Galway athletes produced a series of great results at the 2015 GloHealth National Juvenile Track and Field Championships in Tullamore at the weekend.
GCH athlete Seren O'Toole set the tone for the day with a national record to win the u14 girls 75m hurdles.
The triple Connacht title winner stormed past race favourite Niamh Foley in the final five yards to claim her first national title. Zoe Moore, also of GCH, ran impressively in the same race, finishing fourth. Lydia Doyle was ever so close in the u16 race, finishing fourth by the narrowest of margins.
Emma Moore of GCH won the u12 girls 600m in style, leading from start to finish and holding off a number of challenges from her competitors with great confidence. She set a superb new Irish record of 1.42 in the process - her second this year, having already set one at the National Indoors in March. Rising star Moore then went on to claim joint second in the high jump.
Darragh Jennings of GCH took silver in the u12 boys shot putt, and his brother Eoghan finished fourth in the javelin. Other GCH athletes who made the finals were Aaron Brennan, 5th, Laoise Geraghty 6th, Sarah McDonnell 9th, Eanna Folan 7th.
Craughwell ACs long jumpers performed very well with Sinead Tracy winning gold in the u19 event, leaping 5.44m. Daniel Callanan Forde won silver in the u16 event, while Matthew McKiernan took bronze in the u18s. Dearbhaile Walshe of Craughwell AC continued her recent good run of form, winning silver in the u17 2000m steeplechase.
Athenry AC‘s brother and sister team of Brandon and Shannen Lee took home two medals on Saturday, with Brandon winning the u15 hurdles in convincing fashion, while Shannen Lee took part in a hard-fought u17 steeplechase event, finishing third. Calum Healy continued a fine year with silver in the long jump.
National Under 23 and Junior Championships
Galway athletes also took a large haul of medals home from the National Junior and u23 Championships in Tullamore.
Veronica Burke of Ballinasloe and District AC took gold in the junior women’s 3k walk in 14.45. Damien O'Boyle of Craughwell AC won gold in the junior men’s 3k steeplechase running 10.39, and Keith Fallon of GCH took double bronze in the 800m and 1500m u23 events.
Evan Maguire of GCH won silver in the 400m flat in a season’s best 50.20, and Conor Duggan of Craughwell ran an excellent 22.04 to win silver in the junior 200m. Alanna Lally, also GCH, won bronze in the junior women’s 400m.
Other Galway athletes to run well were Sinead Treacy, fourth in the junior 200m, and Peadar Harvey and Gavin Cooney in the 800m.
Headford 8k
Matt Bidwell of GCH took the honours in the 11th edition of the Headford 8k in a field of nearly 250 athletes.
Bidwell came home in a time of 26.28, a minute clear of Frank Hayes of East Cork, with Ciaran O'Dwyer in third. Jane Ann Meehan of Athenry AC took the ladies' win in 29.57 with the ever improving Siobhan Egan of GCH second in 31.33 and Claire Rowe, also GCH, in third.
The race has raised nearly €40, 000 for charity since its inception.
Fixtures
The Martin Egan Memorial 10k Road Race takes place on Sunday in Beagh, Co Galway. The start and finish of race is at Beagh GAA Club Grounds which is located at Cregmahon, Gort, Co Galway, three miles south of Gort off the N18. Also on day there is an option for participants to do a 5k fun run.
