Galway Athletics report

The National Juvenile Outdoor Track and Field championships continued last weekend last in blazing sunshine in Tullamore, with the U13-19 individual championships programme held over two days. Once again there were some fantastic medal winning performances from Galway athletes and clubs.

Galway City Harriers’ athletes secured an eleven-medal haul over the two days of competition, including six golds. On Day one, the Saturday, the club secured a hat-trick of golds, which began when U17 athlete Eimear Rowe followed up a solid win in her heat, to storm to victory in the final with a blistering 57.96second clocking to secure victoryover400m. 

The hugely talented Robert McDonnell won gold in the U18 Boys 400m final, with his winning 49.9second time and clear winning margin, signs of great form ahead of his international stage appearance this week in Baku in the EYOF Games.

The third GCH gold medal came at the very end of the day, when Darragh Jennings defended his Discus title with a sensational 42.95m throw to win the U16 Boys event.

In the field, Conor Hoade was again a medal winner,lumping out to a massive 6.15m when claiming a silver in the U16 Boys Long Jump. Matthieu Madden also picked up a superb bronze in his first outdoor nationals, in the U15 High Jump, with a leap of 1.60m.

GCH claimed an additional six medals on Sunday, with three more victories. Chloe Casey struck gold in the U18 Girls Long Jump with a huge leap of 5.46 metres, Seren O’Toole won National gold over the 400m Hurdles at U18, and Conor Hoade continued his amazing season in winning the U16 Boys 250m Hurdles, just ahead of clubmate Callum Healy who took the silver medal in the same event. Eimear Rowe won her second medal of the weekend with a Silvermedal win in the U17 Girls 200m, while in the field events, Eoghan Jenningswon Bronzein the Pole Vault in theU18 Boys competition

Liam Shaw of Athenry AC produced one of the performances of the weekend, in winning the National Shot-Put title at U 15 level, setting a huge new national record of 16metres 95cm in the process. Shaw had already claimed a National silver in the Discus on the previous day with a best throw of 38 meters 20.

There was great success for South Galway AC with a gold medal win for sprinter David Mannion in the U15 Boys 200m, and Saturday’s action saw Sinead Maher win silver in the U14 girls 2km walk.

Evan Hallinan of Craughwell AC impressed as he won the National U15 Triple Jump title, as did clubmate Sean Cotter who won silver in the National U17 1500m to top off a superb championship for Galway athletes

International athletics

Some of Galway’s top young athletes are competing internationally at present, as the summer track and field season continues at European level. 

Sarah Quinn (pictured) of NUIG AC had amazing few days at the European U23 Championships in Gavle, Sweden, making the semi finals of the 100m Hurdles and setting one of the fastest times ever by an Irish woman in the process.  Quinn made it through her heats in a personal best of 13.73, and ran the race of her life in claiming fourth place in her semifinal, duly setting the fourth fastest ever time by an Irish lady, with a superb time of 13.57. The talented Ballinrobe native also competed on the Irish 4*100m relay team which placed fourth in the final on Sunday last.

Robert McDonnell of Galway City Harriers will compete on the Irish team for the 400m and 4 x 400m relay for the European Youth Olympics to be held in Baku Azerbaijan, from the 20th to 28th July

Kyle Moorhead of Presentation College Athenry competes on the Irish team in the 1500m Steeplechase at the Schools International Track and Field meeting which will be held in Saturday 20th July in Swansea, Wales

World University Games

Galway athlete Alanna Lally of UCD competed for Ireland at the World University Games last week in Naples in Italy. Lally made it through her first 800m heat, clocking2.06, and made it into the semifinals where she placed a creditable sixth overall 

National Track and Field League Final

Galway County Ladies and Men’s team, and GCH men’s teams all competed in the finals the National Track and Field League, which will be held on Saturday July 20th next in Tullamore

Both Galway Ladies, under the management of Sarah Finnegan, who really impressed in qualifying, and Galway City Harriers Men’s team, under the guidance of Cliff Jennings, will be looking to go one better than last year, when both teams place second overall in the Premier Division. The likes of Cliin Greene and Sean Breathnach will compete for GCH, with Nicole Walsh, Regina Casey and Aisling Joyce all likely to feature for Galway ladies. 

Galway County Men’s team led by Sean McDermott and Michael Tobin, will be aiming for promotion from Division One 

National 10 Mile championships

Martin Keane of Athenry AC picked up yet another National title, this time at the National 10 Mile championships held Saturday last in Dublin, winning the O75 category by a clear margin. Tim Jones of GCH captured National bronze at O40 level.

Northern Irish Masters 

At the Northern Irish Masters held recently in Mary Peters Track Belfast, Corofin athlete Tommy Farragher set a new irish record in the hammer at O70 level, throwing 44.39m. Faragher also collected three other gold medals for good measure.

Mary Barrett of Loughrea AC won a whopping six gold medals in Discus, Javelin, 80m Hurdles, 300m hurdles, High jump and Shot Putt, with the latter three new Irish records, while Corofin’s Margaret Higgins also impressed, winning an incredible seven golds at W65 level. Barrett also won three golds at the British Masters last weekend breaking her own Shot record in the process.

Fixtures

East Galway AC host a 5k road race in Skehana Saturday July 20th next at 7pm. Race HQ is at Skehana Community Development pitch, with registration from 6pm, at a price of 15 euro.

National Championships

This weekend sees more National championships action taking place, with a double–header this weekend featuring the final days of the Juvenile Track and Field championship programme in Tullamore Sunday next, 21st July, with the Juvenile B championships, and the club Relays taking centre stage.