Noah and Ethan claim national silver medals

LIZZIE LAWLOR

TOP student athletes from across Ireland converged at Tymon Park, Dublin for the All-Ireland Schools Cross Country finals last Saturday.

wo Wicklow athletes, Ethan Bramhill and Noah Harris, stood out among the talented competitors, securing national schools silver medal podium positions.

Ethan Bramhill, a first-year student at Greystones Community College, faced a challenging start in the Minor boys 2,500m race. Initially trailing behind, he worked his way through the field before eventually rejoining the leading pack.

Among his competitors was the reigning Under-14 club cross-country champion. As the race entered its final 500 metres, it became an all-out battle. Ethan pushed himself to the limit, securing the national silver medal.

The Deputy Principal, Ms. Lynch, and the Year Head, Ms. Devlin at Ethan’s school expressed their joy at his achievement. Not only does this honour bring pride to GCC, but it also cements Ethan’s status as the top athlete in Leinster within his age group. Earlier this year, he clinched the Leinster Schools title.

Similar to Ethan, Noah Harris, another talented athlete from Wicklow, achieved a remarkable feat by winning a national silver medal.

Usually seen sporting the colours of Parnell A.C, Noah, a student at Wicklow ETSS, donned his school’s singlet for the day as he lined up for the 6000m Senior boy’s race.

Despite being one of the youngest competitors, Noah demonstrated unwavering determination and racing maturity throughout the event. For most of the race, he held steady in third or fourth place, maintaining a consistent pace alongside the leading group.

However, when the eventual winner, Cormac Dixon, made a decisive move with approximately 600 metres remaining, Noah was the only athlete able to match his acceleration. Completing the challenging 6k course, Noah finished a mere four seconds behind Cormac, securing a well-deserved second place.

There was some success in the Intermediate boy’s race too. James Foot, representing his school Blackrock College, delivered an outstanding performance, securing a ninth-place finish in the 5000m race.

His achievement places him in a good position for potential selection to the Irish Schools International team. Despite starting around 30th place, James tenaciously worked his way through the field.

Fellow Bray Runners A.C athlete, Bobby More from Woodbrook College, also had an impressive run, finishing in 13th place.

Additionally, Aaron Fitzsimons, despite battling illness throughout the week, secured a commendable 34th place out of the 110-strong field.