silver and a close 4th in the sprint. Sarah Holmes, Niamh Gorham and Molly O’Callaghan did well too. Liam Bingham and Finn O’Connor gave a good account of themselves for the boys U9.
Carmen Rasandratana, Lucy Rosbotham, Hannah Toal, Sadbh Brannigan, Doireann Conlon, Keeley Mooney & Nicole Mulholland all showed up well for the girls U10. Doireann built on her recent performances with a great bronze in the sprint and an impressive victory in the 500m. In the turbo javelin Lucy and Carmen were in the medals with great throws.
Logan Carroll and Oran Keogh showed great improvement in the U10 boys category. There was a bumper crew of U11 girls made up of Tamelia Lewis, Lucy Mahon, Dara McEnteggart, Enya Silkena, Abaigh Moonan, Meabh O’Connor, Grainne Moran and Tara OConnor. In the sprint Grainne lead home a 1, 2, 3, 4 from Tara, Enya and Meabh. In the long jump Meabh broke the championship record in another clean sweep from Enya, and Tara.
In the turbo javelin Enya and Meabh made is another 1, 2 with fine efforts. The 600m was another great tactical run from Enya to lead home Tara, Abaigh & Grainne in a 1,2,3,4. Conor Gorham, Hayden Mulholland and Ethan Mullen all did well for them boys U11.
Rachel Culligan performed well for the U12 girls on Saturday but unfortunately couldn’t compete on Sunday due to injury. Elahna Faapito had a great win in the U12 shot putt. Mia Keeley jumped to gold in the long jump with Nicola McElroy just missing out in 4th place.
Claire Woods threw brilliantly to take 3rd in the turbo javelin and Sylvia Keogh, Emily Moran and Rachel Marley put in great efforts. Newcomer Andrew Rosbotham, Aaron Clarke, Colm Drumm and Hely Rasandratana have good performances in the boys U12 category. Hely just missed out on the sprint final, Colm was 4th in the shot Aaron ran strongly and Andrew after only a weeks tutelage of a wily Cavan man took 3rd place in the turbo javelin.
Amy Toal Eimear Kinsella and Ciara Gorham put in good efforts for the girls U13’s. Aoife Gorham Tolulope Stephen, Isabel Holmes and Leah Mooney went well for the girls U14s. Ellen McBride took 3rd in a close fought U15 girls 200m. Patricia Jumbo-Gula took 3rd in the 100m and Ellen Murphy performed well too.
Joe Lennon was on top form taking gold in the U15 boys 100m, 200m, shot putt and long jump on a fantastic weekend for him. Conor Toal took silver in the shot putt in a 1,2,4 for the club. Caoimhe O’Callaghan had an impressive debut for the club with a great 3rd pace in the U16 girls 800m and looks an athlete with great potential. Niamh Mulligan won a well deserved bronze medal in the U17 girls 100m.
Following on from a brilliant win in a great heptathlon victory in England the previous week Kate O’Connor was an impressive winner of the U19 girls 200m with Niamh Belton running a great race in 3rd. Orlagh Conway was 3rd in the U19 girls 800m with Kate Smyth in 4th. In the 1500m Caitlin Mulholland was 2nd with Orlagh 3rd and Kate 4th.
In the relays the U9 girls team of Cara, Niamh, Zariah, Sarah & Molly took gold. The U10 girls Carmen, Doireann, Lucy and Nicole ran well. The U11 girls team of Meabh, Tara, Enya and Grainne stormed to victory with the 2nd squad of Tamelia, Lucy, Abaigh and Dara just outside the medals. The U11 boys Conor, Hayden, Ethan and Logan did well. The U12 girls Nichola, Mia, Elahna & Claire gave a good account of themselves. Ciara, Rachel, Leah and Amy did well in the U13 race and the U14 girls Ava, Tololupe, Aoife and Isabel did also. The U16 girls swooped late to win a very exciting race with the two Ellens, Caoimhe and Maria all to the fore. Th U16 boys took silver with George, Jamie, Conor and Joe fighting hard. Last up the U19 girls squad of Caitlin, Orlagh, Kate and Niamh took gold to sign off on a great weekends athletics.