Local athletes compete at home and abroad
AN action-packed week of athletics saw Kerry athletes competing at the highest level both at home and abroad. The week started with the 67th Cork City Sports where Tralee Harriers sprinter Travane Morrison finished in silver medal position in the men’s 100m B race. Travane was back on the track again on Thursday, this time at the Morton Games where, running in an international field of top sprinters, he finished in 6th place in the men’s 100m, having qualified for the final in a time of 10.44 seconds.
Grangemouth in Scotland was the venue for this year’s SIAB International track & Field competition on Saturday, with four Kerry athletes making the Irish team, who finished in second place overall on points. Niamh O’Mahony (An Riocht) ran the race of her life to win individual silver in the girls’ 3,000m. There were fourth place finishes for the two Tralee Harriers boys – Luke O’Carroll in the long jump with a great leap of 6.85m and Cillian Griffin in the 100m. Cillian also ran the third leg of the boys’ 4 x 100m relay team who won silver. Ciara Kennelly (Killarney Valley) competed in the high jump, gaining valuable points for the team with a clearance of 1.67m.
The final day of the Irish Life Health track and field championships were held last Sunday in Tullamore. Jordan Kissane (Tralee Harriers) stormed to victory in the U16 boys’ 200m to add gold to the 100m won last weekend. Club mates Fiona Doyle won silver in the U18 girls’ high jump and Luke O’Carroll added another jumping medal, finishing second in the U18 boys’ triple jump.
There were also gold medals for Alyce O’Connor (Kenmare) in the U18 girls’ 1500m and Michael Tony (Lios Tuathail) in the U18 boys’ triple jump – earning them places on the Irish Celtic Games team – and Shona O’Brien (Gneeveguilla) in the U19 girls’ 1500m. Bronze medals were won by Christine McCarthy (Kenmare) in the U19 girls’ high jump and Darragh Courtney (St Brendan’s) in the U18 boys’ high jump.
A record Kerry entry in the Munster B Juvenile Track and Field Championships on Saturday saw a massive haul of medals come back to the county. This competition, which is open to all athletes who didn’t win an individual Munster A medal is fiercely contested and a great opportunity for our young athletes to gain competition experience.
An Riocht Gold: Aoife Kerins U16 girls’
100m. Silver: Roisin Rahilly U14 girls long jump and 80m. Bronze: Ciara Kerins U10 turbo javelin, Aoife Kerins U16 girls’ 800m. Lios Tuathail
Gold: Rachel Neylon U14 girls’ 800m, Muireann McElligott U15 girls’ 100m, Thomas Cahill U10 boys’ turbo javelin, Dylan O’Callaghan U11 boys’ 60m, Padraic McCarthy U15 boys’ shot. Silver: Catherine Buckley U9 girls’ long jump, Megan Lynch U15 girls’ 100m, Thomas Scanlon U9 boys’ long jump, Brendan O’Leary U14 boys’ 80m. Bronze: Ellie Mai Neylon U9 girls’ turbo javelin, Eimear Buckley U12 girls’ 80m, Emma Neylon U12 girls’ 600m, Brendan O’Leary U14 boys’ long jump, Louis O’Connell U15 boys’ 100m, Leo Cuddigan U14 boys’ 80m.
Gneeveguila AC
Gold: Danielle O’Riordan U13 girls’ shot, Ciara Casey U14 girls’ shot, Frank O’Riordan U12 boys’ shot, Dylan Scannell Fleming U14 boys’ shot. Silver: Sarah O’Connor U16 girls’ 100m and long jump, Saoirse Tomkins U15 girls’ 800m. Bronze: Avene Vaughan U9 girls’ 60m, Daragh Tomkins U12 boys’ shot. St Brendan’s Gold: Ben O’Connor U9 boys’ long jump. Silver: Matthew O’Sullivan U11 boys’ long jump. Tralee Harriers Gold: Rachel O’Mahoney U13 girls’ high jump, Bobby Byrne U14 boys’ long jump and 80m.
Silver: David Sargent U11 boys 60m, Darragh Cunnane U14 boys’ long jump. Bronze: Ashlyn Falvey U11 girls’ long jump.
Full results can be found on the Munster Athletics website.