Cross country championships a big hit
St Nicholas AC hosted the All-Ireland National Intermediate, Masters, Relay and Juvenile B Cross Country Championships on Sunday last where a few thousand athletes, stewards, parents and spectators took over the small but scenic village of Castlelyons. Some renowned athletics powerhouses and even Olympians brought the star power, but it was a day where all things would be levelled on a tough but ideal cross country course.
St Nicholas AC had 11 juvenile athletes take part and 4 adults in the men’s race. Some exceptional performances from our own with several medals being collected on an individual and team basis, but everyone who laced up the spikes should be congratulated and celebrated on doing their club proud for their participation and achievement.
Michael O’Mahony Walsh, Dan Hogan and Thomas Hogan ran in the U11 1,000m race which always has a huge turnout and all the lads ran exceptionally well, with Michael coming in 10th place, securing him a bronze individual medal and a team gold with Cork. We had 3 young ladies in the U13 1,500m, Natasha Leetch, Lily O’Callaghan and Kirsten McSweeney, who ran very competitive races. It was great to see the comradery between the girls and we look forward to next season and hope to have a club team in this category going forward.
Brothers Cathal and James Doyle ran in the U13 boys 1,500m, Cathal finished in 9th place and came home with an individual bronze medal and a gold team medal with Cork. James was running up an age, so the future is very bright for these brothers, well done boys. Caoimhe Gray Walsh who is no stranger to All-Ireland cross country and who has medalled in previous years, put in an exceptional run to finish in 20th place in the U15 2,500m race - congratulations Caoimhe, great to see you in action in Castlelyons.
Peter Verling took on the same distance in the Boys U15 race and had a commanding run to finish with two gold medals, a 1st place individual and 1st place Cork team medal. An exceptional performance by an incredible young athlete and he brought the house down when he crossed the finish line. William Verling, buoyed by his brother’s earlier win, ran an equally spectacular race in the boys U17 3,000m to finish in 2nd place, earning him an individual silver medal and a Cork team gold, what a wonderful achievement in your own village.
Our Masters rounded out our club activity on the course with Seamus McSweeney, Pat Bransfield, Richard Morrison and Paul Evans running a gruelling 7,000m distance, well done to all of you for swapping the road running shoes for spikes and no better place to do it than in front of Barrymore Castle. Congratulations to Seamus who was on the Cork O50 team that won a silver medal.
An exceptional day in Castlelyons, made possible by the exceptionally hard working and ambitious committee of St Nicholas AC and supported by a wonderful community, who came up trumps when we looked for stewards and facilities. Thank you and congratulations to all involved.