A brilliant gold run by Emily Bolton, plus 2 silver and 2 bronze medals for DH athletes in the NATIONAL JUVENILE INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS. Kane Collins 4th in the MALLOW 10-MILE. Club members took part in races at Mullingar, Portlaoise and Abbotstown.
REPORT <by Gerry Naughton, Florence Curley & Leonie Newman>:
Emily Bolton set a new club indoor record of 2.15.70 when winning the final of the Under 15 Girls 800m at the NATIONAL JUVENILE INOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS at the Athlone Arena on Sunday. It was an excellently judged race by Bolton who was in a lead group of 3 at the halfway stage before she took command of the race to finish well clear of Isa McCarron (2.18.03) of Lagan Valley AC. Bolton qualified to the final by winning her heat in 2.19.41.
In the next race Liam Morris (2.08.30) made a brave bid to take the top spot in the final of the Under 15 Boys 800m, but Archie McNamara (2.07.69) of Derg AC overtook the young Donore Harriers athlete with about 100 metres to go and held on to win. Morris earlier came 2nd to McNamara in his qualifying heat with both boys recording times of 2.15.
The club won three medals on Day 1 of the championship. James Bolton got the ball rolling on Saturday morning by taking bronze in the Under 19 Boys 1,500m in a time of 4.05.77. This was James’ first national medal and was due reward for a very dedicated athlete.
Mario Omozee (7.66) having qualified 4th from his heat in 7.73 pulled a super effort out of the bag to take bronze in the final of the Under 15 Boys 60m sprint. Talented Zion Osawe took a silver medal in a dramatic Under 14 Girls High Jump. The first 4 girls all cleared 1.48m and all failed at the next height of 1.51m. The podium places were settled on countback with Osawe’s first attempt failure at 1.30m costing her the gold position, but an otherwise flawless performance to the 1.48m height ensured the silver medal.
The other club competitors on Day 1 included – Eva Crowe (4.53.55) 5th in the final of the Under 16 Girls 1,500m, Thomas Bolton (4.15.53) 5th in the final of the Under 17 Boys 1, 500m, Annabela Omozee (9.12) 8th in the final of the Under 12 Girls 60m sprint, Alex Leonard (7.61) 5th in the final of the Under 16 Boys 60m sprint, Romeo Omozee (7.66) 8th in his heat of the Under 17 Boys 60m sprint, Isabella Kelly (8.37) 6th in her heat of the Under 17 Girls 60m sprint, Rachel Dowling-Barnes (1.25m) 14th in the Under 14 Girls High Jump, Eimear Finn (1.35m & 3.81m) 6th and 12th in the Under 18 Girls High Jump and Long Jump.
There was also Ruby Blake (7.30m) 7th in the final of the Under 13 Girls Shot Putt and Saoirse Jackson (5.99) 11th in the Under 13 Girls Shot Putt qualifying rounds. Their coach Ray O’Keeffe commented: “Ruby, a relative notice in the event, did really well to make the top 8, whilst Saoirse was competing in the first national competition”.
The other club action on Day 2 saw talented Zion Osawe check her stride before the first barrier in the Under 14 Girls 60m Hurdles final and never regained her composure. She came 8th in 10.51 having qualified 3rd from her heat in 9.96. Melody Omozee (10.22) contested the same final placing 7th after qualifying as a fastest loser from her heat in a personal best of 9.99.
Isabella Kelly narrowly failed to progress to the final of the Under 17 Girls 200m when placing 4th in her heat in a time of 27.46. Alex Leonard was unlucky to get DQed from his Under 16 Boys 200m heat after falling foul of a lane infringement.
Luke Hanly (1.60m) came 5th in the final of the Under 18 Boys High Jump in his first national test. He is relatively new to the high jump and his coach Ray O’Keeffe believes that Hanly is one for the future: “there is plenty more to come from Luke”.
Kane Collins (53.18) had a satisfactory run in the MALLOW 10-MILE ROAD RACE on Sunday. Having recently missed out on a key block of training due to injury and illness this race will serve as a confidence booster to the hard-training Collins. The race was won by Irish international Sergio Ciobanu (50.56) of Clonliffe Harriers, with runner-up John Kinsella (53.08) and 3rd placed Derek Griffin (53.13) just ahead of the Donore Harriers man.
On St. Patrick’s Day relative newcomer Wayne Waldron came 23rd of 1,178 finishers in the AON MULLINGAR HALF-MARATHON. His time of 1.19.51 was his first time to go under the 80 minutes mark.
On the same morning the club had four competitors in the STREETS OF PORTLAOISE 5KM ROAD RACE. Harry Vaughan (17.08) came 67th of the 551 finishers. He was followed across the finish line by Ariana Ball (20.38) who came 161st, Tony Griffin (21.10) who placed 189th and Anthony Ferns (40.35) who was 538th.
A few club members turned out in the MSB ST. PATRICK’S FESTIVAL OF RACES at Abbotstown on Sunday morning. With the MSB club failing to get a permit to host their usual 5km road race in the St. Stephen’s Green area they organised family friendly races at the hallowed turf on the national cross-country course – the venue for the European XC championships last December where our own Abdel Laadjel led the Irish under 20s team to silver medals. Under 16 athlete Eve Crowe (5.29) won the 1.5km family race, with Under 12 Max Henley-Willis (6.36) placing 21st of the 125 finishers. In the 5km race three Donore master athletes took part with Dean Fullson (21.53) in 18th, John Gleeson (24.28) in 40th and Colin Moore (26.04) in 48th. 68 finished.
In the IRISH MOUNTAIN RUNNING ASSOCIATION ANNAGH HILL RACE in North County Wexford on the 13th of March Deirdre NicCanna came 9th overall from the 73 finishers and was the 2nd woman to cover the steep course that twice ascended to a height of about 450 metres.
In this week’s PARKRUN races Niall Lynch was first finisher at Con Smith Park in Cavan in 17.18 and Dylan McKenna (20.22) was 3rd at Waterstown. Other parkrun results below.
Results in brief:
AON MULLINGAR HALF-MARATHON (17.03.2022)
23rd Wayne Waldron (1.19.51)
1,178 finishers
THE STREETS OF PORTLAOISE 5KM (17.03.2022)
67th Harry Vaughan (17.08)
161st Ariana Ball (20.28)
189th Tony Griffin M55 (21.10)
538th Tony Ferns M55 (40.35)
551 finishers
NATIONAL JUVENILE INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY 1 at ATHLONE ARENA (19.03.2022)
U/16 GIRLS 1,500m FINAL: 5th Eva Crowe (4.53.55)
U/17 BOYS 1,500m FINAL: 5th Thomas Bolton (4.15.53)
U/19 BOYS 1,500m FINAL: 3rd James Bolton (4.05.77) BRONZE
U/12 GIRLS 60m HEAT 2: 5th Annabela Omozee (9.03) qualified to final
U/12 GIRLS 60m FINAL: 8th Annabela Omozee (9.12)
U/15 BOYS 60m HEAT 2: 4th Mario Omozee (7.73) qualified to final
U/15 BOYS 60m FINAL: 3rd Mario Omozee (7.66) BRONZE
U/16 BOYS 60m HEAT 1: 3rd Alex Leonard (7.65) qualified to final
U/16 BOYS 60m FINAL: 5th Alex Leonard (7.61)
U/17 BOYS HEAT 1: 8th Romeo Omozee (7.66)
U/17 GIRLS HEAT 1: 6th Isabella Kelly (8.37)
U/14 GIRLS HIGH JUMP FINAL: 2nd Zion Osawe (1.48m) SILVER
U/14 GIRLS HIGH JUMP QUALIFYING: 14TH Rachel Dowling-Barnes (1.25m)
U/18 GIRLS HIGH JUMP FINAL: 6th Eimear Finn (1.35m)
U/18 GIRLS LONG JUMP QUALIFYING: 12th Eimear Finn (3.81m)
U/13 GIRLS SHOT PUTT FINAL: 7th Ruby Blake (7.30m)
U/13 GIRLS SHOT PUTT QUALIFYING: 11th Saoirse Jackson (5.99m)
NATIONAL JUVENILE INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY 2 at ATHLONE ARENA (20.03.2022)
U/15 GIRLS 800m HEAT 2: 1st Emily Bolton (2.19.41) qualified to final
U/15 GIRLS 800m FINAL: 1st Emily Bolton (2.15.70 CR) GOLD
U/15 BOYS 800m HEAT 2: 2nd Liam Morris (2.15.53) qualified to final
U/15 BOYS 800m FINAL: 2nd Liam Morris (2.08.30) SILVER
U/16 BOYS 200m HEAT 1: DQ Alex Leonard TR13.3.1 – lane infringement
U/17 GIRLS 200m HEAT 1: 4th Isabella Kelly (27.46)
U/14 GIRLS 60mH HEAT 1: 3rd Zion Osawe (9.96) qualified to final
U/14 GIRLS 60mH HEAT 2: 5th Melody Omozee (9.99) qualified to final
U/14 GIRLS 60mH FINAL: 7th Melody Omozee (10.22), 8th Zion Osawe (10.51)
U/18 BOYS HIGH JUMP FINAL: 5th Luke Hanly (1.60m)
MALLOW 10-MILE ROAD RACE (22.03.2022)
4th Kane Collins (53.18)
962 finishers
MSB ST. PATRICK’S FESTIVAL FAMILY XC RACES at ABBOTSTOWN (20.03.2022)
1.5km RACE: 1st Eva Crowe U/16 (5.29), 21st Max Henley-Willis U/12 (6.36).
125 finishers
MSB ST. PATRICK’S FESTIVAL 5KM FESTIVAL OF RACES at ABBOTSTOWN (20.03.2022)
18th Dean Fullston (21.53)
40th John Gleeson (24.28)
48th Colin Moore (26.04)
68 finishers
Earlier result:
IMRA ANNAGH 10km HILL RACE in Co. Wexford (13.03.2022)
9th overall & 2nd woman Deirdre NicCanna (1.04.01)
73 finishers
PARKRUNS 5km (19.03.2022)
BUSHY: 95th Thomas Halton M65 (33.57)
CASTLETOWN: 5th J.P. O’Hanlon M35 (21.32), 52nd Joan McTernon W60 (29.08)
CON SMITH: 1st Niall Lynch M50 (17.18)
CORKAGH: 39th & 9th woman Nicola Dowdall W45 (25.58)
GRIFFEEN: 62nd Charlie O’Neill M65 (26.38), 72nd Rosie-May Morris W11-14 (27.45), 119th Terry Mee M75 (33.44)
MARLAY: 13th Patrick Moriarty M45 (19.53)
NAAS: 31st & 5th woman Mary McDermott W50 (24.16)
POPPINTREE: 67th Eilish Joyce W40 (31.10)
WATERSTOWN: 3rd Dylan McKenna M15-17 (20.22)
