Donore Harriers Race Report – National Indoor Track & Field League finals at National Indoor Arena, Abbotstown (03.02.2018) / Dublin Juvenile Indoor Championships Day 1 (02.02.2018) / AAI Indoor Games (04.02.2018)

The Donore Harriers men’s team gained bronze after a close contest for the minor medal placings at the national indoor track & field league final at Abbotstown on Saturday (03.02.2018). In a similar battle, the women’s team fell just short of repeating the 3rd position of 2017 and had to settle for 5th.

The men’s team recorded 3 individual victories from the 12 events. Debutant Malcolm Duquesney (3.57.97) was a convincing winner of the 1500m with Eliot Slade (1.55.65) again dominating the 800m as he had done in the qualifying rounds. Eamon Fahey (13.15m) scored maximum points in the Triple Jump, having earlier placed 3rd in both the 60m (6.98) and High Jump (1.85m).

Team captain David Campbell, who concentrates to the 400m & 800m, took the vacant 60m Hurdles (12.99) spot and placed 4th gaining a valuable 3 points. Campbell’s leadership role was exemplified by stepping in as a late replacement for the injured Kolade Abiodun to gain another valuable point in the Long Jump (6th in 4.74m).

16 years-old Jack Raftery (50.53), gave himself a massive confidence boost ahead of next week’s Dublin Juvenile championship, by knocking 1.3 seconds of his previous best time to place a fine 4th in a competitive 400m race.

The other team members were: – Max Carey (3.30m) 3rd in Pole Vault; Jaco Oosthuysen (10.58m) 4th in Shot Putt; and Adam Halpin (23.58) 5th in 200m. The relay team of Eamon Fahey, David Campbell, Ben Iveagh and Alex Clarkin (1.33.83) came 4th in the final event of the day, thus ensuring the bronze medals.

The final team positions were: – 1st Clonliffe Harriers (61); 2nd Menapians AC (52); 3rd Donore Harriers (48); 4th Nenagh Olympic (45); 5th Galway City Harriers (33) and 6th Raheny Shamrocks (25).

A young women’s team fell just short of the medals despite some excellent individual performances. Aoife Lynch (7.65) gained a personal best when winning the 60m sprint. She later placed 2nd in the 200m in a time of 24.89. Ailbhe Healy (2.50m) came 2nd in the Pole Vault and 5th (1.35m) in the High Jump. Caoimhe Mackey (10.41) placed 4th in the 60m Hurdles, whilst Robyn O’Keeffe (6.76m) was 5th in the Shot Putt. Eliza NiThighearnaigh (5.35.77) in the 1500m, Clodagh Martin (63.63) in the 400m and Jona Kalemi (2.49.70) in the 800m all placed 7th in their events.

In the last individual contest of the day Lynda Tcheudji (10.74m), who earlier placed 5th in the Long Jump with a best of 4.41m, won the Triple Jump. The maximum points gained by Tcheudji put Donore Harriers (44) team back in the hunt for team medals, being just two points adrift of Craughwell AC and Sli Cualann AC (both 46) with Dublin City Harriers well clear.

It was all down to the relay! However, a young Donore quartet of Lauren O’Flaherty, Lucy Hurley, Lucy Kirwan and Suzi O’Farrell were disqualified due to an infringement and gained no further points.

The final team tallies were: – 1st Dublin City Harriers (78); 2nd Sli Cualann AC (51); 3rd Craughwell AC (50); 4th Galway City Harriers (46); 5th Donore Harriers (44); 6th Raheny Shamrocks (35) and 7th Clonliffe Harriers (35).

In the first day of the Dublin Indoor Juvenile championships at Abbotstown on Friday evening (02.02.2018) the Donore Harriers Under 18 Boys quartet of Daragh McAuley, Ben Iveagh, Louis O’Loughlin and Jack Raftery claimed the gold medal with a convincing win.

At the AAI Indoor Games on Sunday (04.02.2018) John Travers (8.10.87) sped away from the challenge of rising junior athlete Daragh McIlhenny (8.13.80) of Bantry AC on the final lap to win the 3,000m. Eliot Slade (8.21.50) was 3rd having competed the previous day in the national indoor league final. In a competitive 1500m race Daragh Fitzgibbon (3.54.83) came 7th, with newcomer Louis Catteau 8th in 4.00.45. David Campbell (2.07.51), tired from his previous day’s effort in the national indoor league final, placed 6th in Heat 3 of the 800m, whilst debutant Javier Romero (2.11.16) was 7th in Heat 4. Adam Halpin (54.59) placed 3rd in Heat 5 of the 400m.