RACE REPORT – (2, 9, 10 & 11 February 2018)
Report by Gerry Naughton
The Donore Harriers team had plenty to celebrate in the 2018 Dublin Indoor track and field championships at the National Arena at Abbotstown last weekend. Top of the bill was Louis O’Loughlin and Jack Raftery in the Under 18 Boys 800m final on Sunday, which returned a Donore Harriers gold and silver as O’Loughlin took more than 2 and a-half seconds of the personal best with a time of 1.52.24, whilst runner-up Raftery (1.56.64) took 3 seconds off his previous best mark.
The highlight on Saturday was the high jumping exploits of Max Carey. Competing in the Under 19 category Carey and Kevin Byrne of Raheny Shamrocks AC were the last men standing, but the latter held the advantage by jumping the 1.75m mark before the Donore athlete. Carey then made a crucial first clearance with the bar at 1.80m, with Byrne clearing at the 2nd attempt. The bar was then put up to 1.85m and both Carey and Byrne failed with their first 2 attempts. The Raheny athlete then cleared the 1.85m to take the lead. It was last-chance- saloon for Carey! But the Donore man held his nerve and cleared the bar to record an excellent win on count-back. Carey also won a silver medal by jumping 3.40m in the Pole Vault.
Newcomer Alex Leonard had a day of mixed emotions in the Under 12 Boys 60m sprints on Saturday. He easily won his heat, but the photo-recorder did not pick up his finishing image and he was not qualified to the final. However, a successful appeal saw Leonard continue in the competition and he justified his place on the start line by winning the gold medal. Emma Stacey and Aoibheann Scott, both members of the Dublin U/14 camogie squad, qualified for the final of the Under 15 Girls 800m. The realistic expectation was for the girls to try to make the top 6. But Stacey clearly had other ideas. She quickly settled into 4th place and passing the 200m in 35 seconds, she gained to 3rd. She held that position passing laps 2 and 3 in times of 1.12 and 1.53. Down the back strait for the last time she edged into 2nd place and with a gritty determination held on to the silver medal position in an excellent time of 2.29.5. Scott also ran a very gutsy race and maintained 5th position throughout.
Gold medals were also won by Sebastian Ursachi (1.45.00) in the Under 9 Boys 500m; Ben Iveagh (23.26pb) in the Under 18 Boys 200m; Andie Maguire in the Under 19 Girls Triple Jump, Lara O’Byrne (5.01m) in the Under 19 Girls Long Jump and the Under 18 Boys (Daragh McAuley, Ben Iveagh, Louis O’Loughlin, Jack Raftery) 4 x 200m relay team. Promising under 16 athlete Abdel Laadjel picked up a double silver in the 800m (2.09.60) and 1500m (4.25.53). Matei Ursachi also won double silver in the Under 12 Boys High Jump and Long Jump, whilst the other silver medallists included Sean Kinsella (1.55m) in the Under 15 Boys High Jump, Ryan O’Keeffe (11.13m) in the Under 18 Boys Shot Putt, Suzi O’Farrell in the Under 19 Girls 60m; and the Under 19 Girls (Ciara O’Donnell, Lucy Hurley, Andie Maguire & Suzi O’Farrell) 4 x 200m relay.
Bronze medals were won by Mario Omozee in the Under 11 Boys 60m, Matei Ursachi in the Under 12 Boys Shot Putt; debutante Eve Conroy in the Under 13 Girls 60m Hurdles; Sarah Tavel in the Under 15 Girls Shot Putt; Daragh McAuley (52.67pb) in the Under 18 Boys 400m, Lucy Hurley in the Under 19 Girls 60m; Suzi O’Farrell in the Under 19 Girls 200m, Sekeriye Ahmed (4.21.98( in the Under 19 Boys 1500m; and the Under 12 Boys (James Dunne, Matei Ursachi, Louis Wright, Ciaran O’Farrell) 4 x 100m relay team.
Whilst there are many who earned a special mention, there is none more deserving than brave James Dunne who held 3rd position for most of the Under 12 Boys 600m final, only to fade in the final 50 metres and having to settle for 6th place. Among those who qualified for the national finals, by placing 4th, were sisters Isabella Kelly in the Under 13 Girls 60m, and Ruby Kelly (2.34.6) in the Under 16 Girls 800m.
Donore’s medal tally was 11 gold, 11 silver and 9 bronze.
RESULTS IN BRIEF.
GOLD = U/9 Boys 500m – Sebastian Ursachi (1.45.0); U/12 Boys 60m – Alex Leonard (NTA);
U/18 Boys 200m – Ben Iveagh (23.26 PB); U/18 Boys 400m – Jack Raftery (50.53); U/18 Boys
800m – Louis O’Loughlin (1.52.U/18 Boys 1500m – Louis O’Loughlin (4.05.79); U/18 Boys
High Jump – Jack Raftery (1.73m PB); U/18 Boys 4 x 200m (Daragh McAuley, Ben Iveagh,
Louis O’Loughlin & Jack Raftery); U/19 Girls Triple Jump – Andie Maguire (NMA); U/19 Girls
Long Jump – Lara O’Byrne (5.01m); U/19 Boys High Jump – Max Carey (1.85m PB)
SILVER = U/12 Boys High Jump – Matei Ursachi (NMA); U/12 Boys Long Jump – Matei
Ursachi (NMA); U/15 Girls 800m – Emma Stacey (2.29.50PB); U/15 Boys High Jump – Sean
Kinsella (1.55m); U/16 Boys 800m – Abdel Laadjel (2.09.60); U/16 Boys 1,500m – Abdel
Laadjel (4.25.53); U/18 Boys 1500m – Jack Raftery (1.56.64 PB); U/18 Boys Shot Putt – Ryan
O’Keeffe (11.13m); U/19 Girls 60m – Suzi O’Farrell; U/19 Boys Pole Vault – Max Carey
(3.40m); U/19 Girls 4 x 200m (Ciara O’Donnell, Lucy Hurley, Andie Maguire & Suzi O’Farrell)
BRONZE = U/11 Boys 60m – Mario Omozee (NTG); U/12 Boys Shot Putt – Matei Ursachi
(NMA); U/12 Boys 4 x 100m (James Dunne, Matei Ursachi, Louis Wright, Ciaran O’Farrell);
U/13 Girls 60m Hurdles – Eve Conroy (NTA); U/15 Girls Shot Putt – Sarah Tavey (NMA); U/18
Boys 400m – Daragh McAuley (52.67); U/19 Girls 60m – Lucy Hurley; U/19 Girls 200m Suzi
O’Farrell (NTA); U/19 Boys 1500m – Sekeriye Ahmed (4.21.98)
Others who deserve a special mention: – U/14 Girls 800m – 7th Grace Raftery (2.44.1 won
Heat in 2.42.39); U/15 Girls 800m heat – 3rd Abbie Brennan (2.44.0 – qualified to final); U/15
Girls 60m Hurdles – 5th Aoife Sammon (NTA); 6 th Sophie O’Farrell (NTA); U/15 Boys 800m –
5th Sean Kinsella (2.21.4): U/16 Girls 1,500m – 7th Ruby Kelly (4.40.8 – race one lap short);
U/16 Boys 800m – 7th Sean Kissane (2.19.9); U/19 Girls 200m – 5th Lucy Hurley (NTA); U/19
Boys 800m – 5 th Sekeriye Ahmed (2.05.8)
Some listed results are hand-timed and are subject to confirmation.
DH LTDP Camogie Girls Squad Members –
U/15 Girls 4 x 200m Heat 1 – 3rd Donore Harriers B in 2.02.4 (Caitriona McMahon, Ruth Fitzsimons, Leonie Power & Emma Stacey) – hand times;
U/15 Girls 4 x 200m Heat 3 – 2 nd Donore Harriers A in 1.59.3 (Sophie O’Farrell, Sarah
Tavey, Sophie McIntyre & Aoife Sammon) – hand times;
U/15 Girls 60m Heat 1 – 4th Sophie McIntyre (NTA);
U/15 Girls 60m Heat 3 – 5th Emma Stacey (NTA);
U/15 Girls 60m Heat 4 – 4th Caitriona McMahon (NTA);
U/15 Girls 60m Heat 5 – 6th Ruth Fitzsimons (NTA)
U/15 Girls 800m Heat 1 – 1st Emma Stacey (2.30.43), 5th Annabelle Timothy (2.49.0)
U/15 Girls 800m Heat 2 – 3rd Abbie Brennan (2.44.0); 6th Ruth Fitzsimons (2.49.0); 7 th
Caitriona McMahon (2.50.0)
U/15 Girls 800m Heat 3 – 5th Sarah-Louise Nolan (2.49.0), 6th Tara Coffey (2.54.0)
U/15 Girls 800m Heat 4 – 1st Aoibheann Scott (2.38.23); 8th Lily Rooney (2.56.0); DNF Leonie
Power (retired ill on last lap)
U/15 Girls 800m FINAL – 2nd Emma Stacey (2.29.50); 5th Aoibheann Scott (2.37.50)
