Week ending Saturday 19th May
Mullingar Masters success at Leinster Road Championships
It’s been a long time since Mullingar fielded teams in the Leinster Road Race Championships, so it was great to see a Mullingar team in both the master men over 35 and over 50 years of age categories on the May Bank Holiday Monday (7th May) in Gowran, Co. Kilkenny. It was very warm, but with a race distance of only 6k, it was manageable and the Mullingar men gave very good accounts of themselves.
First home for Mullingar was Gerard Gavin (20:42) sixteenth overall and fourth in his category, just missing an individual medal by a few seconds, followed closely by Eddie Newman (20:52) finishing third in his category, then Evan McCormack (21:19) making his competitive debut for Mullingar with a fine performance, ahead of Patrick Muldoon Junior (22:05), Pauric Brady (22:41), Liam McGlynn (23:40), Paul Ginnell (24:26) and Michael O’Sullivan (25:14) finishing fourth in his category. When the team scores were reckoned after the race, the team of Gerard, Evan, Patrick and Pauric finished eighth Club and a very creditable fifth County. It was better news for Eddie, Liam, Paul and Michael who were delighted to finish first Club and a very competitive fifth County. Congratulations to our master men.
Club’s youngest athletes to compete in Tullamore
We’ve received very late notice of an ideal competition for our younger members to take part in this Friday evening at 6.30pm, when boys and girls from u/9 (born 2010) to u/14 (born 2005) can compete at the annual Inter-County Athletics Match between Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath in Tullamore Harriers Stadium. Despite the title, this really is a low key very friendly competition and a chance for everyone to try several events – sprint, middle distance, long jump, turbo javelin or shot. Entry is €2 per child to cover the cost of medals and is payable on the night. The boys and girls from Mullingar Harriers will compete alongside athletes from other Westmeath Clubs, against Clubs from Laois, Longford and Offaly. If you ran in the Westmeath Indoors and enjoyed it, you’re in for a treat on Friday evening as it will be just as much fun.
There is no pre-selection – just turn up and compete. This is an ideal competition for our younger athletes and newcomers and we expect to see all our younger Club members take part. It’s an Inter-County competition, so no need to worry if you don’t have a Club vest, but wear one if you have one or any maroon and white top. Finally, remember 5mm spikes or runners only on the track in Tullamore.
Tullamore AC 5k
A bit of decent weather last Sunday drew a great turn-out of 310 people from far and wide to the Tullamore AC 5k. Of course, as it was so close, Mullingar was well represented among the entrants, and leading the Mullingar group home was Eddie Newman in 17:09, fourteenth overall and second in his master age category, just ahead of Mark Carroll who finished right on Eddie’s heels in 17:10, then came Alan Crowley (17:54), Mervyn Kennedy (20:16), Michelle O’Halloran (21:19) and Gordon Ward (21:43) making up the half dozen flying the flag for Mullingar.
Strong performance by Sinead Whitelaw in Castlebar
A delay in publishing results meant that we couldn’t report last week on the West of Ireland Women’s Mini Marathon in a warm Castlebar, Co. Mayo on Sunday 6th May. Someone of Sinead Whitelaw’s calibre was rightly given a place on the front row with the elite athletes and so was able to quickly get into her running from the start and not get stuck behind nearly 1,400 women runners, joggers and walkers. While most of the entrants were happy to walk or jog and just cover the 10k distance, up front there was a great battle among the top half dozen or so women, including Sinead who stayed right in the mix and was very happy to come home in second place in 38:56.
Jack O’Leary in the USA
Competing for Iona College in the MAAC T&F (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) on Sunday 6th May at Rider University in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, Jack O’Leary took out the early pace before settling in with the 3-man leading group from Iona that worked together as a team until the final kilometre when they began to separate, but by then the top places were secured and it finished 1-2-3 for Iona, with Jack claiming third place in 14:36.74, including a strong 66 second final lap to put down a marker for the season ahead.
Leinster Schools T&F
We wish the very best of luck to our underage Club members that will be competing for their Schools and Colleges this week at the Leinster Schools T&F Championships in Santry, all looking to qualify for the All-Ireland Schools Finals in Tullamore in early June.
Leinster Juvenile Relays
This coming Sunday the first of the Leinster T&F Championships takes place when the Club will have a number of sprint relay teams in action at the Leinster Juvenile Relays in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford. Teams entered are 4x100m for boys u/12 and u/13, and girls u/13, u/18 and u/19. Please check the timetable on the notice board in the Clubhouse for the time of your event.
Last chance to submit entries for Leinster underage T&F
Entries for the Leinster underage T&F in June are coming in thick and fast, which is great, but this Thursday evening at training is the last chance to get your entry in.
The younger u/9, 10 and 11 years of age compete in pairs, so they need to think about who they would like to be partnered with; if they are unsure, please ask the coaches of these age groups for guidance. Their event is the Leinster Pairs T&F (u/9, 10 and 11) on 9th June. The Leinster u/12 and 13 T&F will be spread over three days 9th, 16th and 17th June. The older u/14 to u/19 Leinster T&F will be on 16th and 17th June.
Application forms are available in the Clubhouse and make sure to return it by this Thursday to avoid disappointment. Needless to say, if you don’t return an entry form, you won’t be entered.
Fundraising Table Quiz
Thanks to everyone who supported our fundraising table quiz last Friday night. Congratulations to all the winners and special thanks to Michael O’Sullivan for the great questions and of course to Paul Fox of Wallace’s pub in Dalystown for the venue.
Thanks also to all the families that contributed to our raffle prizes; it is as always greatly appreciated by the Club. Finally sincere thanks to our sponsors – Fagan’s Photo Zone, Rock and Bowl, Jasmine, Versatile Hair Salon, JP Foy Menswear, Grange Motors, Back in Action Physiotherapy, OE Bikes, Lloyds Pharmacy, McDonnell Property Partners and Marguerite Buckley Solicitors for their generous donation of raffle and spot prizes.
Finally, the Executive and members of the Club extend sincere sympathy to Ciara Dillon and the entire Dillon family on the death of her mother, Mary, RIP and to Alanna and Callum Costello on the death of their grandmother, Maidie Reidy RIP.
For the latest results, news and details of all upcoming fixtures check the Club’s website www.mullingarharriers.com. You can also follow what is happening at the Club on our Facebook page.
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