Galway athletes put in another strong performance at the Connacht Championships in Sligo.
The Under 9, 10 and 11 events are uniquely all held as team events, with each child partnering a clubmate to score medals. The action started with the girls’ u-9 60m with the GCH duo Charlene Trill and Sinead Duggan claiming silver in 21:41. The same pairing came third in the 300m, behind Athenry duo Eimear Rowe and Saoirse Healy.
The first victory of the day was for Craughwell AC’s long jumpers Kate Reilly and Ava Finn in what was a clean sweep for the Galway club. Aoife Kelly and Elle Cronin came in second while Leanne Lynskey and Laoise Bond were third.
Athenry's Caitlin Mullen and Katelyn McCullagh won the ball throw, ahead of Craughwell's Lily Morrissey and Lauren McNally, while Lennon Doyle and Thady Moran were third in the u-9 sprints. Fionn McArdle and Conor Trehy claimed third in the long jump, while GCH's Louis Corr and Arthur Solan prevailed in the ball throw ahead of Craughwell's Sean Cahill and Padraig Martyn in silver position.
GCH’s Ella Ibidunni and Zoe Moore won the sprint, well clear of the opposition, with Zoe Moore dipping under the 10-second mark.
Athenry's Sinead Lyons and Freya Bohan were second in the long jumps, ahead of Craughwell's Leannagh Gilligan and Eva Kelly, while Kelly and Gilligan claimed gold in the ball throw. In the boys’ u-10 60m Kristan Flaherty and Robert McDonnell took silver.
In the 500m Craughwell's Finbar McFadden and Alex Evans edged GCH's Kristan Flaherty and Robert McDonnell.
Craughwell’s fine tradition in the long jump continued with Cian Garman and Ryan Gallagher taking first with identical 3.31 jumps and Garvin Surlis and Oisin Slevin taking second.
The girls u-11 saw Andrea Trill and Mary Duggan take bronze in the 60m, while Siona Lawless and Tara Slattery of Craughwell took silver in the long jump and clubmates Anna Farrelly and Fiona Ryan won gold in the ball throw.
In the boys u-11 Brandon Lee and Oisin Rowe won bronze medals in the 60m, while Ballinasloe’s Shane Jennings and Niall Collins enjoyed a clear victory in the 600m. Athenry boys Aubrey O'Brien and Alan Cahill came first in the long jump ahead of Craughwell's Michael McFadden and Conor Hughes. In the ball throw Michael Joyce and Vincent Boyle won the day for Craughwell.
In the u-12 events Alysha Woods of Athenry came second in the 60m, while Lydia Doyle finished third in the 600m and first in the long jump ahead of Craughwell's Laura Cunningham in third place. Aoife Raftery of Craughwell finished third in the ball throw, while Aoife Walsh of Craughwell was third in the high jump. Danniel Callanan-Forde of Craughwell finished third in the 60m, while clubmate Peter Martin leapt to second place in the long jump. Stephen O'Connor, also of Craughwell, finished third in the ball throw. In the shot put Craughwell’s Mark O'Brien and Cian Waters came third, while clubmate Jerry Keary won the high jump to round off a great day for the club.
The relay events were dominated by Galway athletes with Craughwell winning the u-9 girls and u-10 boys. Athenry won the boys u-9, and both the girls and boys u-12.
