NUI Galway athlete Aisling Joyce made her debut for Ireland at the European Cross Country Championships in Sardinia, Italy on Sunday.
Competing as part of the junior ladies team, which finished joint ninth team overall, the talented Joyce ran a clever race, making ground all the way through the 4km event before eventually placing 55th overall. The Mayo native was fourth scorer on the Irish junior squad.
National Cross Country
Tuam AC claimed top honours for Connacht athletes at day two of the National Cross Country Championships in Dundalk IT on Sunday.
The club's U11 boys, reigning Connacht champions at present, produced a super effort to win All Ireland silver team medals in their first year of competition. The squad comprised Oisin Phelan, Oisin Kelly, Cian Halligan, Darragh Kenny, Cian Rafferty and Adam Hynes.
Aoibheann Fitzpatrick of Ballinasloe and District AC produced the individual run of the day, winning an individual bronze medal in the U11 girls, while her Ballinasloe and District U11 team placed fourth.
There were also strong individual runs from Emma Moore of GCH, 18th in the U13 girls; Rory Fitzpatrick Athenry AC, 18th in the U13 boys; Cillian Jordan GCH, 22nd in the U15 boys; Thomas McStay also GCH, 28th in the U17 boys; Ann Moroney GCH, 19th in the U19 girls; and a fine 12th place finish for Eanna Folan of GCH in the U19 boys.
Galway men’s county teams and GCH club teams had a tough day over the fast 6km novice men’s event, placing ninth county and 15th club team respectively, with Ciaran Diviney of Crusaders AC the first Galway athlete home in 40th place, backed up by Timmy Jones of GCH in 95th, as well as solid runs from Castlegar AC's Stephen Casserly, Sean McDermott, and Frank King, and Niall Murphy and Jerome Debize, both of GCH,
The GCH ladies' team were eighth team home, led home by Barbara Dunne in 18th, with clubmates Siobhan Egan 35th, Jean O'Connor 81st, and Joanne O'Boyle 100th.
Irish Schools
Chloe Casey of Craughwell AC made her international debut as part of the Irish Schools junior girls' pentathlon team which took on the best athletes from England, Scotland and Wales in the International Schools Pentathlon.
Casey enjoyed an excellent competition over the five events. She threw the shot put out a massive 13.28m to record the top throw in her age group on the day, as well as achieving performances of 4.46m in the long jump, 10.80 in the hurdles, a 1.36m high jump, and 2.45.89 over 800m.
