The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Silver medals for Kerry duo Alyce and Luke at Celtic Games in Scotland
THE 2018 Celtic Games were held in Grangemouth, Scotland last Saturday, with the annual competition between Ireland, Scotland and Wales featuring the best U-16 and U-18 athletes from each country. Twenty-one Munster athletes made the Irish team, including two from Kerry – Alyce O’Connor from Kenmare AC and Luke O’Carroll from Tralee Harriers. Both athletes proudly returning to the county with silver medals. Alice taking second place in the U-18 girls’ 1500m with a time of 4.44.08 and Luke jumping out to 6.88m in the U18 boys’ long jump for a new PB.
Kerry Athletics would like to congratulate and wish all the best to Aoife Mahony from Lios Tuathail on winning a four year scholarship to Saint Leo University, Tampa, Florida. Aoife has been featured regularly on these pages over the years and will be missed as a training partner and competitor. Aoife started her athletics career at the tender age of 6 years old competing for Rock Street Cahersalee Community Games before joining Lios Tuathail AC in 2008. A all round sportswoman she began to take running seriously when she started winning at cross-country and slowly dropped other sports to focus solely on athletics. Although she competes in 400m, 800m, 1500m, cross country and will do the odd 5k road race her preference is the 800m and that’s where her training is mostly focused. Aoife considers winning the National title in the U-18 girls’ 800m in 2016 one of her greatest achievements. Her time of 2:15 guaranteed selected for the Irish team in the Celtic international games in Swansea of the same year.
Despite attending UCC for a year, an American scholarship was always in the back of Aoife’s mind and through the recruitment process she was lucky enough to make contact with Laura Tobin, a former Irish athlete who is now in her final year of business studies in Saint Leo University, Tampa, Florida. There followed a meeting with the head coach in June to finalise arrangements and decisions after keeping contact with him via FaceTime about training sessions, competitions and exam results.
Because of the climate change, Aoife will be training every morning at 6am and again after college in the evenings, when the weather is cooler, gradually upping her mileage to 40 miles per week instead of the 30 miles which would be covered in training sessions at home. Aoife is looking forward to studying Social Work on the four-year course in the US., picking up tips and skills from world class athletes and reaching an NCAA Division 2 final with her new teammates. Her ultimate goal a place on the Irish U23 European team. Big challenges ahead, but no doubt ones that Aoife will take in her stride.
We’ll leave the final words to Aoife herself.
“The people who have influenced me the most are without a doubt the people that I meet with at least everyday. I would not be in this position without the dedication, advice, mentoring and consistent training routine from my local coach Kevin Lynch. Also Margaret O’Neill and Brendan Cullen of Lios Tuathail Athletic club who have supported me and driven me around the country throughout the years. My parents who have continuously motivated me through the ups and downs in my journey so far with athletics. Finally, the lifetime friends I have made through athletics and outside athletics who were always understanding. I had never ending memories from UCC athletic club and also would like to thank them, especially Donie Walsh for taking me on.”