Poděbrady Race Walking Festival 2018 (7th April)

Jennifer Fidgeon strides it out in the Youth Women 5k

The Poděbrady Race Walking Festival in the Czech Republic on Saturday 7th April included the Czech National Championships, an International match and was a European Athletics Grand Prix meeting. Among the contingent from Ireland under the watchful eye of our own Michael Lane and getting a flavour of International competition was Rachel Glennon and Jennifer Fidgeon. Competing against top quality opposition and despite racing in very warm 17degC conditions, which was very testing for the girls, they both recorded personal best times in their races.

Rachel competed in the gruelling Senior Women 20k race and put in a very good performance to finish in 1:59:40, her first time under the two hour mark and a big PB for her. Jennifer started well and kept in close contact with the leading group throughout the Youth Women (u/18) 5k, and found a little extra over the final kilometre to finish strongly in a fantastic 7th place in 25:14, a new PB for her but much more importantly is inside the qualifying standard of 25:30 set by AAI for the European Youth (u/18) T&F in Hungary in July. Jennifer continues to improve in race walking and this race marked a real breakthrough performance for her.