The National Juvenile Track and Field Championships continued last weekend with two days of competition in Tullamore, which produced some great performances from Galway’s best young athletes, including four gold medals.
Emma Moore of Galway City Harriers won gold after leading from the front in a terrific race in the U14 girls' 800 metres, fending off some tough competition to claim the title in a fast time of 2.17.
Evan Hallinan of Craughwell AC also claimed a national title, winning gold in the U13 boys' high jump and equalling the national record in the process with a huge leap of 1.56 metres.
Sprinter Jack Dempsey of GCH won the U19 boys' national title, powering home to victory with a winning time of 11.01.
GCH middle distance athletes were outstanding in Sunday's action, securing three medals, a just reward for a hard season training under the expert guidance of coach Matt Lockett. Eanna Folan struck gold in the U19 boys' 3000m, winning easily in a time of 8.55. Thomas McStay won silver in the boys' U18 3000m in a time of 9.03, while there was a well deserved bronze for Aaron Brennan after an epic battle in the U17 boys' 3000m, also in 9.03. Folan and Brennan also both ran well on Saturday in making their respective age group 800m finals, as did Cian McNelis of Athenry AC who was fourth in the U12 600m.
Chloe Casey of Craughwell AC won silver in the U16 girls' discus, throwing more than 28 metres in the process, just behind winner Ciara Sheehy.
Lydia Doyle of GCH took silver in the U18 girls' 100m hurdles in a fiercely fought final, and just missed out on the gold by 1/100th of a second.
Liam Shaw of Athenry AC won the silver medal in the boys' U13 shot putt with a great throw of 13.47 metres, a personal best, while Darragh Jennings of GCH won a bronze medal in the U14 boys' shot putt with a best throw of 12.34m.
Bryan Ndego of GCH leaped 1.75 m to take silver in the U19 boys' high jump behind international Ryan Carthy Walshe.
Niamh Duffy of Craughwell AC took silver in the U12 girls' shot putt, while clubmate Jade Moorhead also won silver in the U13 girls' high jump. Also for Craughwell Ciana Reidy won bronze in the U18 girls' pole vault and Lukas Schukat won U14 boys' high jump bronze.
Galway County 10,000m championship
The Galway County 10,000m track championships were held on a warm and humid evening at Dangan, on Thursday evening July 6. Conor Dolan, a recent re-signing for GCH, put on a superb display of front running, to take victory and the county title in a time of 35.14. Rob Lennon of Castlegar AC ran a great race to claim silver in 35.26, with Daire Comer of Tuam AC running a well-paced race to win bronze in 36.56. Brian O Connor and Pat Sherry won the master's golds in their M35 and M50 categories.
European selection for GCH sprinter Cillin Greene
Cillin Greene of GCH has been selected for the Irish team for European U20 Championships, which will be held in Grosseto in Italy later in July. The talented sprinter from the city club has been selected to compete in both the 200m and the relay events
Lally runs in European U23 Championships this week
Galway athlete Alanna Lally will compete for Ireland over 800 metres at the European Under-23 Championships which will be held this week, July 13 to 16 , in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Lally goes in the heats of the 800m at 4.50pm Irish time on Thursday evening .
Fixtures
The final weekend of this year's National Juvenile Track and Field Championships will be held next Saturday and Sunday, July 15 and 16, in Tullamore, with the Juvenile B Events on the first day and day three of the national finals on Sunday.
