John Travers opened his indoor season with a fantastic win in New York. Competing in the New Balance Invitational Mile at the Armoury Centre on Saturday against a strong field of American based athletes Travers won by three metres over Chris Gowell and dipped under the magic 4 minutes barriers for the second time on the track. Travers lay in the main pack through the first half of the race and edged into the lead on lap 5 of 8. He was forced to maintain a fast pace to fend off the close attention of Chris Gowell, a Welsh international now based as a full-time athlete in Austin, Texas. Travers broke the line in 3.59.62 with Gowell second in a time of 4.00.13 and Ross Proudfoot (4.01.47) of Canada in third. Travers was understandably “chuffed” after the race as this result augurs well for the remainder of his indoor campaign. Here is a link to the race  http://www.armorytrack.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=45586&do=videos&video_id=131245

Three members of the Donore Harriers ‘A’ squad competed in the South of England Cross Country championship at Brighton on Saturday. The ‘Southern’ is the second largest cross country race in the U.K attracting the strongest distance club runners. The 9-miles classic usually has an array of international athletes to the fore and this year saw England’s Ben Tickner (50.21) of the host club hold on for victory from Paskar Owar (50.24) of Uganda and Belgrave Harriers. The Donore trio was led home by Eric Keogh (55.24) in an excellent 70^th place, whilst Caoimhin Kelly (59.08) and Mark Dooley (60.29) will have gained from the experience when placing 176^th and 232rd respectively.

Eoin Durkan (27.01) was the first Donore Harrier home when he placed 36^th in the AXA Raheny 5 mile road race at St. Anne’s Park on Sunday.  Master athlete Alan Farrell was the next clubman home in 176^th place in a time of 30.29. The women’s team was led home by Sinead Graham (33.31) in 432^nd spot with Aoife O’Sullivan placing 439^th (34.09). 14 club members competing amongst a field of well over 2,000 entrants.

At the National Indoor Junior & U/23s championships at Athlone Arena  Sean Lawlor (21.86) blitzed the field to win the Junior Men’s 200 metres final. A fast start gave the ‘Ballyer Bullet’ the advantage and he held on brilliantly to edge out his main nemesis Zak Irwin (21.91) of Sligo AC.  In the 1500m final middle-distance specialist Daragh Fitzgibbon (4.04.22) ran a very solid race to gain the silver medal behind Andrew Wright of Willowfield Harriers. Adam Halpin placed 4^th in the heats of the Junior Men’s 400m knocking well over a second off his previous best time. In the Junior Women’s pole vault Ailbhe Healy jumped 2.55m at her first attempt, but was unable to clear the next height of 2.70m that would have put her in contention for a medal. She had to settle for a commendable 5^thposition. Here is a link to the indoor championships http://jumping-the-gun.com/?p=2837 (Sean Lawlor’s final is at 4.25)

Results in brief:

New Balance Invitational Mile at the Armoury Centre, New York: 1^st John Travers (Donore Harriers & Ireland) 3.59.62; 2^nd Chris Gowell (Wales) 4.00.13; 3^rd Ross Proudfoot (Canada) 4.01.47

South of England XC championships (9 miles) at Brighton: 70^th Eric Keogh (55.24); 176^th Caoimhin Kelly (59.08); 232^nd Mark Dooley (60.29)

Naas 5km Parkrun: 7^th Ian Redican M40 (20.09)

Marlay 5km Parkrun: 56^th Tomas Griffin (20.19)

National Indoor Junior & under 23s Championships at Athlone Arena : u/20s 200m Final – 1^st Sean Lawlor (21.88) gold medal; u/23s 60m Heat 1 – 7^th Darren Hughes (8.11); u/23s; 1500 Final – 2^nd Daragh Fitzgibbon (4.04.22) silver medal; u/20s 400m Heat 4 – 4^th Adam Halpin (54.77 PB); u/20s 60m Heat 1 – 6^th Conor Fox (7.64); u/20s 60m Heat 1 – 4^th Aoife Lynch (8.25); u/20s Pole Vault Final – 5^th Ailbhe Healy (2.55m)

AXA Raheny 5 mile road race at St. Anne’s Park : 36^th Eoin Durkan (27.01); 176^th Alan Farrell M40 (30.29); 432^nd Sinead Graham (33.31); 439^th Aoife O’Sullivan (34.09); 558^th Rhona Duane (35.19); 562^nd Frank McNally M50 (35.11); 696^th Terry Mee M70 (37.05); 952^nd Charlie O’Neill M60 (39.40); 953^rd Tommy Halton M55 (39.40); 994^th Catherine McKeon (39.39); 1079^th Laura Murray (39.42); 1179^th Joseph Maguire M75 (41.47); 1515^th Tony Jenkins M70 (43.58); 1915^th Michael Brophy M65 (47.45)

JUVENILE REPORT

A number of Donore Harriers juvenile athletes were in action in the opening series of the schools cross country championships. At the ‘West Leinsters’  the recently crowned national under 14s champion Fathi Aden (Synge Street) made the podium with a 3^rd place finish in the Junior Boys. Fathi lost the opportunity to challenge for the top spot due to making a slow start. However the star performance of the day came from Sam Gallagher (Lucan CBS) in the senior boys 5km race. Gallagher worked his way through to third position only to be outkicked in the final 30 metres. Whilst he had to be content with 4^th position it was, nevertheless, a very fine effort in a very competitive race. Stephen Gavin (Salesians College) showed a return to form following injury when placing 6^th in the same race.

Claire O’Connor (St. Louis) 5^th in the Intermediate Girls; Niamh O’Neill (Castleknock CC) 4^th in the Senior Girls; and Sekeriye Ahmed (Synge Street) 9^th and Jack Raftery (Castleknock CC) 12^th in the Junior Boys also qualify for the Leinster Schools final at the Phoenix Park next month.

In the North Leinster Schools Cross Country at ALSAA (23/1/15) club newcomer Nahom Alem narrowly failed to make the top 15 and qualification in the senior boys race over 5km. Eritrean born Alem represented Marino College and after a steady start worked his way through a field of older and more experiences runners to place 18^th.

Donore Harriers juvenile athletes dominated the Waterstown 5km Parkrun on Saturday. Michael Gibbs u/18s (18.17) was the first home in the race taking half-a-minute of his previous best time. Nahom Alem u/18s (18.39) placed 2^nd, an excellent run given that he competed in a schools cross country race on the previous day. Lucy McCann u/17s (20.43) was the first female home, whilst Ciara Murphy u/17s (21.49) placed an excellent 2^nd on her debut 5km race. Hannah Barr (Junior) was 5^th female with a PB time of 24.02.

Results in brief:

West Leinsters Schools Cross Country championships at Phoenix Park (21/1/15): Minor Girls – 37^th Marie Cormican (Mount Sackville); Junior Girls – 25^th Niamh Clarke (St. Joseph’s Lucan); 60^th Angelica Gonia (Maynooth PP); Intermediate Girls – 5^th Claire O‘Connor (St. Louis Rathmines); Senior Girls – 4^th Niamh O‘Neill (Castleknock CC); Junior Boys – 3^rd Fathi Aden (Synge Street CBS); 9^th Sekeriye Ahmed (Synge Street CBS); 12^th Jack Raftery (Castleknock CC); 160^th Matthew Lynch (Luttrellstown CC); Intermediate Boys – 42^nd Daniel Brady (Lucan CBS); 61^st Tadgh Fitzgibbon (Salesians Celbridge); 71^st Ruairi Fitzgibbon (Salestians Celbridge); Senior Boys – 4^th Sam Gallagher (Lucan CBS); 6^th Stephen Gavin (Salesians Celbridge)

North Leinsters Schools Cross Counry championships at ALSAA (23/1/15): Senior Boys 18^th Nahom Alem (Marino College)

Watertown 5km Parkrun: 1^st Michael Gibbs u/18s (18.17 PB); 2^nd Nahom Alem u/18s (18.39 debut); 5^th/ 1^st female Lucy McCann u/17s (20.43); 11^th / 2^nd female Ciara Murphy u/17s (21.49 debut); 17^th / 5^th Hannah Barr JNR (24.02 PB); 36^th James McDonagh u/15s (27.38); 44^th / 13^th Shona Smyth u/15s (29.17)