Kaugars steals the show
KARLIS Kaugars stole the show for Dunleer AC at Saturday’s National Track & Field Championships in Tullamore with outstanding performances that earned him two gold medals.
Karlis competed in the U-14 shot putt first and secured first place with a best of 14.86m - and followed that up with a very impressive 55.63m in the javelin for a new Irish record in that age group.
Karlis and his dad and coach Santis were absolutely thrilled with the result, and the Kaugars family didn’t stop there as Karlis’ sister Liene took fourth place in the Under-17 shot putt for girls.
Dunleer had two other athletes competing at the Nationals also and Aeyla Orr and Conor Matthews - fresh from Leinster success - had top-10 National placings in the U-15 high jump (1.40m) and 800m (2:00.86) respectively.
All four of the athletes have been working hard at training all year and Dunleer AC chairperson Jacqueline Matthews said she is very proud of them all.
A nice sprinkling of rain was very welcome at the Dunleer AC 4-Mile Road Race on Sunday, an event which remembers Ollie Brennan and Seán Carrie, two great clubmen who have passed away in recent years but whose families continue the great tradition of athletics.
The men’s race was won in 21:37 by Rathfarnham athlete Paul Fleming, with Turlough Conway in second place in 21:44 and Michael Fox of Armagh AC in third in 21:53.
The ladies race had a famous face and winner in Catherina Mc Kiernan, a great supporter of the race over the years and of course a winner of the Rás na hÉireann and World silver medals in cross-country. Mc Kiernan romped home in 22:45, with Karen Costello of Dunleer AC running a great race once again and finishing second in 23:59. Ilona Mc Elroy was third in 24:28.
Dunleer were delighted to win both the men’s and women’s cups for first place in the club team competition. Their men’s team of Anthony Connolly, Pat Fitzpatrick, Pádraig O’Mahoney and Danny O’Brien scored 40 points, just ahead of Armagh AC (46), with North East Runners in third with 82 points. The Dunleer team of Karen Costello, Nicola Courtney, Sandra Doheny and Denise Gallagher took first in the ladies competition, with Team Carrie second and Drogheda & District third.
Another plus was that the host club had three junior men in the top three placings, with Danny O’Brien edging out Fran Whelan (second) and Neal Hodgins.
It was a great day for Dunleer AC and great praise and thanks goes to all of the event stewards, the committee and the sponsors who made it all possible.