ain on the podium on the final day of the National Juvenile Indoor Championships in Athlone IT, with Craughwell's Laura Cunningham adding to her tally for the year.
Cunningham was the first of Craughwell AC's athletes to win gold, claiming the U18 triple jump. Coached by Michael Tobin, she grabbed her fourth national medal in less than a year, and also set a club indoor senior record with her winning leap of 10.55m.
Craughwell AC secured another gold when Darragh Kearney won the U12 shot putt with a huge throw of 9.01m on his fourth throw. Niamh Duffy threw a superb 7.96m to take the bronze medal in the U12 shot putt, while Conor Hoade produced an impressive performance in the U14 60m hurdles to claim the bronze in a tight finish in an excellent time of 9.50.
GCH athletes secured two gold medals when Lydia Doyle stormed to victory in the U18 60m hurdles, and Emma Moore claimed the U14 800m in a magnificent time of 2.17. Jack Dempsey won his third medal at the National Indoor Championships, securing bronze in a highly competitive U19 200m in a time of 22.32, as did Seren O'Toole in the U16 60m hurdles with a third-place finish.
Brendan Lynch of Loughrea AC won silver in the U19 triple jump, leaping 14.01m, while South Galway AC’s David Mannion also won a fine silver medal in the U13 60m hurdles.
New Inn 5k
Former national marathon champion Michael O'Connor returned to action with a commanding victory at the New Inn 5km on Sunday. O'Connor had to battle hard early on with runner-up John Greaney also GCH, but he pulled away strongly in the second half of the race, running 15.51 to Greaney’s 16.05. Daire Comer was third in 17.06.
Barbara Dunne of GCH was a clear victor in the women's race, clocking 18.25, with her clubmate Niamh Hennelly second and Deirdre Devane of Craughwell third.
Fixtures
The National 10k championships will be held in the Phoenix Park in Dublin on Sunday as part of the Great Ireland Run. GCH will have some strong teams competing, with the senior women's squad, including Grainne Ni Uallachain, and the V35 men’s team led by Sean Hanley and Gerry Carty, both hoping for team medals.
Galway native Laura Shaughnessy of DSD AC will be among the medal favorites in the women's race . The former Loughrea athlete is in superb form, having recently won the Craughwell 10 mile, and clocking 34.29 in the K Club 10k.
Another major event on the programme this weekend is the intervarsities track and field championships in Cork IT. NUI Galway will have plenty of strong medal contenders, including Aisling Joyce in the 3000m, Nicole King in 200/400m, Aengus Meldon over 800m, and Damien Landers over 1500m.
