Tralee Harriers win Overall Club at Indoor Sports Hall Games in Milltown

ALMOST 250 athletes from across Kerry took part in the Athletics Juvenile Development Indoor Sports Hall Games took place in Milltown last Saturday on what was a fun, fast and incredibly competitive day.

The games were well run by Linda O’Reilly and her team from Kerry Athletics, and it felt like a European championship with call rooms, preparation areas and viewing zones for the spectators.

Kerry Athletics thank the Nagel Rice Community Centre, its management and staff for the use of their venue and to all the coaches, club athletes and parents who helped out on the day.

Tralee Harriers took overall club title with 110 points ahead of Kenmare AC on 80.

Full results can be found on the Kerry Athletics website at www. kerryathletics.com and below are details of the gold medal winners on the day.

U-9 Girls: Sprint – Rachel Boyle (Farranfore Maine Valley); Standing long jump – Doireann O’Neill (Kenmare); Speed bounce – Eliza O’Donnell (Lios Tuathail).

U-10 Girls: Sprint – Laura Falvey (St Brendan’s); Standing long jump – Laura Falvey (St Brendan’s); Speed bounce – Maggie O’Donoghue (Kenmare).

U-11 Girls: Sprint – Grace O’Donnell (Tralee Harriers); Standing long jump – Caoimhe Murphy (Tralee Harriers); Speed bounce – Grace O’Donnell (Tralee Harriers).

U-12 Girls: Sprint – Aoibhinn Gleeson (Killarney Valley); Standing long jump – Rachel Mulgrew – Tralee Harriers; Shot – Lucy O’Donnell (Tralee Harriers).

U-9 Boys: Sprint – Cillian O’Leary (Killarney Valley); Standing long jump – Luke Merrigan (Kenmare); Speed bounce – Luke Merrigan (Kenmare).

U-10 Boys: Sprint – Jack Costello (Tralee Harriers); Standing long jump – Ben Horgan (Tralee Harriers); Speed bounce – David Sargent (Tralee Harriers).

U-11 Boys: Sprint – Aaron Horgan (St Brendan’s); Standing long jump – Eoin O’Flaherty (St Brendan’s); Speed bounce – David O’Brien (Kenmare).

U-12 Boys: Sprint – Oisin O’Regan (An Riocht); Standing long jump – Ben Callinan (Tralee Harriers); Shot – Harry O’Connor (Lios Tuathail). LAST Saturday also saw the Irish Life Health All-Ireland Schools Cross-Country Championships take place in Mallusk, outside Belfast. Conditions were muddy underfoot but the mild weather provided perfect running conditions and an excellent test of strength and skill.

Shona O’Brien (Gneeveguilla and Presentation Milltown) ran a superb race in the Intermediate Girls race to finish in 16th place overall. Running in the same race was Alyce O’Connor (Kenmare and Pobalsoil Inbhear Sceine) who was 46th.

Twins Tim and Sean Pollman-Daamen (An Riocht and Mercy Mounthawk) ran well in the junior boys race with Tim finishing in 33rd place and Sean in 43rd position. Shauna Doellken O’Shea (Kenmare and Scoil Phobail Beara) finished in an excellent 9th place in the Senior girl’s race. KERRY’S up and coming throwing star, Adam King from Iveragh AC, was in action at the European Winter Throws Cup in Gran Canaria where he was Ireland’s top performer on day one of the competition. Despite a hammer circle that was like glass, where many other athletes were slipping, Adam produced a throw of 61.56m to finish in 11th place overall.

It’s a great achievement for any athlete to compete at this level of competition in a world-class event and we wish Adam all the best for the upcoming season. IVERAGH athletes Grace Lynch and Cian Murphy both ran phenomenal races at the Ballycotton 10, one of Ireland’s premier road races in East Cork last Sunday. More than 4,300 runners from all over Ireland took part in the 10 mile race, with Grace finishing 84th overall and 3rd in the highly competitive ladies section of the event and Cian leading the Kerry men home in 39th position.