HIGHLIGHTS: Jack Raftery and Paul McDermott gold and silver in National Junior/U23 Indoor Championships. National Indoor League teams finished 6^th (men) & 8^th (women) with wins from Aoife Lynch, Paul McDermott, Louis O’Loughlin and the 4 x 200m quartet with a new club record 1.30.25. Donore Harriers senior men’s team of John Travers, Eric Keogh & Lee Van Haeften 2^nd in the Raheny 5 Mile. Barbara Cleary 1^st in W45 grade. Thomas Bolton gold with Matei Ursachi, Oliver Hopkins, Abdel Laadjel & Louis O’Loughlin all silver in the Leinster Regions Schools XC. Donore young guns dominant at Raheny juvenile road races.

In the NATIONAL JUNIOR AND UNDER 23 INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS at the Athlone Arena on Saturday (25.01.2020) Jack Raftery and Paul McDermott produced excellent performances to win gold and silver respectively. Raftery was involved in one of the most exciting races of the event as he traded places with his Irish relay team colleague Ciaran Carthy of Dundrum South Dublin AC in the final of the Junior Men’s 400m. It all came down to the final five meters as Raftery (48.87) used his strength to edge out Carthy (48.98) and clinch the gold medal, with Aaron Keane (50.61) of Tullamore Harriers in 3^rd place. Raftery had earlier won his Heat in 50.37. An unfortunate Daragh McAuley, more familiar with hurdles races, pulled up with 50 metres remaining in Heat 2 of the 400m qualifying round with a hamstring injury. Paul McDermott continues his path towards the higher echelons of Irish sprinting. A keenly contested final of the Under 23 Men’s 200m had all five contestants in close order after 150 metres. The race was decided round the top bend as Mark Smyth (21.36) of Raheny Shamrocks AC opened a gap on McDermott (21.84), who himself put distance from the remainder of the field with David McDonald (22.14) of Menapians AC taking the bronze medal position. McDermott, who qualified by winning Heat 3 in 22.07, recorded a new indoor personal best of 21.84 in the final, being three-hundredths of a second quicker than the mark he set in the Irish Universities Championships last February. Eva McPartlan also achieved a personal best of 9.66 when finishing 6^th in the final of the Under 23 Women’s 60m Hurdles.

 

In the 2^nd and final round of the ATHLETICS IRELAND NATIONAL INDOOR LEAGUE at Athlone Arena on Sunday (26.01.2020) both Donore Harriers’ teams put in sterling performances after a disappointing opening round. Men’s captain David Campbell explained “we were unfortunate in the first round with injuries and so many of your young athletes doing exams”. The club heroes on the day were Aoife Lynch (25.05) and Paul McDermott (21.99) who won their respective 200m races. The other individual winner on the day was Louis O’Loughlin (4.04.56), who scorched a 26-seconds final lap to reel-in Matthew Hayes (4.08.53) of Ratoath AC. The 4 x 200m relay team of Alex Clarkin, Zak Higgins, Jack Raftery and Paul McDermott set a new club record of 1.30.25 to finish more than 50 metres clear of Ratoath AC (1.38.30). In the men’s division Zak Higgins (52.77) came 4^th in the 400m, Alex Clarkin (1.65m) 6^th in the High Jump and Sean Chan (10.85m) 9^th in the Triple Jump. The team came 6^th overall on 57 points behind winners Clonliffe Harriers on 94.5. The women’s team came 8^th on 57 points with Dublin City Harriers the winners on 125. The team included Jona Kalemi (1.16.28) 6^th in the 400m, Lucy Hurley (1.50m) 5^th in the High Jump, Roisin Rynn-Cahill (8.61m) 8^th in the Triple Jump and the 4 x 200m team of Lauren O’Flaherty, Aoife Lynch, Lucy Hurley and Sarah Latiff who came 3^rd in 1.49.87.

A flat course, a cool dry day with little or no wind and a start line laden with colourful Nike ‘Vaporfly’ running shoes meant it was a day of personal bests in the 36^th AXA RAHENY 5 MILE ROAD RACE on Sunday (26.01.2020). John Travers, who won the 34^th version of the race in 23.39, took the pace for the first 2 miles only for his feet to become uncomfortably hot due to his new Vaporfly shoes. He explained later “It was only my second time to wear the shoe and my foot became overly hot”. He stopped to remove a sock and losing 15 to 20 seconds he was out of contention. However, he gamely stuck to his task and outsprinted Olympic Games marathon runner Mick Clohissy (Raheny Shamrocks AC) in the finishing strait to place 8^th in a new personal best time of 23.15. Eric Keogh (23.21) also got a PB and finished 10^th overall. Lee Van Haeften (24.27) placed 22^nd and closed out the Donore Harriers senior men’s team in 2^nd place on a score of 40. Dundrum South Dublin AC (17) won the team event with Clonliffe Harriers (53) 3^rd. Next Donore athlete home was Eoin Durkan (26.13) in 58^th place. Behind him Gavin Keogh (27.22) was also having problems with his new Vaporfly shoes, with two shoelace stops hampering his attempt to break 27 minutes. He settled for 97^th, just 4 places ahead of 15 years-old James Bolton (27.29) who continues to impress at road races. He finished as 4^th Junior behind older, more experienced athletes.

Barbara Cleary (27.34), who was the women’s winner in 2017, was 104^th overall – being 7^th woman overall and the winner of the W45 category. Alasdair Brown (27.58) placed 118^th and was a few seconds shy of his previous best time. M40 athlete Kevin Odgers (29.47) came 253^rd, with Liam Keane (31.28) next home in 398^th. Audrey Gahan, who had a fine cross-country season, placed 465^th and 11^th in the W40 age grade. Gahan (32.31) was delighted with her effort “when I turned the last corner and saw the clock was reading 32 minutes, I knew it was a PB”. The other Donore Harriers finishers were – Guillaume Nolan MS (32.44) in 487^th, Patrick Farrell MS (32.44 PB) in 490^th, Owen Robinson MS (32.59) in 530^th, Ian Redican M45 (34.18) 645^th, Frank McNally M55 (36.21) in 961^st, Dean Fullston M55 (37.03) 1,077^th, Club President Charlie O’Neill (40.08) 1,404^th and 6^th M65, Niamh Gaudin W40 (43.03) 1,828^th, Tommy Halton M60 (43.05) 1,828^th, Mary Murphy W45 (43.39) in 2,135^th, Rory Gaudin MJ (45.30) in 2,331^st and Frank Greally M60 (1.01.43) in 3,837^th.

 

The schools’ athletics season for 2020 began at Avondale Park in Rathdrum with the EAST LEINSTER SCHOOLS CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS on Tuesday (21.01.2020). Honor Lynch placed 11^th in the Minor Girls 2km race and helped Loreta Stephen’s Green to 2^nd place.

 

Two days later the WEST LEINSTER SCHOOLS took place at its usual venue next to the Papal Cross in the Phoenix Park. There was a Donore Harriers one-two in the Junior Boys 3.5km race as Thomas Bolton (Belvedere College) and Oliver Hopkins (St. Declan’s) took gold and silver respectively. In the Intermediate Boys race Kishoge CC student Abdel Laadjel had to settle for 2^nd place behind national Under 17 cross-country champion Scott Fagan of Luttrellstown College. It was a mammoth contest between two very talented athletes, with Fagan gaining an advantage over the Donore Harriers athlete in the final kilometre. Just 10 metres separated the two after the 5 kilometres duel. James Bolton (Belvedere College) came 5^th and Sean Kinsella (Colaiste Cois Life) 61^st. A quartet of Donore Harriers athletes helped Moyle Park College to team silver in the Senior Boys race over 5 kilometres. Louis O’Loughlin, on his comeback pathway following a 3-months injury layoff, ran a fine tactical race to finish 2^nd behind Daniel Stone of Belvedere College. Gavin Curtin held off his pursuers to finish 5^th. The team was completed by Toke Olufowobi in 16^th place and Aidan Kelly in 19^th. Club member Barney Kelly placed 14^th and was part of the winning Belvedere College team. In the first race of the day Laura Nunan (Mount Sackville) showed improved form to place 4^th in a field of more than 150 starters. Katie Delaney (St. Joseph’s Lucan) came 16^th and Sarah Tolan (Castleknock Community College) was 31^st.

 

Donore Harriers were the dominant club in the AXA RAHENY JUVENILE ROAD RACES held prior to the RAHENY 5. The 2019 double national cross-country champion Emily Bolton won the Girls 8 to 12 years-old 800 metres race. Eva Crowe outsprinted Katrina Almeida (unattached) to take 2^nd place. Julie Cleary, with a parkrun and a football match in her legs from the previous day, came 5^th and an improving Eleanor Hopkins took 11^th spot. In the Boys 8 to 12 years-old race, also over 800m, Matei Ursachi ran out the convincing winner having 30 metres so spare over his nearest rival. His younger brother Sebastian (Ursachi) came 9^th, with James Dunne 18^th and Philippe Gaudin 57^th. Sean Kinsella (4.20) challenged for the lead in the Boys 13 to 16 years-old one-mile race, before having to concede to Adam Condon (4.15) of Raheny Shamrocks AC over the final 300 metres. Oliver Hopkins (4.35) came 5^th and Thomas Bolton (4.36) was 6^th.Katie Delaney (5.43) ran a very fine race to place 4^th in the Girls 13-16 one-mile race, with Rebecca Horan (7.04) in 12^th place.

 

The most notable of the club’s PARK-RUNNERS this week was 12 years-old Julie Cleary (19.45) at Waterstown. Julie placed 3^rd overall and was the 1^st woman finisher. Her time was the 6^th fastest ever by a female for the tough Waterstown course. Elsewhere Niall Lynch (17.31) was first home at Poolbeg, Paul Cummins 2^nd at Brickfields in 17.50 and 17 years-old Barney Kelly (18.10) 3^rd at Castletown in Celbridge. More results below.

 

RESULTS IN BRIEF:

EAST LEINSTER SCHOOLS CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS at AVONDALE PARKM RATHDRUM (21.01.2020)

MINOR GIRLS 2km

11^th Honor Lynch (Loreta Stephen’s Green)

WEST LEINSTER SCHOOLS CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS at PHOENIX PARK (23.01.2020)

MINOR GIRLS 2km

4^th Laura Nunan (Mount Sackville), 16^th Katie Delaney (St. Joseph’s Lucan), 31^st Sarah Tolan

(Castleknock Community College)

JUNIOR BOYS 3.5km

1^st Thomas Bolton (Belvedere College), 2^nd Oliver Hopkins (St. Declan’s)

INTERMEDIATE BOYS 5km

2^nd Abdel Laadjel (Kishoge Community College), 5^th James Bolton (Belvedere College), 61^st Sean Kinsella (Colaiste Cois Life)

SENIOR BOYS 5km

2^nd Louis O’Loughlin (Moyle Park College), 5^th Gavin Curtin (Moyle Park College), 14^th Barney Kelly (Belvedere College), 16^th Toke Olufowobi (Moyle Park College), 19^th Aidan Kelly (Moyle Park College)

NORTH LEINSTER SCHOOLS CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS at PHOENIX PARK (23.01.2020)

Minor Girls 2km

11^th Eleanor Hopkins (St. Dominic’s Cabra)

Minor Boys 2.5km

2^nd Matei Ursachi (St. Paul’s Raheny)

ATHLETICS IRELAND NATIONAL JUNIOR & U.23 INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS at ATHLONE ARENA (25.01.2020)

JUNIOR MEN’S 400m FINAL

1^st Jack Raftery (48.87) – qualified 1^st in Heat 1 in 50.37

Also: Daragh McAuley DNF in Heat 2 due to hamstring injury

U.23 WOMEN’S 60m HURDLES FINAL

6^th Eva McPartlan (9.66 PB)

U.23 MEN’S 200m FINAL

2^nd Paul McDermott (21.84 PB) – qualified 1^st in Heat 3 in 22.07

NATIONAL INDOOR TRACK & FIELD LEAGUE 2 at ATHLONE ARENA (26.01.2020)

WOMEN’S DIVISION

200m: 1^st Aoife Lynch (25.05)

400m: 6^th Jona Kalemi (1.16.28)

1500m: No competitor

4 x 200m Relay: 3^rd Donore Harriers <Lauren Flaherty, Aoife Lynch, Lucy Hurley, Sarah Latiff> 1.49.87

High Jump: 5^th Lucy Hurley (1.50m)

Triple Jump: 8^th Roisin Rynn-Cahill (8.61m)

TEAM POINTS: 1^st Dublin City Harriers 125, 8^th Donore Harriers 57

MEN’S DIVISION:

200m: 1^st Paul McDermott (21.99)

400m: 4^th Zak Higgins (52.77)

1500m: 1^st Louis O’Loughlin (4.04.56)

4 x 200m relay: 1^st Donore Harriers <Alex Clarkin, Zak Higgins, Jack Raftery & Paul McDermott> 1.30.25 new club record

High Jump: 6^th Alex Clarkin (1.65m)

Triple Jump: 9^th Sean Chan (10.85m)

TEAM POINTS: 1^st Clonliffe Harriers 94.5, 6^th Donore Harriers 57.

GUEST RACES:

Men’s 200m Race 2: 1^st Adam Halpin (23.96)

Men’s 200m Race 4: 3^rd David Campbell (24.51)

36^th AXA RAHENY 5 MILE ROAD RACE (26.01.2020)

8^th & 7^th MS John Travers (23.15 PB)

10^th & 9^th MS Eric Keogh (23.21 PB)

22^nd & 21^st MS Lee Van Haeften (24.27)

58^th & 47^th MS Eoin Durkan (26.13)

97^th & 78^th MS Gavin Keogh (27.22)

101^st & 4^th MJ James Bolton (27.29)

104^th, 7^th woman & 1^st W45 Barbara Cleary (27.34)

118^th & 91^st MS Alasdair Brown (27.58)

253^rd & 45^th M40 Kevin Odgers (29.47)

398^th & 215^th MS Liam Keane (31.28)

465^th & 11^th M40 Audrey Gahan (32.31 PB)

487^th & 250^th MS Guillaume Nolan (32.44)

490^th & 253^rd MS Patrick Farrell (32.37 PB)

530^th & 266^th MS Owen Robinson (32.59)

645^th & 71^st M45 Ian Redican (34.18)

961^st & 23^rd M55 Frank McNally (36.21)

1077^th & 28^th M55 Dean Fullston (37.03)

1404^th & 6^th M65 Charlie O’Neill (40.08)

1828^th & 125^th W40 Niamh Gaudin (43.03)

1834^th & 31^st M60 Tommy Halton (43.05)

2135^th & 87^th W45 Mary Murphy (43.39)

2331^st & 32^nd MJ Rory Gaudin (45.30)

3837^th & 71^st M60 Frank Greally (1.01.43)

4,062 finishers

TEAM SENIOR MEN: 1^st Dundrum South Dublin AC 17, 2^nd Donore Harriers <Travers, E. Keogh, Van Haeften> 40, 3^rd Clonliffe Harriers 53. 73 teams

TEAM SENIOR WOMEN: 1^st Dundrum South Dublin AC 41, 18^th Donore Harriers <Cleary, Gahan, Gaudin> 505. 71 teams.

TEAM M40: 1^st North Belfast Harriers AC 266, 28^th Donore Harriers <Odgers, Redican, McNally> 1630. 53 teams.

TEAM W40: 1^st Dundrum South Dublin AC 154, 12^th Donore Harriers <Cleary, Gahan, Gaudin> 505. 55 teams.

AXA RAHENY JUVENILE ROAD RACES (26.01.2020)

GIRLS 8-12 YEARS OLD 800m

1^st Emily Bolton, 2^nd Eva Crowe, 5^th Julie Cleary, 9^th Eleanor Hopkins

BOYS 8-12 YEARS OLD 800m

1^st Matei Ursachi, 9^th Sebastian Ursachi, 18^th James Dunne, 57^th Philippe Gaudin

GIRLS 13-16 YEARS OLD 1 MILE

4^th Katie Delaney (5.43), 17^th Rebecca Horan (7.04)

BOYS 13-16 YEARS OLD 1 MILE
2^nd Sean Kinsella (4.20), 5^th Oliver Hopkins (4.35), 6^th Thomas Bolton (4.36)

PARKRUNS (18.01.2020)

Brickfields: 2^nd Paul Cummins (17.50)

Bushy: 212nd Tommy Halton M60 (30.01)

Castletown: 3^rd Barney Kelly U19 (18.10) 72^nd Helaine Kelly W45 (25.12 PB)

Poolbeg: 1^st Niall Lynch M45 (17.31), 77^th Karen Woods W40 (23.10)

Royal Canal Kilcock: 13^th & 2^nd woman Sinead O’Reilly W35 (21.32), 48^th David Hudson M60 (25.40), 57^th Joan McTernan W60 (26.27)

Tyrellstown: 12^th & 2^nd woman Nicola Dowdall W45 (23.56)

Waterstown: 3^rd and 1^st woman Julie Cleary U14 (19.45), 9^{th &} 3^rd woman Kate Cleary (22.04), Dylan O’Connor U11 (44.59)