Success for athletes in Nationals
THE Irish Life Health National Juvenile Track and Field Championships saw 2 days of high quality action in Tullamore and the future generation of Sligo runners and walkers delivered some fine performances. Lauren Cadden is the new U19 100m champion. Lauren entered the record books as she sped to victory with a new CBF of 12:03. Soon after, in an exciting U17 3000m, Michael Morgan’s 9:11 earned him a silver medal, finishing between the winner Paul Harnett (Middleton) and 3rd placed Alex Murray(Clonliffe). Leo Doherty claimed a silver in a tight U19 800m Final. Leo stormed around 2 laps of the famed track in 1:55:38 to just pip Craig Giles (Clonliffe) to claim second. In the U18 5000 Walk Ryan Roberts secured silver in a good 27:19. Another walker on the podium was Eva Delahunt who was 3rd in the U18 3000 Walk with 15:58. Unlucky on Ruth Monaghan who was outside the medals in the U16 2000 Walk with a 4th place position with her 10:56. Well done also to Ailbhe Morgan who finished 7th in the U18 800m with a solid 2:26 and to Sean McCabe who ran 11:52 in the U13 80m.
In the long jump Ellen Kilcoyne pb’d throughout but was unlucky to finish 5th with a final jump of 5.13, Adam Walsh had a few set backs on approach and crashed out in the prelims. Kate Hosey overcame the cross wind to take the lead with her second last jump of 5.49 but this was matched on a final jump and she narrowly lost gold only on count back. Kate still walked away with a super national silver medal. Eala McDemott was unlucky to finish in the 4th place spot in the girls u17 2,000m steeplechase. In the 800s there was very good runs by all boys; Ben Clavin finished a close 5th in u14 boys in pb of 2.13. Dylan McLoughlin showed his brilliant ability with a 7th place finish in a pb in the boys u15. Barry Clavin again produced a pb in u16 boys going 2.08 for a 9th place finish and Dion McLoughlin ran 10th in 2.05 in the u17 boys race.
Day 2 kicked off first with Caoimhe McDonagh and Eimear Connolly in the u15 girls long jump, Caoimhe a bit unlucky not hitting the board with some big jumps.
In the sprints; U13 girls 80m Ciara Kelly had a super run to finish a fine 5th and just miss the final by .02 the same place was filled by Amy Boland as she was 4th in her heat and placing 1 off the final in 9th but it’ll definitely give her the confidence to kick on to bigger things. The U15 girls saw Eimear Connolly run a very credible race as she placed 5th and again just missed out on a final spot.
The U16 girls saw Erin Taheny claim a brilliant bronze medal in a blanket finish and this will set her up nicely for her 200 this weekend and Ellen Kilcoyne was in the unlucky spot of 4th in her final after a fine run and a very very tight finish. Kate Hosey missed out on a place in a final in U16 girls but she’ll be back with a vengeance again next year. Hats off to Ellis Conway who pbd all the way to the final and again in the final only to lose bronze on the line but she’ll be happy with her days work. National champs is hard to qualify for so just to be there is a privilege and an opportunity to learn and become inspired for the future.