Euro medals for Kerry at Masters

KERRY athletes competed at the European Masters Indoor Athletics Championship in Madrid last week, impressing on the national stage.

On day one of the championships Ireland got its first gold medal courtesy of Kerry’s very own Jim O’Shea of Farranfore Maine Valley AC.

Jim was competing in the M75 long jump. His first jump of four meters was good enough to secure a gold medal. Jim has been a regular competitor at world and European events and these championships were his crowning glory.

On the final day of the championship Kerry athletes were again winning medals for Ireland.

James Doran, who was competing in his first Masters Championship, went in the M35 5km Cross Country.

The Brosna native and An Ríocht AC athlete was the third scoring member of the silver medal-winning Irish team.

He was placed 14 th overall with the other Irish scores placed in 12th and 15th.

More medals came to Kerry and Ireland when with two athletes in the Irish 4x200m M35 relay team.

Colm Lynch of Iveragh AC was on leg two. Colm made up great ground to put Ireland just behind in fourth place when he handed over the baton to fellow Kerry athlete Ger Cremin of An Riocht AC. Ger handed over to the final leg runner to put Ireland in fourth place.

On the final leg it looked like Ireland had missed out on a medal when they crossed the line in fourth place.

But a nail biting five minute-wait for the official results, showed Ireland had been moved up into the bronze medal as France had exchanged the baton outside the changeover zone twice over the four legs.

The two Kerry athletes were joined on the relay team by Glen Scullion of Tyrone and Simon Everard of Tipperary.

The Irish supporters broke into a joyous round of applause, as not only had they seen another medal for Ireland but also a national record of 1:37:01

It was a great week for Kerry athletes as they landed gold, silver and double-bronze for their county and country.

They helped place Ireland in eleventh position on the medals table.