The Galway City Harriers junior men’s cross country team become the first to represent the club at European level, having won the National Championships in November in the Junior (U20 ) men’s event.
The GCH squad comprises Eanna Folan, Aaron Brennan, Thomas McStay, Michael Healy, and Gary Martyn, all of whom have multiple national team and individual medals. James Frizzell and Joe Tannian were on the original winning squad, but are now overage for the event, although Frizzell is travelling to support the squad.
The Galway athletes will be one of 14 teams of top Europeans, all respective national champions, with top clubs such as Italian's Torino, defending champions Castellon of Spain, Turkish team Fenerbache, and Sporting Lisbon of the host country.
The squad, coached by Galway's Matt Lockett, will travel with expectations of a
All three Galway teams have made the final of the National Indoor League following the second qualifying round of action last weekend in Athlone IT. GCH men’s team finished in third place after a good second round. Led by Michael Breathnach with a win in the high jump, they accumulated big points from Robert Meagher in the 200m, Darragh White in 400m, Alvaro Garcia in the 1500, and Henrique Nkolovata in triple jump.
Craughwell ladies' team placed second after qualifying with a win from Sarah Finnegan in the triple jump, and strong performances from Arlene Earls over 400m, Sinead Treacy over 200m, Laura Cunningham in the high jump, and Caron Ryan in the 1500m. GCH Ladies also qualified, in fourth, with good runs via Nicole King in the 400m, Kathryn Casserly in the 1500m, and double points from Laura Ann Costello over 200m and in the high jump.
The Indoor League final will take place next Saturday in the National Indoor Arena in Dublin.
Maree 8k
The annual Maree AC 8k Run, which celebrates its 10th anniversary, takes place in the surrounds of Maree, Oranmore, Co Galway on Sunday, February 4 at 1pm.
The race circuit, which has been measured to AI standards, will be chip timed, and has been approved by the Galway County Board. The race starts from race headquarters at the Maree Community Centre, and heads out to the Tawin peninsula, and returns to the finish at the centre.
The event will raise funds to develop local sporting facilities in Maree, and is organised by Maree Athletics Club in conjunction with the Maree Development Organisation.
National Indoor Junior and U23 Championships
Galway athletes were again on the podium at the National Indoor Junior and U23 Championships in Athlone IT on Sunday. There were gold medal wins for Veronica Burke of Ballinasloe and District AC in the U23 indoor walk, her second national title in three months, while Alanna Lally, now with UCD, won the U23 women’s 800m in a fast time of 2.07.
Brendan Lynch of Loughrea won silver in the U23 men’s triple jumps with a leap of 13.47 metres. Sprinter Cillin Greene of GCH also landed a silver in the U23 men's 200m. Conor Duggan, having returned to action after a long injury lay off, took double bronze in the U23 men’s 60 metres and again in the 200m. Jerry Keary, also of Craughwell, won silver in the junior men’s high jump with 1.90m clearance, while clubmate Sinead Treacy secured bronze in the U23 womens 200m. Aaron Brennan and James Frizzell of GCH both won bronze medals over 1500m in exciting finishes. Brennan took third in the junior men’s race, with Frizzell winning bronze at U23 level.
Coldwood 4 mile run
The sixth Annual Coldwood four mile run was held on Sunday with Shane Simcox of Mallow AC taking victory in a time of 22.33. David Meehan of Athenry was second, and Craughwell AC's Mark Davis, making a return to action, was in third place. Cliona Hurst was the first woman home, with Mary Corless in second and Michelle Lynch of GCH third. Shauna Bocquet continued her run of victories claiming first wheelchair athlete home.
