HIGHLIGHTS: Jack Raftery won his 400m race in a club record time as Donore Harriers invade the OORDEGEM IFAM MEET in Belgium. NicDhomhnaill sisters Sorcha and Ide were on fire with 1st and 2nd in the 5,000m at the BELFAST INTERNATIONAL MEET. Mario Omozee, Emily Bolton, Liam Morris, Sophie O’Farrell, Bobby Amandi, Zion Osawe & James Bolton were among the gold medallists in the opening day of the DUBLIN JUVENILE TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS. Anna Whelan topped her grade in the DUBLIN JUVENILE TRACK & FIELD LEAGUE after 4 events.

REPORT: <by Gerry Naughton & Florence Curley w/ thanks to others>
This week’s main action took place in the village of Oordegem in Belgium. The 12th INTERNATIONAL FLANDERS ATHLETICS MEETING (IFAM) has been gaining in popularity since it was first held in 2010. It’s a popular destination for Irish athletes trying to gain major championship qualifying standards or simply to run in a competitive event in the hope of gaining a personal best. Make no mistake this a major development competition for aspiring athletes hoping to reach to the next level.
In the 2022 edition on Saturday Donore Harriers had 12 athletes among almost two-thousand competitors in an event that started at 10am and finished the next morning close to 1.30am.
The outstanding performance of the day came from Jack Raftery in the first of 3 elite 400m races. Jack was running in Lane 6 and at the halfway mark was in 3rd position behind Frederic Mendy of Senegal and Ben Higgins of GB, before he pushed on to win in a PB time of 46.17. He said later: “At 180 to go I didn’t think I could catch them, but then at 120 to go the gap had closed so I told myself to keep driving for the line”. Mendy came 2nd in 46.22 and Higgins 3rd in 46.68. Raftery was ranked 5th 400m athlete overall from 87 at the event. “Big Jack’s” new best time maintains him as the top ranked Irish 400m athlete for 2022. He also lowered his own club record set a couple of weeks ago.
The first club athlete into action on the day was Eva McPartlan in the 100m Prelim race No. 3. She placed 7th in 12.83, which was a fine effort given that she is just returning from an injury lay-off.
In the Men’s 100m Prelim races Zak Higgins came 6th in Heat 8 in a time of 11.56 and Sean Chan (12.39) came 6th in Heat 11. This was the first time that 400m athlete Higgins competed in the short sprints distance.
Higgins was soon back in action in his favoured 400m, and he showed good form by placing 5th in Heat No. 8 in a time of 50.00 – less than half-a-second shy of his personal best.
Team captain David Campbell came 6th in Heat 9 in 53.36.
Running from the inside lane Eva McPartlan led over the first 100m in Heat 7 of the 200m Prelim Races. However, she got caught before the line – but was happy enough with 3rd place in 26.47 considering her recent injury.
First into action in the evening’s main programme was Caoimhe Mackey in Heat 6 of the women’s 400m Hurdles. This was her first competitive race outside of Ireland, so she was disappointed to run a little below par as she came 7th in 1.05.08. Her cause was not helped by being in the less-favourable Lane 8.
Daragh McAuley (58.22) came 4th in Heat 7 of the Men’s 400m Hurdles. He also got the outside lane – and he may well have got a personal best had his stride pattern to the hurdles being better going down the back strait. A very fine effort nevertheless!
In the first of 4 elite 800m races Louis O’Loughlin found himself trailing the field after the opening 300 metres. He started to make gains as the bell was approached, but it proved a rough ride with a fair degree of barging. He still managed to close out in 5th place in a time of 1.50.64. He missed out on 3rd place by just 14-hundrenths of a second. The race was won by T. Vandelanoote of the Netherlands in 1.50.01.
Abdel Laadjel had ambitions of breaking Daragh McIlhenny’s national junior record (13.54) for 5,000m. However, his race did not go to plan! As Abdel settled early-race in mid-pack, the front of the group did not keep up with the pacemaker – instead they lagged behind allowing any chance of a fast race to be lost. After the opening 2km Laadjel was about 12 seconds down on target pace – and any hope of getting the record was gone. He ran strongly in the 2nd half of the race to finish in 20th position in 14.04.77 – only 2 seconds off his personal best time. He said post race: “It was a difficult race with a lot of pushing and shoving. At one stage I had to go around a fallen runner… It is what it is! It’s been a long season, so now I just want to get some rest and then focus towards the cross-country races”.
His race was won by Michael Ward of Great Britain in 13.53.86.
16 years-old Oliver Hopkins lined up for the last 1,500m race of the event. It was past mid-night. There was a chill in the air, most of the crowds had gone home, and the floodlights lit the action. Hopkins went for broke and led the race thru the opening 800 metres. However, he began to tire and was passed by most of the field over the final 300 metres. He crossed the line in 10th place (of 12) in 4.09.66. The team leader Gerry Naughton said: “Oliver is a young athlete, and he will gain experience and motivation from this trip. He had to wait a long time for his race and lost energy trying to keep warm. He’s a very fine athlete and a great prospect”
Donore Harriers had two athletes on the start line in the final race of the event – the elite men’s 5,000m Race No. 4. The race started at 1am. Daragh Fitzgibbon kept pace with the front group for the opening 2.5km, before retiring from the race at the 3.6km mark. Kane Collins made a steady start near to the back of the field, maintained a good tempo throughout, and steadily gained places as the race progressed. He crossed the finish line in 13th place in a new personal best time of 14.54.20 and narrowly missed out on 11th spot in the sprint to the line. Collins said: “I’m delighted with that. I couldn’t have asked for anything more really than a big PB on the track. I’ve been trying so hard to break 15 minutes recently – almost too hard, so it’s great to come to Oordegem and get the time here”.
His race was won by Mojolepa Kloprogge of the Netherlands in 14.28.65.

In the BELFAST INTERNATIONAL TRACK & FIELD MEET at the Mary Peter’s Track on Saturday (28.05.2022) Sorcha & Ide NicDhomhnaill ran super races to finish 1st and 2nd respectively in the 5.000m A Race in personal best times of 15.58.52 and 16.03.44. Sorcha’s time is an improvement of almost half-a-minute on her 16.24.43 at the same track on the 23rd of April this year. Ide raced a 17-second improvement on her personal best also set at the April meet. In a good qualify field Grace Carson of Mid-Ulster AC came 3rd in 16.12.81. The NicDhomhnaill sisters are now ranked 4th and 5th on the Irish lists for 2022. FACT: The club record for 5,000m was set by Valerie McGovern (13.45.72) at a track meet at North Carolina in 1990.

Jack Raftery ran Leg 2 for the Irish 4 x 400m team at the LOUGHBOROUGH INTERNATIONAL MEET in England on the 14th of May 2022. The Irish team with Chris O’Donnell on the opening leg, then Raftery, then Marcus Lawlor and closed by Thomas Barr came 2nd in 3.06.55 behind a very good Loughborough Select team (3.06.44) and ahead of England (3.09.58). Raftery said afterwards: “I didn’t run my best in the relay, but I am more than pleased to get my 1st Irish senior cap”. The Irish team is now ranked 14th in the World with the top 16 countries going to the World Championships. However, some of the stronger countries have still to post a time for 2022.

In the 3rd DUBLIN OPEN GRADED MEET (21.05.2022) of the season at Tallaght Track there was a double victory in the Triple Jump for Donore Harriers athletes. Andie Maguire won the women’s event with a best effort of 10.84m and Michael McCarthy jumped a PB of 11.80m to win the men’s competition.
On the track Under 17 athlete Thomas Bolton came 2nd in the B grade 800m in a time of 2.07.55. The 800m races incorporated some of the Dublin Juvenile 800m championships and Thomas came 4th in the Under 17 grade.

Emmet O’Briain competed in his first 5,000m track race at the LEINSTER JUNIOR, SENIOR & MASTERS TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS at Carlow on Sunday. The organisers combined the age categories, thus a big field with a lot of traffic to be negotiated. O’Briain placed a fine 16.37.43 for 5th place. He said afterwards: “I was probably 15 to 20 seconds short of what I was expecting but happy enough given the wind and general training…”
Michael McCarthy Snr was meant to compete in the Master’s Triple Jump, but a change of timetable ruled him out.

A good contingent of young club athletes competed in the DUBLIN JUVENILE TEAM COMPETITION & RELAY CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR U/9s-U11s at Tallaght Track on Saturday (28.05.2022). The highlights including Alan & Daniel Maddox winning bronze in the Under 11 Boys combined Long Jump and the bronze medal that was won when Alan Maddox teamed up with Caoimhin Cummins-Weiss in the Under 11 Boys 60m sprint.
There were outstanding performances from Rachel McCarthy who had the best Under 11 Girls Long Jump with 2.54m and came 5th in the 60m sprint, but she wasn’t partnered up in order to compete for a podium place.
In the Under 9 Boys Eli Henley-Willis and Seamus McCluskey came 4th in the Turbo Javelin and 6th and 7th in the 300m heats. Another highlight came from Cadel Senyk and Michael McCarthy Jnr who combined to place 4th in the Under 11 Boys Long Jump.   More competitors are listed in the results section below.

Day 1 of the DUBLIN JUVENILE TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS took place at the Tallaght Track on Sunday with Donore Harriers athletes very much to the fore. Mario Omozee claimed 3 gold medals and a bronze in the Under 15 Boys grade. He won the 250m Hurdles, Long Jump and Shot Putt – and came 3rd in the Javelin. Zion Osawe took gold with a personal best jump of 1.53m in the Under 14 Girls High Jump. There was double field gold in the Under 19 age category as Sophie O’Farrell and Bobby Amandi both won their respective Long Jump events. Emily Bolton added to her championship medal haul by romping home to gold in the Girls Under 15s 800m final. Donore Harriers were the dominant force in the Under 15 Boys 800m final. Liam Morris took gold with victory in 2.07. Reuben McCormick took the silver in 2.10, with Arlen Szabo and Daire McCarthy placing 5th and 6th. In the 3,000m races Thomas Bolton came 2nd in the Under 17s and older brother James took gold with a fine victory in the Under 19s. Anabella Omozee claimed double silver in the Under 12 Girls High Jump and Shot Putt. Romeo Omozee (U/17s) came 2nd in the 300m Hurdles race and came 3rd in the Long Jump. The Under 17s Long Jump silver medal went to his team-mate Oisin Cummins-Weiss. In the Under 13 Boys Javelin Dylan O’Connor took the bronze medal, as did Roisin Kirby in the Under 16 Girls Long Jump. Other results are listed below. Please forward any incorrect or missing results.

The final tallies in the DUBLIN JUVENILE TRACK & FIELD LEAGUE saw Anna Whelan top the Under 11 Girls category with 31 points over the 4 fixtures. Whelan was consistent throughout the league and won the 600m on Day 2 and added two runner-up points in the 400m and Long Jump in the final round to secure overall victory.
Anabella Omozee had an outstanding last day in the Under 12s category in the league securing 19 points with wins in 80m and 500m and placing 2nd in the Turbo Javelin. She moved up from 8th place to finish 2nd overall.
Ruby Blake also came 2nd overall in the Under 13 Girls with a total of 31 points. Blake picked up 21 points by winning the Shot Putt event twice and the Javelin.
Zion Osawe came 3rd in the Under 14 Girls league and impressed with victory in the 75m Hurdles and High Jump. She amassed a total of 32 points.
Liam Morris came 3rd overall in the Under 15 Boys category on 28 points having won a middle-distance race at each of the 4 events. See more results below.

In road race action this week we had Julia Hackett finish 99th overall and 2nd W50 in the STAR OF THE SEA MICHELLE MCKIERNAN 5KM ROAD RACE on the 24.05.2022.

On the same day Michael Ryan came 5th in the GALWAY 5km SERIES at Athenry in a time of 17.01.

On Sunday M50 athlete Peter Nugent came 45th of 837 finishers in the RUNATICA 1X CARRERA CRUZ ROJA 5KM ROAD RACE at Valencia in Spain. The race was in support of the Red Cross organisation.

Two juvenile members competed in the IMRA HOWTH SUMMER RACE on the 25th of May. Laura Nunan completed the 11km route with a total elevation of 386 metres in 1.12.57 to place 71st overall and 15th woman. Honor Lynch (1.22.30) came 101st and 22nd woman. There were 139 finishers.

Top results in PARKRUNs this week were David McConn (17.17) 1st home at Porterstown and Jean Murphy W35 and Katie Delaney Juvenile 2nd and 4th women home at Waterstown.
More results below.

Results in brief:
STAR OF THE SEA MICHELLE MCKIERNAN 5KM ROAD RACE (24.05.2022)
99th & 2nd W50 Julia Hackett (22.56)
313 finishers
GALWAY 5KM SERIES NO. 5 at Athenry (24.05.2022)
5th Michael Ryan (17.01)
516 finishers
DUBLIN OPEN GRADED MEET NO. 3 at TALLAGHT TRACK (25.05.2022)
MEN’S 800m B GRADE RACE: 2nd & 4th in Dublin Juvenile U/17 Championship Thomas Bolton (2.07.55)
WOMEN’S TRIPLE JUMP: 1st Michael McCarthy Snr M35 (11.80m)
MEN’S TRIPLE JUMP: 1st Andie Maguire (10.84m)
CUMANN NA MBUNSCOL TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS at Santry (26.05.2022)
GIRLS 200m FINAL: 3rd Lily Clarke-Hanrahan (Loreta Stephen’s Green)
DUBLIN JUVENILE T&F LEAGUE FIXTURE FINAL LEAGUE POSITION AFTER 4 EVENTS
U/10 BOYS: 8th Cadel Senyk (8 points)
U/11 GIRLS: 1st Anna Whelan (31 points)
U/12 GIRLS: 2nd Anabella Omozee (28 points)
U/13 GIRLS: 2nd Ruby Blake (31 points)
U/13 BOYS: 20th Jack Mansfield (3 points)
U/14 GIRLS: 3rd Zion Osawe (32 points), 8th Melody Omozee (13 points)
U/14 BOYS: 16th Elliot Whelan (5 points), 20th Luuk Jackson (4 points)
U/15 BOYS: 3rd Liam Morris (28 points), 12th Reuben McCormick (10 points), 14th Daire McCarthy (6 points)
U/16 GIRLS: 26th Roisin Kirby (3 points)
U/16 BOYS: 11th Paddy Nolan (7 points), 15th Adam Mulhall (4 points)
INTERNATIONAL FLANDERS ATHLETICS MEET at Oordegem, Belgium (28.05.2022)
WOMEN’S 100m PRELIM RACE 3: 7th Eva McPartlan (12.83) – 48/69
MEN’S 100m PRELIM RACE 8: 6th Zak Higgins (11.56) – 77/95
MEN’S 100m PRELIM RACE 11: 6th Sean Chan (12.39) – 93/95
MEN’S 200m PRELIM RACE 7: 3rd Eva McPartlan (26.47) – 50/61
MEN’S 400m MAIN RACE 1: 1st Jack Raftery (46.17 PB) – 5/87
MEN’S 400m PRELIM RACE 8: 5th Zak Higgins (50.00) – 69/87
MEN’S 400m PRELIM RACE 9: 6th David Campbell (53.36) – 84/87
WOMEN’S 400m HURDLES MAIN RACE 6: 7th Caoimhe Mackey (1.05.08) – 40/42
MEN’S 400m HURDLES MAIN RACE 7: 4th Daragh McAuley (58.22) – 44/48
MEN’S 800m MAIN RACE 1: 5th Louis O’Loughlin (1.50.64) – 50/229
MEN’S 1,500m MAIN RACE 8: 10th Oliver Hopkins U18 (4.09.66) – 153/174
MEN’S 5,000m MAIN RACE 2: 20th Abdel Laadjel JNR (14.04.77) – 45/128
MEN’S 5,000m MAIN RACE 4: 13th Kane Collins (14.54.20 PB) – 113/128,
DNF Daragh Fitzgibbon
BELFAST INTERNATIONAL TRACK & FIELD MEETING (28.05.2022)
WOMEN’S 5,000m A RACE: 1st Sorcha NicDhomhnaill (15.58.52 PB), 2nd Ide NicDhomhnaill (16.03.44 PB)
LOUGHBOROUGH INTERNATIONAL T&F MEET (14.05.2022)
MEN’S 4 X 400m RELAY: 2nd Ireland <O’Donnell, RAFTERY, Lawlor, Barr> 3.06.55
7 teams.
LEINSTER JUNIOR, SENIOR & MASTERS TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS at Carlow (28.05.2022)
SENIOR MEN’S 5,000m: 5th Emmet O’Briain M35 (16.37.43)
DUBLIN JUVENILE TEAM COMPETITION & RELAY CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR U/9s-U11s at Tallaght Track (28.05.2022)
U/11 BOYS COMBINED LONG JUMP: 3rd Donore Harriers <Alan Maddox & Daniel Maddox> BRONZE
U/11 BOYS COMBINED 60m SPRINT: 3rd Donore Harriers <Alan Maddox & Caoimhin Cummins-Weiss> BRONZE
U/9 GIRLS: Rachel McCarthy
U/9 BOYS: Eli Henley-Willis & Seamus McCluskey
U/19 GIRLS: Sally McGowan
U/10 BOYS: Michael McCarthy jnr., Cadel Senyk, Bobby Farrell, Hugo Badura, Brody Keogh, Culainn Kennedy
U/11 GIRLS: Robyn McCluskey, Lola Nagle-Mulally, Cliodhna McMahon, Anna Whelan, Lola Blake, Ciara Jackson, Faye Taylor
U/11 BOYS: Alan Maddox, Daniel Maddox, Caoimhín Cummins-Weiss
U/10 BOYS RELAY: Did not place – Eli Henley-Willis, Seamus McCluskey, Brody Keogh & Culainn Kennedy
U/11 GIRLS RELAY: Did not place – Sally McGowan, Lola Nagle-Mullaly, Robyn McCluskey & Cliodhna McMahon
DUBLIN JUVENILE TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY 1 at Tallaght Track (29.05.2022)
U/12 GIRLS 600m FINAL: DNF Anabella Omozee (fell)
U/12 GIRLS 600m HEATS: Tess O’Donohue did not qualify
U/12 BOYS 600m FINAL: 4th Mark Nunan
U/12 BOYS 600m HEATS: Jack Kennedy (dnq)
U/12 BOYS 600m HEATS: Leo Garry, Max Henley-Willis, Jack Kennedy dnq
U/13 GIRLS 600m HEATS: Petra Cunningham dnq
U/13 BOYS 600m HEATS: Sam Inverarity dnq
U/14 GIRLS FINAL: 6th Lily Clarke-Hanrahan
U/14 BOYS 800m FINAL: 6th Cillian McCooey (2.24)
U/15 GIRLS 800m FINAL: 1st Emily Bolton GOLD
U/15 BOYS 800m FINAL: 1st Liam Morris (2.07) GOLD, 2nd Reuben McCormick (2.11) SILVER, 5th Arlen Szabo (2.20), 6th Daire McCarthy (2.21)
U/16 GIRLS 800m FINAL: 2nd Eva Crowe SILVER
U/16 GIRLS 3,000m FINAL: 2nd Julie Cleary SILVER
U/17 BOYS 3,000m FINAL: 2nd Thomas Bolton SILVER
U/19 BOYS 3,000m FINAL: 1st James Bolton GOLD
U/12 GIRLS HIGH JUMP: 2nd Anabella Omozee SILVER
U/12 GIRLS SHOT PUTT: 2nd Anabella Omozee SILVER
U/12 BOYS HIGH JUMP: 5th Jack Kennedy
U/12 BOYS SHOT PUTT: Jack Kennedy
U/13 GIRLS JAVELIN: Top 8 Ruby Blake
U/13 GIRLS HIGH JUMP: 4th Ruby Blake
U/13 BOYS JAVELIN: 3rd Dylan O’Connor BRONZE, 6th Jack Mansfield
U/13 BOYS HIGH JUMP: 7th Jack Mansfield
U/14 GIRLS HIGH JUMP: 1st Zion Osawe (1.53m PB) GOLD, 4th Melody Omozee
U/15 GIRLS 250m HURDLES: 5th Aoife Jackson
U/15 BOYS 250m HURDLES: 1st Mario Omozee GOLD
U/15 BOYS LONG JUMP: 1st Mario Omozee GOLD
U/15 BOYS SHOT PUTT: 1st Mario Omozee GOLD
U/15 BOYS JAVELIN: 3rd Mario Omozee BRONZE
U/16 GIRLS LONG JUMP: 3rd Roisin Kirby BRONZE
U/17 BOYS 300m HURDLES: 2nd Romeo Omozee SILVER
U/17 BOYS LONG JUMP: 2nd Oisin Cummins-Weiss SILVER, 3rd Romeo Omozee BRONZE
U/18 GIRLS LONG JUMP: 4th Eimear Finn
U/19 GIRLS LONG JUMP: 1st Sophie O’Farrell GOLD
U/19 BOYS LONG JUMP: 1st Bobby Amandi GOLD
RUNATICA 1X CARRERA CRUZ ROJA 5KM ROAD RACE at Valencia, Spain (29.05.2022)
45th Peter Nugent M50 (20.43)
837 finishers
IMRA HOWTH (11km) SUMMER RACE (25.05.2022)
71st & 15th woman Laura Nunan (1.12.57)
101st & 22nd woman Honor Lynch (1.22.30)
139 finishers
PARKRUNS 5km (28.05.2022)
CASTLETOWN: 59th Joan McTernan W60 (25.53)
GRIFFEEN: 81st Charlie O’Neill M65 (26.43), 128th Terry Mee M75 (32.55)
MALAHIDE: 140th Angela O’Dea W40 (30.02)
MARLAY 5th Ciaran Ryan M40 (18.06), 7th Patrick Moriarty M45 (18.29)
NEW ROSS: 26th Eugene McCurtain M55 (24.28), 50th Liz McCurtain W55 (28.21)
PORTERSTOWN: 1st David McConn M40 (17.17)
TOLKA VALLEY: 12th Owen Robinson M35 (25.14)
WATERSTOWN: 5th & 2nd woman Jean Murphy W35 (20.39), 9th & 4th woman Katie Delaney W15-17 (23.05)