Stephanie’s off to Slovakia to represent Ireland
WEST Muskerry AC was celebrating on Sunday as six of their athletes competed in the All-Ireland Even Age Cross Country Championships in Abbotstown in Dublin.
In the Junior Women 4,000m, Stephanie Cotter was focused, relaxed and confident going into the starting stalls for her race. She got a great start and stayed with the main group on the first of three laps. On the last lap the group were split and she moved into second place.
She battled all the way home and was absolutely delighted to be crowned Junior All-Ireland Champion 2017.
Her club-mates were over the moon with her performance and the icing on the cake came when she was selected to represent Ireland at the European Junior Cross- Country Championships on December 10 in Slovakia.
This is a great achievement for Stephanie and all the younger members of the club are inspired by her achievements to date.
In the Boys U12 the mighty Jamie Hourihan ran a stormer of a race. Jamie battled hard throughout the 2,000m course, where there were 172 competitors, and ploughed through the muck, up the hills and was still battling all the way up the 150m straight to the finish line.
Jamie was rewarded for all the hard training he put in over the last year with securing his first All-Ireland Bronze medal as part of the Cork team.
Running up an age, Breandán O`Sullivan competed in the boys U14 and battled hard over the tough 3,000m course, through the muck. There were 156 competitors in his race and he too battled hard across the finish line. Unfortunately, Cork just missed out on the medals on this occasion.
Breandán is now looking forward to his own All Ireland Boys U13 in Waterford.
Connor O’Neill and Tadhg Manning competed in the Boys U16 4,000m where there were 135 competitors. Unfortunately, they were just out of the medals.
Jennifer Cotter competed in the Girls U18 4,000m and again fought hard over a very tough course.
She was running up an age but unfortunately, her training had not gone smoothly up to the All-Ireland .
She gave it her best shot on the day for her county team and province. She too just missed out on the medals on this occasion but she is looking forward to running her own All Ireland U17 in Waterford on December 17.