HIGHLIGHTS: Lara O’Byrne 2^nd in the N.I & ULSTER COMBINED EVENTS CHAMPIONSHIPS senior heptathlon. Emily Bolton bronze in NATIONAL JUVENILE U/14 1,500m. Aoife Lynch zipped 11.66 to win the NIGHT OF SPRINTS 100m at Belfast. Several club members competed in the IMRA HOWTH SUMMER RACES. Josh O’Sullivan-Hourihan reviews his WORLD ORIENTEERING CHAMPIONSHIPS experience.

REPORT: In the recent NORTHERN IRELAND & ULSTER OPEN COMBINED EVENTS CHAMPIONSHIP heptathlon an in-form Lara O’Byrne came 2^nd behind the more experienced Sarah Connolly (5,208 pts) of North Down AC. O’Byrne notched up two personal bests in the Long Jump and High Jump – and her accumulated tally over the seven events gave her a new personal best of 4,896 points.

O’Byrne opened her first day with 2^nd place and a time of 14.42 in the 100m Hurdles. This gave her 920 points. Then it was a super 1.69m PB in the High Jump which added 842 points to her scorecard. She then threw the Shot Putt 10.04m (532) and completed day one with a 26.33 for 200m (769).

The Donore Harriers star opened day two with a PB of 5.34m in the Long Jump (654), followed by a 27.29m throw in the Javelin (425). She needed to run a 2.17 for the 800m to break the 5,000 points marker. Thus, she made the mistake of going out too fast, but her sheer tenacity got her over the line in 2.25.21 for 754 points. O’Byrne (4,896) finished well clear of the 3^rd placed athlete Karen Dunne (3997) of Bohermeen AC.

O’Byrne, who is now coached by Gerry Ronan, has achieved personal bests in all the heptathlon events this summer except for the 800m. Super progress!

Emily Bolton picked up Donore Harriers second championship medal on Day 4 of the NATIONAL JUVENILE TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS at a wet and blustery Tullamore on Saturday (14.08.2021). Bolton, who is more at home over longer distances, came 3^rd in the Under 14 Girls 1,500m. Her race was won by Emer McKee of Willowfield Harriers in a championship best time of 4.41.95.

Romeo Omozee had to settle for 4^th place in the Under 16 Boys 100m Hurdles but was satisfied with a new personal best time of 16.06. The winner was Tom O’Regan (14.57) of Rathfarnham WSAF AC.

The other track competitors were – Liam Morris who came 10^th in the Under 14 Boys 1,500m in a time of 4.40.28; Lorraine O’Connor (4.59.40) 12^th in the Under 15 Girls 1,500m; and Eve Conroy 7^th in Heat 1 of the Under 16 Girls 80m Hurdles.

In the field, both Romeo Omozee and Eimear Finn failed to record marks in the Under 16 Boys High Jump and Under 17 Girls High Jump respectively. Their cause was not helped by the wet and windy conditions.

In the recent NIGHT OF SPRINTS MEETING at Belfast (04.08.2021) Aoife Lynch continued her excellent run of results by winning the senior women’s ‘A’ race in 11.66. Charlotte Wingfield (11.97) of Raheny Shamrocks AC came 2^nd and Sarah Murray (12.01) of Fingallians AC was 3^rd.

A number of club athletes competed in the IRISH MOUNTAIN RUNNING ASSOCIATION HOWTH SUMMER RACES on Wednesday (11.08.2021). Tackling the scenic 11km long course route on Howth head overlooking the golf course and Dublin Bay, were Alan Farrell M45 who placed 36^th in 1.08.20. He was followed home by Sinead Lambe W35 (1.12.11) in 47^th, Aideen Burke W35 (1.15.10) in 54^th, and Ben Conroy M50 (1.16.02) in 58^th. There were 97 finishers.

Some of the club’s juvenile athletes competed in the short course race in preparation for the forthcoming Home Countries Junior International Mountain Race. Honor Lynch (49.32) came 2^nd, followed by Laura Nunan and Eleanor Hopkins in 3^rd and 4^th – both timed at 54.08. Oliver Hopkins took a heavy fall along a flat part of the course and went off course, so he had to settle for 5^th place in 57.30. There were 6 finishers.

Club member Josh O’Sullivan-Hourihan recently competed in the WORLD ORIENTEERING CHAMPIONSHIPS in the Czech Republic. Also on the Irish team was another club member Kevin O’Boyle. In the link below Josh gives a full review of competing in the championships.

https://www.orienteering.ie/world-orienteering-championships-2021-czech-republic/?fbclid=IwAR0VG_ymuOsjx6UWcFNcK6vQgB4KMxVBYtmenwWUN9y0AJUZ9ByWVn67zPc

Finally, the best of luck to club member Sorcha Loughnane who is representing Ireland in the Home Countries International 100km at Donadea Forest next Saturday (21.08.2021).

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NORTHERN IRELAND & ULSTER COMBINED EVENT CHAMPIONSHIPS at Belfast (07-08.08.2021)

Senior Women’s Heptathlon: 2^nd Lara O’Byrne (4896 points PB) 100mH = 14.42 (920); High Jump = 1.69m PB (842); Shot Putt= 10.04m (532); 200m = 26.33 (769); Long Jump = 5.34m PB (654); Javelin = 27.29m (424); 800m = 2.25.21 (754)

NIGHT OF SPRINTS MEETING at Belfast (04.08.2021)

Senior Women’s 100m ‘A’ Race: 1^st Aoife Lynch (11.66)

IMRA HOWTH SUMMER RACE Long Course (11.08.2021)

36^th Alan Farrell M45 (1.08.20)

47^th Sinead Lambe W35 (1.12.11)

54^th Aideen Burke W35 (1.15.10)

58^th Ben Conroy M50 (1.16.02)

97 finishers

IMRA HOWTH SUMMER RACE Short Course (11.08.2021)

2^nd Honor Lynch (49.32)

3^rd Laura Nunan (54.08)

4^th Eleanor Hopkins (54.08)

5^th Oliver Hopkins (57.30)

6 finishers

NATIONAL JUVENILE TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY 4 at Tullamore (14.08.21)

Under 14 Girls 1,500m Final: 3^rd Emily Bolton (4.55.23) BRONZE

Under 14 Boys 1,500m Final: 10^th Liam Morris (4.40.28)

Under 15 Girls 1,500m Final: 12^th Lorraine O’Connor (4.59.40)

Under 16 Girls 80mH Heat 1: 7^th Eve Conroy (15.73)

Under 16 Boys 100mH Final: 4^th Romeo Omozee (16.06 PB)

Under 16 Boys High Jump Final: Romeo Omozee (NM)

Under 17 Girls High Jump Final: Eimear Finn (NM)