Athletes in New York for Millrose Games
THE indoor Olympics of athletics took place at the Armory track Saturday last in New York. There was a lot of Sligo interest with 2 South Sligo kids taking part in fastest kid on the block competition - Tiernan Cooke and Mila Clancy were the chosen pair this year to go represent their town, County and Country and they both had stormers.
Gurteen’s Clancy took to the track first and got off to a great start but being challenged on each side faded to a brilliant 6th place.
Cooke was the same, he flew from the blocks but faded to 7th. Both kids can walk away with heads held high and with a memory that will last a lifetime.
There was a Sligo quartet in the High School invitational. This race saw the 3rd fastest time ever posted for the distance in world history so the girls were really on the big stage! Lead off by Erin Taheny who ran a little short of her best but still in the mix, onto Lauren Cadden who had the fastest run split of a 24.4 for the 200m and still in touching distance of the 4th team, next came Ellen Kilcoyne, known normally for her jump exploits but she had a stormer of a leg posting 26.1 with Ellie McGeough taking the four girls home to a brilliant 5th place finish in a time of 1:43.7.
This time is quicker than any Irish club has run at Junior level and senior would have been included in this but for Celtic DCH breaking the Irish senior club record back home in Dublin Saturday but running only .4 quicker than the Sligo girls so again showing how good this quartet are.
Sligo took over a part of the Armory with families and friends of the kids racing coming to watch and temporary Providence based lads JP Carty and Aaron Cadden came down with Hugh Armstrong to make the cheers even louder. Coach Dermot McDermott said it was an unforgettable weekend for all the athletes.