Irish Schools Track and Field Championships
The June bank holiday weekend saw the annual Irish Schools Track and Field Championships take place on Friday and Saturday last in Tullamore . Galway athletes really excelled and won silverware across numerous events over the two days of competition. Championship records tumbled across a variety of events including in the Senior Boys 3000m Walk where Matthew Newell (Colaiste Bhaile Chlair) delivered a commanding performance in which he led the field from gun to tape. His winning time of 11:45.81 knocks over ten seconds off the previous record (11:57.47) held by Séamus Clarke, and is a new Irish U20 record for the event. Caoimhe Phelan (Holy Rosary College Mountbellew) was another impressive winner of the Senior Girls 3000m Walk in 14:40.30.
Darragh Kelly (Clarin College pictured above) claimed gold in the Senior Boys High Jump with a 1.89m leap for victory and the coveted Irish Schools High Jump Cup. Kelly cleared 1.86 and then 1.89m on his first attempts to take the title. Orlaith Mannion of Seamount College continued her great season winning the Senior Girls 100m Hurdles , clocking a fast time of 13.81 seconds for gold. Darragh Fahy of St Brigid’s Loughrea won an incredible third title in a row winning the Senior boys all Ireland school Champion for the third successive year in the triple jump. In wet conditions it was Fahy’s first jump of 13.98m that sealed an historic triple gold
There was an incredible clean sweep for Tuam athletes in the Junior Girls 1200m Race Walk, as Cuisle O’Callaghan dominated the race from the first lap to lead home the field, ahead of class mate Emma Howson and St Jarlaths athlete Roisin Steede Duffy in the silver and bronze positions. Savanagh O Callaghan also medalled representing High Cross Tuam in the Senior Girls 3000m with a silver medal, as did Aoibheann O Malley who came joint 3rd in the Junior Girls High Jump.
Race Walker Hazel Dinkin of Colaiste Bhaile Chlair secured bronze in the Intermediate Girls Walk. In the Intermediate Girls 1500m Steeplechase, Claudia Coyle (Seamount College Kinvara) won silver .Merlin College thrower Roman Shevstov, also secured a fine silver in the Boys Shot Putt event, with a new personal best of 14.20m. Shane McGovern of Colaiste Einde in the city picked up another major National silver when surging from the rear of the field to dip for second place in a huge PB of 49.73 seconds in the Senior Boys 400m
It was a super day also for Lauren Kilduff (Gort CS) with double bronze medals in the Senior Girls 400m Hurdles in 60.40 and in the 100m Hurdles in 14.58 , and for Rachel Warde (Clarin College) with silver in the Inter Girls 80m Hurdles in 11.54. Lauren Kelly (St Raphael’s) won a brilliant bronze in the Minor Girls 75m Hurdles in 11.68. David Frazer (Calasanctius) raced to bronze in the Inter Boys 1500m in 4:04.43, a personal best by almost 12 seconds. Ben Naughton of St Brigid’s Loughrea won a well-deserved double bronze in the Inter Boys 800m and the Inter Boys Mile rounding off a great championships for Galway schools
National Half Marathon
The National Half Marathon was held last weekend in Cork, and Tuam AC struck National Gold as the Men's O50s team claimed National half marathon victory ahead of Grange Fermoy AC and Inishowen AC. The team comprised Ger Hartnett who won individual V50 National bronze, Sean Burke and Gearoid Healy . Eimear O Leary of GCH also picked up a Masters Silver medal in the Ladies championship event.
Connacht Outdoor Track and Field
This weekend sees Day One of the Connacht Juvenile Track and Field championships take place on Saturday next June 6th, with the Children’s Games and Under 12 and 13 events, held in Claremorris Track.
