One of Mayo’s top young athletes is in with a chance of walking away with an award at next weekend’s Athletics Ireland National Athletics Awards. Pamela Hughes from Westport AC is nominated following her impressive performances this season. The second annual National Athletics Awards, which are in association with Waterford Crystal, will honour the best Irish athletes, clubs and coaches from across the country.
The categories up for decision are Track Athlete of the Year, Field Athlete of the Year, Cross Country/Road Athlete of the Year, Race Walker of the Year, Club of the Year, Outstanding Official, Coach of the Year, Junior Athlete of the Year, Master Athlete of the Year, Outstanding Performance of the Year, Lifetime Achievement and the Hall of Fame Award. Four of the country’s brightest talents are in the running for Junior Athlete of the Year, these are Pamela Hughes, Ciara Everard, Brian Gregan and Niamh Whelan.
Emily Dowling, Phil Roche, Alan Keyes and Jim McNamara are in contention for the Coach of the Year award which was won by Adam Jones from Rathfarnham WSAF in 2007. The awards will take place on November 18 at a Gala dinner in the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The winners of the 12 categories will be selected by a special selection committee, which includes former world champion Eamonn Coghlan and World Cross Country silver medallist Catherina McKiernan. Athletics clubs, athletes and officials from across the country will be able to nominate their Coach of the Year and Club of the Year. The Performance of the Year Award will be decided by a selection of Ireland’s top athletics journalists. Each of the award winners will receive a specially commissioned Waterford Crystal trophy. The 2008 National Athletics Awards will take place on Saturday November 15 in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry. For further information log on to www.athleticsireland.ie
Hollymount road race lives up to historic billing
The 43rd annual Hollymount road races took place on Sunday. Once again it was excellently organised by Sean Reilly and his team. It was the eighth race of nine in the C&C Cellular Mayo AC Road Race League. The weather was cold with a slight breeze but thankfully the rain held off. The uphill finish along the main street proved a good test at the end of the women’s one lap 3k while the men had to go over the top three times in their 10k race.
Strong club teams made up the nucleus of the 150 who took part in the three races, among them Raheny Shamrock AC, Sligo, GCH, Craughwell, Tuam and Athenry as well as the traditional contingent from Liverpool Harriers and John Moores University. Many of the athletes had competed in the Irish Marathon Championships less than two weeks previously when it was incorporated in the Dublin marathon. Among them were M35 silver medallist Mark Davis (Craughwell AC ) and TJ McHugh (Mayo AC ) who won bronze in the same category.
Mayo AC had a fine turnout too, among them 12 of their 18-strong Dublin marathon team. It included most of Mayo AC's bronze-medal winning women's senior team.
The women's 3km race turned into an exciting battle in the final 800 metres with Mayo AC's top marathoner Catherine Conway displaying great stamina to catch up with the leaders and go on to win in fine style in 10.53. Regina Casey (GCH ) was hot on her heels in second in 10.57, followed by Caroline Clancy (Loughrea AC ) in 11.06. Kathryn Casserley (Castlegar ) was fourth in 11.22 followed by three Dublin marathoners Mary Gleeson (Mayo AC ), Elaine Walsh (who led Athenry AC's silver medal winning senior team in the National Marathon ) and Edel Reilly (Mayo AC ). Finishing in eighth place was Olivia Feeney (Sligo AC ) who just beat O40 rival Ann Murray (Mayo AC ). Sarah Jackson was the first JMU finisher in tenth just a second ahead of Mayo AC's Kathy Connolly in 12.07. The team prize was won by Mayo AC with JMU 'A' second. The men's 10k was an exciting race with three Raheny Shamrock athletes mixing it with two from Sligo AC over the first two laps. However, on the third lap Martin Conroy stretched ahead and ran on strongly for a very convincing victory in 31.42, with Bernard Roe and Richard Corcoran from Raheny in second and third place. Emmett Dunleavy (Sligo AC ) was fourth and Iain Conroy (Raheny Shamrock ) fifth. Unlike these five, John Byrne still had the marathon effect in his legs but he made a great effort on the final lap to finish sixth in 33.48. Sligo AC dominated the o40 category with Michael O'Connell and Tom Meehan first and third respectively and Martin Corcoran (Craughwell AC ) second. Barry Healy (Claremorris AC ) won the U17 boys 3k race. The final race in the 2008 Mayo AC Road Race League will be the Westport 5km on Sunday December 30. League prizes (based on best points totals from sixof the nine races ) will be presented after this race.
