Search Results for 'Ballina Athletic Club'

Is getting more physically active part of your new year resolutions? Don’t know where to start and need some support? The new series of RTE’s Operation Transformation is once again joining forces locally with Mayo Sports Partnership to encourage people to become more physically active in 2015.  

Six Mayo AC athletes travelled to Nottingham on Saturday to take part in the 27th Annual British & Irish International Masters Cross Country championships. They were selected after last month's trial in the Phoenix Park, and formed part of a 70 strong Irish team competing against England, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland as individuals, and in teams in nine age categories ranging from 35 years to 75 years. Mayo AC has a long tradition of successful participation in this event, and this year's representation of six is its biggest so far.

The Ballina Athletic Club will host a post primary schools cross country challenge for the 12 schools in its surrounding area on Wednesday week, October 8. The event will take place in Belleek, Ballina, and it is hoped it will give all participants the opportunity to discover a talent for cross country running.  The primary aim of this event is to promote and support participation in athletics among post-primary pupils. Ballina Athletic Club has a comprehensive underage development structure with the expertise of dedicated and knowledgeable coaches who are immersed in athletics. However the club has noticed a decline in recent years in the participation levels among teenagers and young adults, and rather than accepting this, it is determined to get teenagers back on track and bring the ‘X-Factor’ into cross-country running. It is a gateway discipline for so many other sports. This unique cross-country event promises to do just that with an exciting line up of shorter than usual cross-country races which will have all the teenagers vying for overall prizes for the pride and glory of their respective schools.

Amibitions to develop facilities in Ballina to make the town a major running, walking and cycling destination, similar to west Mayo’s Greenway, got a boost yesterday (Thursday).

Mayo AC celebrated their 25th Anniversary in style at a party night in the Welcome Inn Hotel, Castlebar at the start of the month. A broad spectrum of members from the early days of the late '80s to the present time were among those enjoying the celebrations. It was a wonderful opportunity for old friends and rivals to meet again, run down memory lane, mix with the post millennium intake, and share training methods from the days of hand-written results sheets to today's racing menu where it's chips with everything. In tandem with the club's success, membership has grown from 30 odd in 1999 to over 140 in 2012.

There was a blustery breeze around the 8k course as more than 100 runners lined up at the start outside Caulfield's shop in Ballyhaunis on Saturday afternoon for the fifth annual 8k run west race. It was also the seventh race in 2012 Mayo AC C&C Cellular Road League. The road was dry as they raced down main street and turned out Clare road. The pace dropped for many as they came on a tough hill section as they approached Gorteen after the 4k mark . By then Con Doherty (Westport) who led out from the start had a few seconds lead over Matt Bidwell (GCH).

There were great scenes of celebration at Athenry on Sunday as Mayo AC's National Half Marathon team had huge success winning medals in three team categories and eight individual medals. The club brought a record 31 runners to the race and 13 of them came home with medals - a great result. For once AAI came up with the results on the day and a delighted Michael McGrath was able to present most of the booty at the team's HQ.

The Achill Half Marathon took place in breezy conditions with more than 1,000 finishers. The excitement was tangible and Keel was awash with colour and crowds last Saturday. Congratulations go to Michael Shannon, who set a new course record at 1 hour, 11 minutes, 56 seconds in breezy conditions. The first woman to cross the finish line, and this was not her first win in Achill, was Fionnuala Doherty in 1 hour, 29 minutes, 43 seconds.

Ballina Athletic Club is this year hosting the 2011 C & C Cellular/Vodafone Mayo Athletic Awards which will be held at a gala function in the Downhill Hotel, Ballina on Sunday next February 26. Athletes from all over Mayo will be honoured for their contribution to athletics during the past year. Certificates or awards will be presented to all athletes who won national medals in 2011. Another person to be honoured on the night is Ernie Deacy who will be presented with the Hall of Fame Award for 2011.

Aaron Murtagh, Ballina Athletic Club, won a gold medal in the junior triple jump at the National Junior championships in Nenagh at the weekend. Good performances were also recorded by Hugh Armstrong in the 1,500m and Simon Gillespie in the 3,000m walk. Hugh Armstrong will be eligible to compete in this competition again next year. Simon Gillespie recorded a PB in the 3000m walk and is eligible to compete at this level for the next three years.