HIGHLIGHTS: At the N.I/ULSTER OPEN SENIOR T&F CHAMPIONSHIPS Paul McDermott 2nd in 200m, Gavin Curtin and Kane Collins 1st & 2nd in the 5,000m ‘B’ race. John Travers set a course record in the MILFORD AC 5km road race.
Three juvenile members Honor Lynch, Laura Nunan and Oliver Hopkins selected to Irish teams for the forthcoming HOME COUNTRIES JUNIOR MOUNTAIN RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS.
REPORT: Paul McDermott took a silver medal at the NORTHERN IRELAND / ULSTER OPEN TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS at Belfast on Saturday (31.07.2021). The Donore Harriers man came 2nd in his heat in a time of 22.10, and then improved to 21.95 in the final. Both of his races were won by Luke Morris of Newbridge AC in times of 21.93 and 21.73. It was a very narrow margin for the minor placings in the final as McDermott was only one-hundredth of a second faster than 3rd placed Adam Murphy (21.96) of Tinryland AC.
In the 5,000m ‘B’ race, Gavin Curtin held the lead for most of the race with his club-mate Kane Collins in the leading group of 4 athletes. Gavin McCaffrey of North Belfast Harriers and Darragh Crossan of City of Derry Spartans AC had brief spells at the front of the field, but the Donore Harriers duo stayed strong and took control of the race with two laps remaining. Curtin (15.12.75) used his better speed to hold off the challenge of Kane Collins (15.14.22) to gain a notable victory. Both men achieved new personal bests, having set out with targets closer to 15 minutes even. Coach Ciaran O’Flaherty said afterwards: “with better competition and a more even-paced race the lads would have gone close to 15, but they’re taking lumps off their times”.
David Carter (15.16.05 PB) of Galway City Harriers, who trains with Gavin and Kane in the Donore Harriers Senior & Academy Squad, finished strongly to place 3rd in a field of 13 starters.
Daragh McAuley made a storming start from the inside lane in his heat of the 400m, but he struggled to hold his form down the home strait and was relegated to 5th place in a respectable time of 52.50. It was an encouraging performance by McAuley, having struggled with injury in recent months.
John Travers set a new course record of 14.50 in the MILFORD AC 5KM ROAD RACE in Co. Donegal on Friday evening. He had 40 seconds to spare over his nearest rival Declan Ferry (15.30) of Rosses AC. With bigger challenges ahead, John promptly went to do one-kilometre repeats post the race.
Here is the start of race report on the Milford AC FB page:
The 17th running of the John Kilmartin 5km delivered a feast of running in Milford on Friday evening where the weather was very favorable for the quality field which resulted in a course record, a national women’s over 45 record and a host of pbs.
Irish international athlete, John Travers, made a late decision to run and that decision made predicting a winner a fairly routine task as he bounced along the favourable 5km loop, up on his toes and not really in top gear when he crossed the line in 14.50 a course record by 23 seconds.
John is more at home in middle distance where he has a world class time of 3.37 for 1500m, a 3.55 mile time, and 13.28 best 5,000m time.
Declan Ferry, Rosses AC put in another gutsy performance to finish 2nd in 15.30 with a rejuvenated Mark McPaul improving with every race finishing a close 3rd in 15.33.
A stand-out performance came from the hard training Marty Lynch, Milford AC, who took 20 seconds off his best 5km time to finish 4th in 15.57. …
JUVENILE NEWS (from Graham Hopkns): Honor Lynch and Laura Nunan have been selected for the Ireland Under 17 team in the forthcoming HOME COUNTRIES JUNIOR MOUNTAIN RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS to take place in Newcastle, Co. Down on the 4th of September. Honor was the recent winner of the U/17 trials race, despite having another year in the category. These green vests are very deserved rewards for Honor’s and Laura’s patience, determination, and dedication to the Long-Term Athlete Development process.
Oliver Hopkins also travels as part of the Ireland B squad. Oliver very nearly DNFed the qualifier due to illness but returned to the course to finish it out. The selectors saw enough of him on race day to consider him worthy of selection and he will relish this chance to do justice to his ability on race day.
Best of luck to our juvenile team competing in the NATIONAL JUVENILE T&F CHAMPIONSHIPS at Tullamore over the next two weekends. Here’s the team –
U/12 – Dylan O’Connor (60m) & Ruby Blake (SP)
U/13 – Daniel Browne (LJ), Amber Lynch (JT), Zion Osawe (80m, 60mH, HJ), & Melody Omozee (SP)
U/14 – Liam Morris (800m, 1500m), Emily Bolton (800m, 1500m) & Mario Omozee (80m, 200m, HJ)
U/15 – Ciaran O’Farrell (80mH), Alex Leonard (100m, 200m), Lorraine O’Connor (800m, 1500m) & Roisin Kirby (LJ, SP)
U/16 – Oisin Cummins-Weiss (SP), Fiona Jackson (250mH), Romeo Omozee (100mH, HJ), Eve Conroy (80mH) & Isabella Kelly (100m, 200m)
U/17 – Eimear Finn (HJ) & Luke Hanley (HJ)
U/18 – Sophie O’Farrell (200m), Bobby Amandi (110mH, LJ), Sean Kinsella (800m), Emma Stacey (800m) & James Bolton (3000m)
U/19 – Sara Higgins (100m, 200m) & Joyce Bakanabo (SP)
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NORTHERN IRELAND & ULSTER OPEN TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS at Mary Peters Track, Belfast (31.07.2021)
Men’s 200m Heat 2 of 3: 2nd Paul McDermott (22.10 Q)
Men’s 200m Final: 2nd Paul McDermott (21.95)
Men’s 400m Heat 2 of 4: 5th Daragh McAuley (52.50)
Men’s 5,000m B Race: 1st Gavin Curtin JNR (15.12.75 PB), 2nd Kane Collins (15.14.22 PB)
MILFORD AC 5KM ROAD RACE (30.07.2021)
Men’s 5km: 1st John Travers (14.50 course record)