At the Connacht Indoors Senior Masters, at Athlone AIT, there was a total of 142 participants (senior/master ) competing in 18 events for men and women. This championship competition was held on Saturday, February 22.
Athletes from a wide range of clubs in the Connacht Region were represented with athletic clubs from Mayo including Moy Valley, Mayo, Aghagower, Swinford, Ballina.
Five of Mayo AC’s nine participants – Declan Owens, Mike Griffin, Tom Prendergast, Tony and Paula Donnellan Walsh, had competed in the Mayo Indoors two weeks previously.
Of the remaining four, Martin Peyton has had years of experience at indoor and outdoor championships and he was joined by Tracy Cunnane, Norah Newcombe Pieterse – who last ran Indoors six years ago – and Pat Morrison. Events were a lot more competitive than the county indoors with good fields in most of the track races.
Mike Griffin was Mayo AC's most successful athlete, winning a very exciting M35 400 metres – racing from fourth to first in the final 100 metres and finishing third in M35 800m. Tracy Cunnane competed for her first time in the shot putt and was rewarded with a silver medal in W35. Norah Newcombe Pieterse won the 3,000m and was looking to break 10 minutes, but was not seriously challenged, leading from the gun and coming home in 10:16.
Mayo AC results
Shot putt: Tracy Cunnane 2nd W35 6.50 metres; Martin Peyton 2nd M50 9.69 metres
Long Jump: Martin Peyton; 2nd M50 2.59 metres
60m: Senior men: Declan Owens 4th 7.89
200m: Senior men: Declan Owens 3rd 25.73
400m: M35: Mike Griffin 1st 57.87
800m: M35: Mike Griffin 3rd 2:13.37; Tony O’Malley 4th 2:15.59
1500m: W35: Paula Donnellan Walsh 2nd 5:50.67; M50: Tom Prendergast 4th 5:00.03
3,000m: W35: 1st Norah Newcombe Pieterse 10:16.35; 4th Paula Donnellan Walsh 12:08.05; M35: Pat Morrison 4th 9:52.33; M50: Tom Prendergast 3rd 10:25.44.
