Two personal bests, a gold and a silver medal and attaining the qualifying standards for the forthcoming European Junior Track and Field Championships to be held at Eskilstuna, Sweden in July marked a great day for Donore Harriers athlete and Kylemore College student Sean Lawlor at the National Schools Track & Field Championshipsat Tullamore on Saturday (30/5/15).

Lawlor (10.69) had to settle for second place in the Senior Boys 100m behind Zak Irwin (10.60) of Sligo Grammar. However, he turned the tables in a thrilling 200m race with a super 21.51 run edging out Irwin who timed at 21.60.

With the minor age grade being incorporated into the national championship programme for the first time the Donore Harriers attention focused on Louis O’Loughlin in the 800m. The Moyle Park student played a major part in what turned out to be a tactical and intriguing race. Several athletes vied for the lead until Ciaran McManus of St. Aidan’s CBS (2.06.52) made a big move with 250m remaining. He opened a gap of 15 metres that looked unassailable. However, a sprint finish down the home straight by O’Loughlin (2.06.56) saw the two athletes cross the line in a photo finish. The timing system showed that McManus just held out to win by just 4-hundreds of a second. A national silver in his first track season shows that Louis O’Loughlin has a very bright future in athletics!

In the Intermediate Boys 100m Hurdles there was something of an upset when Alex Clarkin edged out his school and club-mate Jack Rudden-Kelly for the bronze medal. The Castleknock Community School duo enjoy a friendly rivalry and Clarkin (13.85) reversed the order from their 1^st and 2^nd place result in the Leinster Schools Championships by  placing 3^rd behind winner Daniel Ryan (13.07) of Thurles CBS with Rudden-Kelly (14.00) having to settle for 4^thplace.

Early in the day Lauren O’Keeffe (Loreta Balbriggan) threw inside the championship best mark with a 52.08m throw in the Girls Intermediate hammer. However, she had to settle for a silver medal behind Michaela Walsh from Swinford.

Eoin Molloy, representing Belvedere College, threw a best of 48.79m in the Senior Boys hammer and missed the bronze medal by just 20 centimetres. Oran O’Brien (Belvedere College) placed 5^th in the Intermediate Boys Discus with a best throw of 38.39m. Ailbhe Healy (Castleknock CC) and Lucy Hurley (Maynooth PP) came 6^th in their respective Pole Vault and High Jump events, whilst newcomer Leanne Brosnan (Mount Sackville) and club juvenile captain Karen Hughes (Donabate CC) placed 9^th and 10^th in the Senior Girls triple jump.

In the Leinster Senior & Masters Track & Field championships held at Tullamore on Sunday (31/5/15) there were outstanding performances from Donore Harriers masters athletes. Anne Gormley won the Masters 3,000m Walk with a time of 19.44.20 and Orlaith Read, competing in her first championship event, took the gold medal in the F45 Hammer with a best throw of 30.60m. Terry Mee (78.51 & 6.22.61) won double gold in the M70 category 400m and 1,500m – and Sean O’Broin (12.57 & 25.45) won two silver medals in the M45 100m and 200m sprints. Niall Allen won 3 gold medals in the M40 category. He recorded best throws of 30.70m in the Discus, 10.96m in the Shot Putt and 6.49m in the 56lb Hammer. In the M70 class Tony Jenkins won gold with a throw of 23.25m in the Javelin and silver with an 8.04m effort in the Shot Putt. Cathal O’Brien (1.85m) took bronze in the Senior Men’s High Jump.

The VHI Women’s Mini Marathon (1/6/15) proved to be a damp affair with strong winds and rain making for testing conditions. Anne Curley (39.13) suffered a stitch at the 6km mark, but recovered well to place in 18^th position overall. Karla Doran (41.19) hung on well to finish 34^th after making a big effort in the early part of the race. Joan McTernan and Laura Murray can be well pleased with their times of 45.51 and 48.58 – the latter breaking the 50 minutes barrier for the first time.

Niall Lynch was Donore Harriers lone runner in the Cork City Marathon (1/6/15) finishing 20^th overall and 4^th in the M40 category with a time of 2 hours 48 minutes and 42 seconds.

At the British Milers Club track meet at Manchester on Saturday evening (30/5/15) Eric Keogh (3.48.83) ran a very encouraging personal best time when placing 10^th in the ‘B’ 1,500m. Lee Van Haeften (14.44.14) was just 3 seconds short of his best time when placing 8^th in the ‘C’ 5,000m. The BMC track races are very competitive attracting many of the best athletes from all parts of the British Isles and have become a standard for developing athletes to gain invaluable experience.

In the Dublin Juvenile Team Championships for u/9s – u/11s(30/5/15) at Santry on Saturday Ciaran O’Farrell and Conon Mackey won the club’s only gold medal when they out-jumped the opposition with a combined jump of 5.10m in the Boys u/9s class. Silver medals were won by Ava Hoare and Melanie Abbey (combined 15.37m) in the Girls u/10s Javelin and by Brooke Fagan and Grace Raftery (combined 4.13.54) in the Girls u/11s 600m.      Eleanor Hopkins & Olwyn Fitzgerald (12.72m) came 3^rd in the Girls u/9s Javelin.

Finally, special mention to u/17s athlete Matthew Lynch (26.27) who got a huge personal best in the Waterstown 5km Parkrun at Palmerstown on Saturday morning (30/5/15). Another u/17s athlete Ciara Murphy (21.03) finished 4^th overall in the race and was the first female home for the second week in a row.

Results in brief:

BHAA Government Services 5 mile road race at Dunboyne (26/5/15): 9^th Chris Muldoon M35 (26.42); 14^th Philip Hennessy M45 (26.56); 25^th Sean Fox M40 (27.43); 53^rd Fred Kiernan M40 (29.29); 77^th Alan Farrell M40 (30.20); 80^th Patrick Byrne (30.26); 108^thDeclan Fahy (32.01); 120^th Alma Hanevy F35 (32.14); 212nd Terry Mee  M70 (35.39)

Star of the Sea 5km road race at Stamullen (26/5/15): 3^rd Andrew Ledwith (16.49)

Women’s Meet & Train League (27/5/15): results not to hand

Waterstown 5km Parkrun (30/5/15): 3^rd Colin Morrissey M35 (20.07); 5^th David Wogan M50 (21.42); 36^th / 5^th female Janette Strickland F40 (27.35)

Naas 5km Parkrun (30/5/15): 9^th Ian Redican M40 (20.11)

British Milers Club Track Meeting at Sports City Track in Manchester (30/5/15): 1,500m ‘B’ – 10^th Eric Keogh (3.48.83 PB); 5,000m ‘C’ Lee Van Haeften (14.44.14)

Leinster U/23, Senior & Masters T&F Championships at Tullamore (31/5/15): Master Women 3,000 Walk – 1^st Anne Gormley F50 (19.44.20); Master Men 100m – 2^nd M45 Sean O’Broin (12.57); Master Men 200m – 2^nd M45 Sean O’Broin (25.45); Master Men 100m – 2^nd M70 Tony Jenkins (20.73); Master Men 400m – 1^stM70 Terry Mee (78.51); Master Men 1,500m – 1^st M70 Terry Mee (6.22.61); Master Women Javelin – 1^st F45 Orlaith Read (30.06m); Master Women Discus – 4^th F45 Orlaith Read (17.21m); Master Women Shot Putt – 3^rd F45 Orlaith Read (7.39m); Master Men Discus – 1^st M40 Niall Allen (30.70m); Master Men Shot Putt – 1^stM40 Niall Allen (10.96m); Master Men Weight for Distance – 1^stM40 Niall Allen (6.49m); Master Men Javelin – 1^st M70 Tony Jenkins (23.25m); Master Men Shot Putt – 2^nd M70 Tony Jenkins (8.04m); Senior Men High Jump – 3^rd Cathal O’Brien (1.85m)

NOTE: other results not to hand

VHI Women’s Mini-Marathon at Dublin (1/6/15): provisional results – 18^th Anne Curley F40 (39.13); 34^th Karla Doran (41.19); 103^rd Joan McTernan F50 (45.51); also Laura Murray (48.58)

Cork City Marathon (1/6/15): 20^th / 4^th M40 Niall Lynch (2.48.42)

UPDATED RESULTS:

National Track & Field League Men’s Premier Division (Round 1) at Belfast (24/5/15):

TEAM: 1^st Clonliffe Harriers 123; 2^nd Donore Harriers 102; 3^rdDSD AC 100; 4^th Raheny Shamrocks 91; 4^th Crusaders 90; 6^th North Down AC 89; 7^th Tallaght AC 76

100m – 1^st Eamon Fahey (11.04); 200m – 1^st Eamon Fahey (21.93); 110mH – 1^st Simon Taggart (15.01); 400m – 6^th David Campbell (52.63); 400mH – 3^rd Simon Taggart (59.46); 800m – 6^th Daragh Fitzgibbon (1.59.96); 1,500m – 6^th Sam Allen (4.22.98); 5,000m – 2^ndMichael McMahon (15.20.65 PB); High Jump – 4^th Cathal O’Brien (1.80m); Long Jump –  Zak Higgins JNR (4.93m); Triple Jump – 5^thZak Higgins (10.07m); Javelin – 1^st Jaco Oosthuysen (53.56m); Shot Putt – 2^nd Niall Allen (10.77m); Discus – 3^rd Niall Allen (30.17m); 56lb Hammer – 1^st Jaco Oosthuysen (4.56m); 4 x 100m 5^th Donore Harriers (45.04); 4 x 400m 5^th Donore Harriers (3.34.74)

National Track & Field League Women’s First Division (Round 1) at Belfast (24/5/15):

TEAM: 1^st Finn Valley AC 108; 2^nd = Co. Antrim 100; 2^nd = Lagan Valley 100; 4^th Donore Harriers 99; 5^th Sli Cualann 97

100m – 4^th Ailise Keating JNR (13.03); 200m – 2^nd Aoife Lynch JNR (26.29); 100mH – 3^rd Lauren Kennedy JNR (17.73); 400m – 3^rdClaire O’Connor JNR (1.07.85); 400mH – 3^rd Roisin Rynn-Cahill JNR (1.14.81); 800m – 2^nd Maura Kearns (2.23.61); 1,500m – 5^thRhona Duane (5.33.02); 5,000m – 1^st Florence Curley (11.15.18); 1,500m Walk – 1^st Ann Gormley (9.30.27); Long Jump – 5^th Karen Hughes JNR (4.52m); High Jump – 5^th Roisin Rynn-Cahill JNR (1.30m); Triple Jump – 2^nd Linda Ngankam (10.67m); Pole Vault – 2^nd Ailbhe Healy JNR (2.60m); Javelin – 5^th Lauren O’Keeffe JNR (18.05m); Hammer – 4^th Clodagh Read JNR (35.57); Shot Putt – 5^thOrlaith Read (7.52m); Discus – 3^rd Clodagh Read (20.93); 4 x 100m – 1^st Donore Harriers <Ngankam, Lynch, Hughes, Keating> (50.65); 4 x 400m – 5^th Donore Harriers <O’Connor; Duane; Caoimhe Mackey; Kearns> (4.46.65)

Juvenile Results:

Dublin Juvenile Track & Field League Round 4 (final) at Santry (23/5/15): Leading results: – u/10 Boys 60m – 5^th Joe Kinsella; u/10 Boys 300m – 3^rd Joe Kinsella: u/12 Boys 500m – 3^rd Sean Kinsella; u/12 Boys Long Jump – 4^th Sean Kinsella: u/13 Girls Shot Putt – 1^stPeace Onakoia: u/15 Girls 80mH – 2^nd Angie Gonia; u/15 Girls High Jump – 6^th Angie Gonia: u/16 Girls 80mH – 3^rd Ciara O’Donnell, 4^thLucy Hurley, 6^th Cara Brennan; u/16 Girls 100m – 2^nd Suzi O’Farrell, 4^th Cara Brennan, 5^th Robyn O’Keeffe; u/16 Girls High Jump – 2^ndLucy Hurley, 4^th Cara Brennan; u/16 Girls Javelin – 1^st Cara Brennan, 4^th Robyn O’Keeffe: u/16 Boys 100mH – 1^st Max Carey, 2^nd Kolade Abiodun: u/16 Boys 100m – 2^nd Kolade Abiodun; u/16 Boys High Jump – 1^st Kolade Abiodun, 3^rd Max Carey; u/16 Boys Javelin – 1^stMax Carey, 5^th Kolade Abiodun

Final League position and medal winners: – u/10 Boys – 3^rd Joe Kinsella; u/11 Boys – 5^th Oliver Hopkins; u/12 Boys – 4^th Sean Kinsella; u/16 Girls – 2^nd Cara Brennan, 3^rd Robyn O’Keeffe; u/16 Boys – 1^st Kolade Abiodun, 5^th Max Carey

All Ireland Schools T&F Championships at Tullamore (30/5/15):Gold = Senior Boys 200m – Sean Lawlor (21.54 PB): Silver = Inter Girls Hammer – Lauren O’Keeffe (52.08m): Minor Boys 800m – Louis O’Loughlin (2.06.56): Senior Boys 100m – Sean Lawlor (10.69 PB):Bronze = Inter Boys 100m Hurdles – Alex Clarkin (13.85): Also: – Inter Boys 100m Hurdles – 4th Jack Rudden-Kelly (14.00); Senior Boys Hammer – 4th Eoin Molloy (48.79m); Inter Girls Pole Vault – 6th eq. Ailbhe Healy (2.40m); Inter Boys Discus – 5th Oran O’Brien (38.39m); Senior Girls Triple Jump – 9th Leanne Brosnan (9.44m), 10th Karen Hughes (8.91m); Junior Girls High Jump – 6th Lucy Hurley (1.45m).

Waterstown 5km Parkrun (30/5/15): 4^th / 1^st female Ciara Murphy u/17s (21.03); 29^th Matthew Lynch u/17s (26.27 PB); 47^th Kate Lynch u/15s (30.48); 49^th Elena Gaina u/15s (31.10); 57^th Robyn Strickland u/15s (32.24); 64^th Shannon Verdon-Byrne u/15s (35.01)

Dublin Juvenile T&F Team (u/9-11s) Championships at Santry (30/5/15): leading results = Boys u/9s Long Jump – 1^st Ciaran O’Farrell & Conan Mackey (5.10m); Girls u/9s Javelin – 3^rd Eleanor Hopkins & Olwyn Fitzgerald (12.72m); Girls u/10s Javelin – 2^nd Ava Hoare & Melanie Abbey (15.37m); Girls u/11s 600m – 2^nd Brooke Fagan & Grace Raftery (4.13.54)