Highlights: Donore Harriers finish up with 2 senior silvers and a bronze in the National T&F championships, with an added silver and 4 bronze in the incorporated Under 23 category. The club stars on the 2nd weekend of the championships were Eric Keogh with silver in the 10,000m; Louis O’Loughlin who took bronze in the 800m and Aoife Lynch’s fine 4th in the 200m.
Report: The national senior track and field championships again took centre stage as the athletics calendar continues to be limited due to Covid-19 restrictions. In last Saturday’s 3rd day of the competition, held over successive weekends at the Morton Stadium in Santry, the main Donore Harriers interest was in the men’s 10,000m. Billed as the ‘Grand National’ of the championships, the inclusion in the 31-man line-up of John Travers and Eric Keogh provided good medal prospects.
Olympic marathon athlete Mick Clohissy of Raheny Shamrocks and Donore’s leading athlete John Travers led the field thru the first 6,000m. Pre-race favourite Sean Tobin of Clonmel AC kept close order, with Eric Keogh comfortably holding a top 10 position.
As Travers fell back into the middle of the leading group of about 12 athletes with 8 laps remaining, it was Clohissy and Tobin at the front with Hugh Armstrong of Ballina AC, Paul O’Donnell of DSD AC and David McGlynn of Waterford AC close behind. Keogh continued with a measured effort, running in close order to the lead group.
As Travers stepped off the track with 5 laps remaining Tobin opened a gap on his pursuers, with Armstrong giving chase – whilst O’Donnell, McGlynn and Keogh were seemingly left to battle for the bronze medal. However, with 2 laps remaining Keogh gave chase, breaking free from O’Donnell and McGlynn, before reeling in Armstrong in the last lap. Onto the home strait and the fast finishing Keogh was quickly reducing the gap on Tobin only for the finish line to leave him with mixed feelings – he’d just won a very fine national senior silver medal, but what if he had made his big move earlier in the race! Keogh who ran 29.36.21 had closed the margin to Tobin (29.35.14) from 60 metres to just 10 on the final 400m circuit. Armstrong in 3rd ran 29.39.74.
The club’s other senior medal went to junior athlete Louis O’Loughlin in the 800m. O’Loughlin qualified for the final by winning his heat in 1.56.80 on the Saturday, but in Sunday’s final he found himself in 9th place with just 150 metres remaining. It was then that the ex-Moyle Park student unleashed his ‘big kick’ as he swept past several athletes to take the bronze medal in 1.53.83. O’Loughlin covered the final 200 metres in 26.5 seconds. The race was won by Harry Purcell of Trim AC in 1.52.49 with Cian McPhillips of Longford AC 2nd in 1.52.78.
Jack Byrne (2.01.11) came 6th in Heat 3 of the 800m qualifying and did not progress to the final.
The club’s leading sprinters also gave a good account of themselves. Indeed, Aoife Lynch was desperately unlucky not to get a senior bronze medal in the 200m final. Having qualified 1st in Heat 2 in a time of 24.91, Lynch put in a super effort in the final to place 4th, just two-hundredths of a second behind bronze medallist Lauren Roy (24.55) of City of Lisburn AC. The race was won by Phil Healy (23.57) of Bandon AC. Lynch had the consolation of winning a silver medal in the Under 23 category.
Paul McDermott also reached the 200m final, placing 5th in 21.75. He progressed to the final having won the last of 6 Heats in a time of 22.06. McDermott came 3rd in the Under 23 age-class.
Two other Donore Harriers athletes contested the 200m, as Adam Halpin placed a fine 3rd in Heat 3 in a time of 23.59, and Conor Fox came 6th in Heat 6 in a personal best time of 23.95.
Lara O’Byrne came 5th in the 100m Hurdles final in 15.27, thus gaining a bronze medal in the Under 23 contest.
Ailbhe Healy made a first attempt clearance at 2.60m in the Pole Vault but was unable to improve her mark after 3 attempts with the bar at 2.80m. She also took a bronze medal in the Under 23 category.
The Donore Harriers medal count was as follows: –
Senior: silver medals were won John Travers 5,000m and Eric Keogh 10,000m; and a bronze went to Louis O’Loughlin in the 800m.
In the Under 23 championships: silver went to Aoife Lynch 200m; and bronze to Paul McDermott in 200m; Lara O’Byrne in 100m Hurdles; Caoimhe Mackey in 400m Hurdles; and Ailbhe Healy in the Pole Vault
Results in brief:
NATIONAL TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS at MORTON STADIUM, SANTRY DAYS 1 & 2 of 4 (22&23.08.2020)
WOMEN’S 200m Final: 4th (2nd in U23 category) Aoife Lynch (24.57), qualified 1st Heat 2 (of 3) in 24.91
WOMEN’S 100m Hurdles Final: 5th (3rd in U23 category) Lara O’Byrne (15.27)
WOMEN’S POLE VAULT: 6th (3rd in U23 category) Ailbhe Healy (2.60m)
MEN’S 200m Final: 5th (3rd in U23 category) Paul McDermott (21.75), qualified 1st Heat 6 (of 6) in 22.06. Also, Heat 3 (of 6) 3rd Adam Halpin (23.59), and Heat 6 (of 6) 6th Conor Fox (23.95)
MEN’S 800m Final: 3rd Louis O’Loughlin (1.53.83), qualified 1st Heat 2 (of 4) in 1.56.80. Also, Heat 3 (of 4) 6th Jack Byrne (2.01.11)
MEN’S 10,000m Final: 2nd Eric Keogh (29.36.21), DNF John Travers. 30 finishers
Report by Florence Curley & Gerry Naughton, photos courtesy of Charlie O’Neill & Donal Iremonger (sorry not to get images of all DH competitors)
