HIGHLIGHTS: Jack Raftery was “sensational” with two sub-46 seconds relay legs as Ireland qualified 2nd in their heat and then came 8th in the 4 x 4 mixed relay final at the WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS at Eugene, Oregon. Lara O’Byrne one gold (Javelin) and three silvers (100mH, High Jump, Shot Putt), Louis O’Loughlin gold (800m) and Daragh McAuley (400mH) bronze in the NATIONAL U23 TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS. Oliver Hopkins 4th in the 1,500m in the SIAB SCHOOLS INTERNATIONAL at Belfast. U14 relay team 8th in final of NATIONAL JUVENILE RELAYS. In the FINGAL 10KM ROAD RACE Grace Kennedy-Clarke 3rd in W35 and Tony Griffin 3rd in M60. Maura Kearns ran 18.45 in the NAAS PARKRUN.
REPORT: <report/results by Gerry Naughton & Florence Curley> Jack Raftery became only the third Donore Harriers athlete to compete in the 19th WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS when he lined up for Leg 3 on the Irish 4 x 400m mixed relay team on the opening morning (14.07.2022) of the 10-day event. It was the 2nd qualifying heat and Ireland were pitched against Olympic silver medallists Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Spain, Germany, Brazil, and the Bahamas. After a fast 1st heat won by the USA it was realistically just going to be the first three teams home in the automatic qualifying spots that would progress. Starting in Lane 4 Chris O’Donnell of North Sligo AC got the team off to a solid start. With the Dominicans (Lidio Feliz 47.37) leading the way O’Donnell (46.33) ran close to Demish Gaye (46.22) of Jamaica and handed the baton to Sophie Becker of Raheny Shamrocks AC in 3rd place. Becker (52.38) ran strongly and held position until the home strait when she got passed by Sara Gallego of Spain and Corinna Schwab of Germany.
Raftery took the baton in 5th place about 4 metres down on the leading 4 teams who were all vying for the lead position. He put himself in the mix with 120 metres to go and having to go wide he passed the German athlete Marvin Schlegel (46.17) and closed up to the leading 3 teams. He was the fasted Leg 3 runner with 45.37 and Ireland were now less than 4-tenths of a second behind leaders Dominican Republic. What great excitement as a Donore Harriers athlete handed the baton to a brilliant young sprinter from Tallaght AC on a World stage!
Rhasidat Adeleke (49.80) was the 2nd quickest athlete on the final leg. First, she passed the Spanish athlete Eva Santadrian (52.10) and then matched Tiffany James (50.06) of Jamaica down the home strait before edging into 2nd place in the closing metres to qualify Ireland to the final. The Dominican Republic won in 3.13.22 ahead of Ireland (3.13.88) with Jamaica 3rd in 3.13.95.
The evening final (early morning in Ireland) proved to be a fait accompli for the Irish team once Adeleke was withdrawn from the race due to illness. To add to the enormity of the task some of the strong country teams brought in their big hitters. The Netherlands brought in Femke Bol, Poland added Natalia Kaczmarek, and the USA put in the legendary Allyson Felix in her very last major athletics race. The heat in the Hayward Field Stadium in the University of Oregon campus in Eugene was 28° C with 41% humidity for the first track final of the championships.
Chris O’Donnell (46.26) ran an excellent opening leg to hand the baton to Sophie Becker in 3rd place. Becker (52.24) put in another solid effort, but again lost ground on the home strait. Raftery (45.90) ran another brilliant lap but was unable to gain on 7th position against world-class athletes such as Alexander Ogando (Dom Rep), Tony Van Diepen (Netherlands), Vernon Norwood (USA), Kajetan Duszynski (Poland) and Karanje Bartley (Jamaica). Charlene Mawdsley (St. Colman’s South Mayo AC) closed for the Irish team, narrowly losing out on the battle for 6th position to Nigeria (6th) and Italy (7th). Mawdsley timed 52.46 for her leg.
At the front of the field both the Dominican Republic (3.09.82) and the Netherlands (3.09.90) passed the USA (3.10.16) in the closing stages to win the gold and silver team medals. The winners recorded the 2nd fastest time ever for the event and the Dutch team set a new national record. Ireland came 8th in 3.16.86.
The Donore Harriers athletes who competed in the World Athletics Championships were Valerie McGovern in the women’s 10,000m at Tokyo in 1991 – and Roman Linscheid in the Hammer throw at Goteborg in 1995 and Athens in 1997. Aoife Lynch competed in the World Athletics Relays in Chorzow, Poland last year.
The wonderful Jim McNamara had his finest championships as a master athlete in the World Masters at the same hallowed Hayward Field track – better known as Tracktown USA – in 1989. Jim won the M50 5,000m gold in 15.35.46, the 10,000m M50 gold in 32.13.65, and the M50 1,500m silver in 4.13.28. A true Legend!
Back to our own Big Jack! This was Jack’s first time in a major championship setting. He’s still only 21 and his progress since 2018 has been awe inspiring. Formerly coached by Gerry Naughton and Donal Iremonger in the LTDP Juvenile distance group and then by the Late John Geoghegan and Paul Clarkin in the Donore sprints squad the DCU student is now coached by Jeremy Lyons and Ger O’Donnell in the Dublin sprints group. His training commitment and his race temperament makes him one of the most exciting talents on the Irish athletics scene right now. Here’s what Tim Hutchins said in commentary on the World Athletics Live Stream as the athletes lined up for the final: “What a performance by the Irish this morning to make this final. Jack Raftery on the 3rd leg was sensational”. Indeed, he was!
Donore Harriers captain David Campbell believes that Jack can go to the Olympics! A graph of Jack’s progress since 2018 indicates an athlete that is on a distinguished journey in athletics. His personal best for 400m in 2018 was 49.45, which he improved to 48.40 in 2019. His best for 2020 was 48.87 indoors, but he did not have an outdoor season due to covid-19 lockdowns and injury. He improved to 47.02 in 2021 and lowered his PB to 46.17 in the International Flanders Meet at Oordegem in May 2022. His two back-to-back sub-46 relay legs at the World Athletics Championships is further proof of Jack’s enormous potential in the sport.
Here’s a bit of trivia on Jack! Jack’s first taste of ‘international’ was when he represented the Ireland Development U18 relay team in the Celtic Games International at Santry on the 5th of August 2017. The team also included Jack Hayden, Ben Jones and Ciaran McManus. They came 3rd of 4 in 3.30.04.
The SIAB SCHOOLS INTERNATIONAL TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS took place at the Mary Peters Track in Belfast on Saturday. Oliver Hopkins, who was denied his Irish schools’ international singlet when he won the All-Ireland schools’ junior cross-country race back in March 2020 due to the first covid-19 lockdown, was on the start line this time in the Boys 1,500m event. The race was won by English schools’ champion Henry Dover, a member of Colchester & Tendring Athletics Club, who ran a 3 seconds PB of 3.51.64. 2nd placed Oliver Patton from Scotland also set a PB of 3.54.46. Hopkins was involved in the battle for 3rd place but lost out to William Rabjohns of England. The Donore Harriers athlete ran a time of 3.59.51, just a fraction of a second off his PB. There were 8 athletes in the field.
Donore Harriers had just one team compete in the NATIONAL JUVENILE RELAY CHAMPIONSHIPS at Tullamore on Saturday. The U14 Boys 4 x 100m relay team of Elliott Whelan, Luuk Jackson, Conor Garvey, and Luis Blinco progressed from Heat 2 as fastest losers when placing 5th in a time of 54.37. The same quartet came 8th in the final in 55.16.
In Sunday’s NATIONAL UNDER 20 & UNDER 23 TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS, also at Tullamore, Donore Harriers athletes claimed six medals – all in the Under 23 category.
Lara O’Byrne had a busy day competing in four events. The multi-eventer began by claiming a silver medal in the Shot Putt with a 3rd attempt best effort of 10.22m. Ciara Sheehy of Emerald AC was the winner and Fiona Hennessy of Templemore AC was 3rd. O’Byrne was next up in the High Jump. She made first attempt clearances at 1.55m and 1.60m before equalling her personal best with a second effort clearance over 1.65m. She failed to clear 1.70m, thus conceded the gold medal to Ciara Kennelly (1.70m) of Killarney Valley AC. Louise King (1.60m) of St. Colman’s South Mayo AC took the bronze.
The Donore Harriers athlete finally struck gold in the Javelin. It was a tense contest with O’Byrne getting her best mark when her 3rd throw was measured at 29.86m. Abbey Fitzgerald of Leevale AC did her level best with her final two throws to overtake the Donore Harriers star, but her best of 28.86m was a metre short of O’Byrne’s mark. Sasha Barrett-Ferris of City of Lisburn AC came 3rd with 26.06m.
Daragh McAuley hurdled to a new personal best time of 56.84 to claim a bronze medal in the U23 Men’s 400m hurdles final. McAuley ran very well in the middle of the race and narrowly failed to catch runner-up Eoin Sharkey (56.67) of Tir Chonnaill AC. The winner was Ciaran Nugent (53.64) of Carraig-Na-bhFear AC.
Next on the track for Donore Harriers was Louis O’Loughlin who was defending the national under 23s 800m title. His main rival Jake Bagge took out the race for the opening 600m passing the 400m point in 55 seconds. O’Loughlin stayed within 3 metres of the Ferrybank AC athlete and then moved to the front with 200m remaining and eased away from his rivals down the final strait to win in 1.51.21. Bagge (1.53.95) took silver in front of Kyle Moorhead (1.55.62) of Craughwell AC.
Lara O’Byrne having already bagged a gold and two silver medals in field events next lined up in the final of the U23s Women’s 100m Hurdles. She ran a time of 14.41, just one-hundredth of a second off her own club record time, to finish a close second behind Niamh O’Neill (14.32) of St. Colman’s South Mayo AC. Bevan McCaffrey (15.80) of Annalee AC was 3rd.
James and Thomas Bolton were the club’s only Under 20 competitors. Both competed in a star-laded 3,000m race with 3 members of the Irish team that placed 2nd in the European cross-country championships on the start line. James Bolton who won the Under 19 championship over the same distance a week earlier competed well to finish in 8th place in a time of 8.54.61. His younger brother Thomas, who still has 3 years to compete in the age class, came 14th in 9.30.59.
David McConn was first home for Donore Harriers in the FINGAL 10KM ROAD RACE at Swords on Sunday morning. Sunny, humid conditions and an undulating course that started and finished on the Main Street made for some arduous running. McConn (34.58) came 24th overall and placed 4th in the M40 category. Next in black and white singlet was Grace Kennedy-Clarke (38.47) who placed 106th overall and finished as 10th woman and 3rd in the W35 age group.
Gavin White (41.20) was 213th overall and 51st in the senior men’s category. The other Donore Harriers finishers were Chris Muldoon (41.35) 225th and 28th M45, Ariana Ball (42.07) 251st and 5th W35, Tony Griffin (42.46) 275th and 3rd M60, John Paul O’Hanlon (43.32) 309th and 67th M35, Dean Fullston (44.21) 349th and 10th M55, Patrick Farrell (45.46) 425th and 100th M40, and Mark Devine (47.41) 553rd and 83rd M45. There were 1,933 finishers. The race winners were Peter Somba (30.47) of Dunboyne AC and Grace Lynch (34.00) of Iveragh AC, Co. Kerry.
Ann Woodlock was the club’s sole competitor in the BUSINESS HOUSES DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL 5KM ROAD RACE at Irishtown on Wednesday (15.07.2022). The race started and finished on the Irishtown track and included 3 laps of Ringsend Park. Woodlock completed the course in 34.37 to place 113th overall and 1st W80.
In the IMRA DJOUCE THE AYLING ABYSS mountain race in Co. Wicklow last Wednesday Ben Conroy came 65th in a time of 1.17.20 and Honor Lynch was 1st junior woman when placing 87th overall in a time of 1.27.12. The race distance was 10.64km and the total climb was just over 600 metres. There were 121 finishers.
In PARKRUNS Maura Kearns (18.45) was 3rd overall and 1st woman at NAAS. Ian Fitzgerald (17.18) was first home at CASTLETOWN and Fergal Whitty (18.06) was 1st at HARTSTOWN. Ann Woodlock completed her second race of the week when placing 35th at BRICKFIELDS. Juvenile members Eoin Mooney (20.17) and Dylan McKenna (19.56) came 3rd respectively at CORKAGH and WATERSTOWN.
More results below.
Results in brief:
BHAA DCC RINGSEND 5KM ROAD RACE at Irishtown (13.07.2022)
113rd & 1st W80 Ann Woodlock (34.37)
117 finishers
IMRA DJOUCE THE AYLING ABYSS 10.64KM at Co. Wicklow (13.07.2022)
65th Ben Conroy M50 (1.17.20)
87th & 1st Junior woman Honor Lynch (1.27.12)
121 finishers
WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS at Eugene, Oregon (15.07.2022)
MIXED 4 x 400m RELAY HEAT 2: 1st Dominican Republic 3.13.22, 2nd Ireland (Leg 3 Jack Raftery 45.37) 3.13.88, 3rd Jamaica 3.13.95
MIXED 4 x 400m RELAY FINAL: 1st Dominican Republic 3.09.82 WL, 2nd Netherlands 3.09.90 NR, 3rd USA 3.10.16, 8th Ireland (Leg 3 Jack Raftery 45.90) 3.16.86
SCHOOLS INTERNATIONAL ATHLETICS BOARD INTERNATIONAL at Mary Peters Track, Belfast (16.07.2022)
BOYS 1,500m: 4th Oliver Hopkins (3.59.51)
NATIONAL JUVENILE RELAY CHAMPIONSHIPS at Tullamore (16.07.2022)
U14 BOYS 4 x 100m RELAY HEAT 2: 5th Donore Harriers <Elliott Whelan, Luuk Jackson, Conor Garvey, Luis Blinco> 54.37 q.
U14 BOYS 4 x 100m RELAY FINAL: 8th Donore Harriers <Eliott Whelan, Luuk Jackson, Conor Garvey, Luis Blinco> 55.16
NATIONAL UNDER 20 AND UNDER 23 TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS at Tullamore (17.07.2022)
U20 MEN’S 3,000m FINAL: 8th James Bolton (8.54.61), 14th Thomas Bolton (9.30.59)
U23 WOMEN’S 100m HURDLES FINAL: 2nd Lara O’Byrne (14.41) SILVER
U23 MEN’S 400m HURDLES FINAL: 3rd Daragh McAuley (56.84 PB) BRONZE
U23 MEN’S 800m FINAL: 1st Louis O’Loughlin (1.51.21) GOLD
U23 WOMEN’S HIGH JUMP: 2nd Lara O’Byrne (1.65m) SILVER
U23 WOMEN’S SHOT PUTT: 2nd Lara O’Byrne (10.22m) SILVER
U23 WOMEN’S JAVELIN: 1st Lara O’Byrne (29.86) GOLD
FINGAL 10KM ROAD RACE at Swords (17.07.2022)
24th & 4th M40 David McConn (34.58 PB)
106th, 10th woman & 3rd W35 Grace Kennedy-Clarke (38.47)
213th & 51st MS Gavin White (41.20)
225th & 28th M45 Chris Muldoon (41.35)
251st & 5th W35 Ariana Ball (42.07)
275th & 3rd M60 Tony Griffin (42.46)
309th & 67th M35 John Paul O’Hanlon (43.32)
349th & 10th M55 Dean Fullston (44.21)
425th & 100th M40 Patrick Farrell (45.46)
553rd & 83rd M45 Mark Devine (47.41)
1,933 finishers – chip positions listed
PARKRUNS 5km (16.07.2022)
BRICKFIELDS: 35th Ann Woodlock W80 (36.16)
CASTLETOWN: 1st Ian Fitzgerald MS (17.18)
CORKAGH: 3rd Eoin Mooney M11-14 (20.17), 86th Terry Mee M75 (31.43)
GRIFFEEN: 44th Joe Kinsella M15-17 (24.47)
HARTSTOWN: 1st Fergal Whitty M45 (18.06)
NAAS: 3rd and 1st woman Maura Kearns W35 (18.45)
POPPINTREE: 99th Eilish Joyce W40 (34.30)
SPORTS CAMPUS: 8th Tom Fagan M50 (22.19)
WATERSTOWN: 3rd Dylan McKenna M15-17 (19.56)