Alana storms home to win gold for Ireland!
THERE was gold for Wicklow at the Celtic Games Track and Field championships in Morton Stadium in Santry last weekend when Greystones AC’s Alana Ryan stormed home in the under-18s 200m final for Ireland.
It was a superb race from the Greystones athlete and t capped off a fine week for Wicklow athletics that also saw Garden county athletes help the Irish team to a bronze medal at the European Masters in Denmark.
It was Ann-marie Kenny (Parnell AC) and Jean O’Kennedy (Bray Runners) who lined up in the half marathon for their country and, along with Monaghan’s Donna Evans, they combined to claim the bronze medals. Evans came home in 1.33.00, Kenny in 1.38 and O’Kennedy in 1.39.30 thanks to a fantastic run.
England were the winners with Germany finishing second and Ireland placing third.
There was also a huge achievement by Bray Runners member Ashling Smith who undertook a momentus voyage through the 800m competition at the European Masters in Denmark.
Smith charged through the heats and semi-finals to secure a place in the final, clocking up three personal bests along the way and she claimed ninth position in the final with another personal best of 2.29.19.
Ashling also competed in the 1,500m and clocked up another personal best here at 5.03.
Bray Runners member Tom Kavanagh was also in action in Denmark and he ran 6.02 in the 1,500m and 22.25 in the 5,000m.
Elsewhere, there were fine showings from Wicklow athletes in Paul Gannon, Peter Doran and Elaine Casey (Bray Runners) and Tony Redmond and Lynn Duffy (Parnell AC) in Dunleek.
The Dun Laoghaire 10k took place at the weekend and a host of runners from the Garden county taking place and Chairman of Wicklow Athletics Bill Porter said that he hoped all the Wicklow athletes enjoyed their running and he reminded athletes that he next big race is this Sunday for the national half marathon championships which get underway at the Point Depot in Dublin at 8.30am and finishes at the Pheonix Park.