Round 1 of the National track and field league took place in a largely sunny Santry stadium on Sunday 12 June. The men in the premier division were in a tough pool with clubs such as DSD and Clonliffe and the women in division 1 faced off many strong county teams.

Early in the day we started with the hurdles and walks. Lauren Kennedy got things off on a solid footing with 4th place in the 100h and multieventer Rolus Olusa was a great 2nd in the 110H in 16.02. In the 400H, Caoimhe Mackey was delighted with her 1 second PB of 68.72 and 3rd place. The versatile Mael Lambert finished 3rd in the men’s in 62.32. League stalwart Anne Gormley picked up points for 3rd in the 1500m walk despite suffering from a chest infection.

The first relay event, the 4×100 didn’t go so well for the men this time with a 7th place in a tightly fought race. The ladies fared better with an excellent 3rd place, very impressive considering the team of Robyn, Suzi, Lauren and Ciara was reconfigured owing to key member Lynda Ngakam’s absence due to illness.

There was maximum points next in the 1500m with Eric Keogh’s convincing win in 3.54.33. Karla Doran clinched 2nd spot for the ladies in a close finish of 5.04.52

Maura Kearns clocked up a PB in the 400m in 62.60 and a 3rd spot in an event she is new to. One of most dramatic moments of the day was courtesy of Zak Higgins in the men’s 400m who literally fell over the line to secure a super 2nd spot and a PB in 50.23.

Sorcha Nic Dhomhnaill was very impressive in the 3000m with a 3rd place in 10.37. Mael Lambert showed he can move from 400h to the gruelling jumps of the 3000m S/C with ease finishing 2nd place in 9.38.

Aoife Lynch can’t put a foot wrong at the moment with a string of wins and an upcoming Irish vest in the European Youths. She delivered again with 2nd in the 200m in 24.71. Paul McDermott clinched 3rd in the men’s race in 22.10. In the guest 200m, the ever improving Adam Halpin ran 23.54 PB and David Campbell 23.92

In the 800m Sinead Lambe led the race at one point but fought hard in the 2nd lap when the placings changed and was an impressive 3rd in 2.23.39. Eric Keogh doubled up and did the men’s 800 in a close finishing 3rd with 1.57.28. Michael McMahon gave it everything in the men’s 5000m and was unlucky to be just pipped by a DSD runner he had earlier overhauled, only half a second separated 1st and 2nd place, he finished in 15.21.88.

Late call-up Suzi O’Farrell did wonderfully well in the 100m with 4th place in 13.41. In the men’s race Cian O’Reilly was 7th in 11.87.

In the field events, the ladies showed their current strength in the throws with Clodagh Read 2nd in the hammer in 38.74. Lauren O’keeffe guested with 52.72 and Orlaith Read threw 30.67 in her hammer weight. Eoin Molloy was 2nd in the men’s hammer in 39.69
Clodagh Read threw to 3rd in the discus in 23.51 and u19 Dublin champion Oran O’Brien got maximum points in the men’s discus with 33.69.
Mimi Ajagebo was 4th in the shot in 8.68 and triple Leinster Master champion Niall Allen was 5th for the men in 10.79. He went on to finish 2nd in the 56lb weight for distance.

Andie Maguire was another late call up for the long jump and triple jump and she finished a fine 4th in both with a PB of 8.98 in the triple. Multi-eventer Kolade Abidoun finished 5th in the long jump 5.83 and Rolus Olusa appeared again in the TJ 11.95 to come 5th. Gabhan O’Tighearnaigh had a best of 1.75 to finish 4th in the high jump with Roisin Rynn finishing 7th for the women. Ailbhe Healy easily won the pole Vault event in 2.70 and Rolus Olusa finished 5th for the men.
Jako Oostenhaven was impressive as ever in the Javelin with a best of 57.85 and 2nd place. Lauren O’Keeffe scored 6th for the women in 17.58.

Final event of the day as always was the 4x400m relay. The ladies had their best ever day in this event where they have been used to finishing last! but with more of the ladies now doing the distance, there was a 3rd placed finish with a great last 100m by Maura Kearns, cumulative time 4.14. (Team Caoimhe Mackey, Clodagh Martin, Karla Doran and Maura Kearns) In the men’s event, Zak Higgins repeated his heroics in the solo 400, his last spurt clinched 4th place for the men and a 3.33.76 cumulative time. (Team David, Adam, Mael and Zak)

The men finished 3rd in their pool (only 1 point off 2nd) with 107points. (crusaders were 108 and Clonliffe topped the pool with 123), an excellent result with the Santry pool being the more competitive overall. When pool b in Athlone was counted, the men are 4th, a great start.

The ladies had their best ever round finishing 2nd in Pool A only 2 points off Sli Cualann. When pool B was counted, the ladies are 4th overall. Amazingly, the ladies were able to field athletes in every event, a far cry from 5 years ago when it was a struggle to make up the numbers, this is a team to watch. The late Jim McNamara would have been proud.

There was great support from coaches, parents, other club members, David provided block assistance and above all Leonie Newman, coordinator supreme ! Roll on round 2 on 17 July.

Graded track and field meeting 4 took place in Santry with a number of good results.

Eamon Fahey is building up his season again with 2nd place in the 100a in 11.00 seconds. He was also impressive in the 400m, not his usual event, dipping below 50 seconds in 49.14.  Maura Kearns won the B400m in 62.62 with Sinead lambe 3rd in 63.12, Karla Doran 8th in the A in 65.16 the trio are only new to this distance but have been racing over 800m.  In the 400B race David Campbell ran 53.78 to 3rd place.  Sean o’broinn was 5th in the men’s c100 in 12.4 and newcomer Laura Voineag ran 14.61 4th in the ladies 100m
Twins Sorcha and Ide Nic Dhomhnaill both got 1500m PBs with Sorcha 5th in 4.47.14 and Ide milliseconds behind in 4.47.78.
In the men’s races Luke Boland was 5th in the B race in 4.23.26 and George Brady 5th in the c race in 4.33.96, Kevin Nolan 4.42.
In his first ever track race, Colm Mullen did really well and dipped under 5 minutes in 4.59.37.  Orlaith Read threw 32.15 in the 4kg hammer and Lauren O’keeffe 57.12 in 3kg class.

The popular Irish runner 5 mile road race, first of the summer race series attracted a few thousand runners to the Phoenix park on Sunday. First home for Donore was Patrick Byrne in 26th place. Amy Moriarty was 10th woman and got a PB and Bronagh Elliott was 3rd W40. Results in full:
Patrick Byrne 29.02
Declan Lynch 30.57
Alan Farrell 32.36
Amy Moriarty 32.49
Kevin Odgers 32.54
Stephen Dawson 33.52
Bronagh Elliott 34.15
John Gleeson 35.08
Tony Griffin 35.13
Angela Eustace 36.39
Mary McDermott 37.52
Noel Davis 38.20
Daryl dart 38.24
Terry Mee 39.11
Charlie O’Neill 39.17
Laura Murray 40.08
Dana Mackey 41.01
Michelle Dawson 41.34
Liagh Miller 42.53
Leonie Barry 44.13
Claire Devanney 44.16
Aidan Kearns 48.01
Amandine Devine 48.40
Eimear Kearney 52.50
Anna McMahon 53.57
Aoife Rickard was the female winner of the DBRC 5 mile summit run in Howth on s very hilly course in 36.58 and 6th overall with Des Gill 11th in 38.16.
Mary Murphy ran 49.02 in the Newbridge 10k.
Niall Lynch continued his winning ways in the Sorrel Hill IMRA race in the Leinster league finishing 2nd.