Good news for O’Donnell, Daly and Kenny
Ray Flynn was enthused by Chris O’Donnell’s selection for Tokyo as well as two Irish performances in Estonia
IT HAS been a good couple of weeks for our sport, both at national level and for Sligo. In the last few days we had the announcement of Team Ireland’s athletics selection for Japan. This is our biggest team since the Sydney Olympics in 2000 which is very positive for Athletics Ireland.
The team includes North Sligo AC’s Christopher O’Donnell, who makes history by becoming the first Sligo athlete to make an Olympic team. This is a huge honour for Grange’s Christopher, his family, his club and, indeed, for everyone in the athletics family in Sligo, particularly those selfless coaches who put huge time and effort in every club in the county. Christopher will line up as part of our mixed 4x400 metres relay team. But Christopher will also go down as the unluckest athlete in the country as he just missed out by one place to compete in the men’s 400 metres in the points qualification system in operation this year for the first time.
It is heartbreaking for Christopher as he is running into the form of his life and only a couple of days before the deadline for qualification ran a stunning 45.55 seconds 400 metres in Lucerne to finish second in a high-quality race. That time puts him up to third on the Irish all-time list. While Christopher has plenty of years left to run the 400 metres distance in the Olympics, I’m sure he would have relished a crack at it in Tokyo.
Last weekend we had a very welcome return to Juvenile athletics after the enforced pandemic break. The Connacht Juvenile Championships took place in Athlone and Sligo athletes travelled in big numbers from all clubs.
They brought home some medals and, more importantly, had a fair number qualify for the All-Ireland Championships next month. This Saturday in Athlone the older age groups get a chance to qualify.
I was in Tallinn, Estonia, last
weekend for the European Athletics U-23 Championships where Sligo AC athlete Finley Daly proudly wore the green jersey in his first big international race.
Finley did not make the final of the Men’s 3,000 metres Steeplechase – he was placed eighth in his heat on a time of 9:09.58.
But the 21-year-old, a Boyle native, should be delighted with his run on Friday last and, of course, the experience gained in Estonia will stand to him greatly in what promises to be a long international career.
I was delighted to see David Kenny win the only medal for Athletics Ireland at these championships. He took silver in the Men’s 20km Race Walk final (clocking 1:25:50). Having worked with him on training camps, I can vouch for his dedication and commitment. I’ve no doubt that this silver finish is the first of many medals for this likeable young athlete from Kerry. It completed a great 24 hours for
David as the previous evening he was named on the athletics selection of Team Ireland for the Toyko Olympics. David is one of the race walkers and marathon runners that I will be looking after in Japan as I was proud to be selected as a coach to travel to the Olympics.
Finally this week we end on a somber note – we offer our condolences to Sligo athlete Damien McSharry on the passing of his wife Mary. May she rest in peace.