Athletics Westmeath XC 2025 – Day 1 (5th Oct)

Storm Any fails to disrupt Athletics Westmeath Cross Country

We were very fortunate that the last of rain and strong winds of Storm Amy had blown across the Country during Saturday night, and Sunday morning 5th October dawned clear and dry for Day 1 of the Athletics Westmeath Cross Country in Belvedere. It was still a bit windy but it was lovely and dry and we know that the ground in Belvedere holds up brilliantly despite rain, so underfoot conditions were very good.

Competition was for girls and boys under 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 years of age and for women and men under 18, 19, 20 and novice, senior and masters. There’s no doubt but Storm Amy didn’t put anyone off from taking part and the number of competitors was well up on previous years across all ages, helped by a good attendance by athletes from Athlone AC and Coralstown Kinnegad AC in the adult races, and a number of guest athletes from Longford AC and Shercock AC in the underage races. There was great competition in each race and performances were very encouraging in the older age groups in particular, where the focus was on places on Club and County teams at the Leinster Cross Country Championships.

The boys and girls that ran in the non-Championship under 8 and under 10 races really enjoyed themselves and were delighted with their medals, one for the top 20 finishers. Moving to the Championships proper, the course in Belvedere is a great test of cross country endurance and those that train there regularly will have no problem with any course at Leinster. There were some very good individual performances but Championship cross country is also about team running, so everyone was being closely watched by Club coaches, particularly the newcomers. Cross country racing always throws up some surprises, and we saw some surprising changes in the finishing order down through the fields in most races, which we expect to see more of as the season progresses. Some weren’t sure they’d finish in the medals and they surprised themselves on the day. It’s still early in the season and some will improve more than others as we near the Leinsters, so keep up the training and continue to deliver the surprises!

All the underage races were very keenly contested and the last race of the day was a combined race for women and men under 18, 19 and 20 years, and for novice, senior and master women and men. All the women ran 4,000m, the older master men also ran 4,000m, the senior men ran 8,000m and the rest of the men ran 6,000m, with everyone starting together and running over the same course but with different numbers of laps. It was some spectacle to see nearly 70 runners, the biggest field in many years, racing hard out from the start and making their way around the rolling hills of Belvedere. An added incentive to perform well this year was the introduction of Perpetual Trophies for u/20, senior and masters women and men, generously sponsored by Apache Pizza, John Gavin & Co. Accountants, Bell Lane Coffee Ltd., Brigid & Nicky McCabe, and Eoin Clarke & Co. Solicitors.

Ailbhe O’Farrell won the Apache Pizza u/20 woman trophy, Jamie Wallace won the Apache Pizza u/20 men trophy, Susan Glennon won the John Gavin & Co. Accountants senior women trophy, Dan Morris won the Bell Lane senior men trophy, Sinead Whitelaw won the Brigid & Nicky McCabe master women trophy, and Mark McAdden won the Eoin Clarke & Co. Solicitors master men trophy.

The Club’s masters group was well represented and it was great to see a number of our most recent new members compete in cross country for the very first time after just a few training sessions over the last few Saturdays. The training continues each Saturday now, so further opportunities will become available as the cross country season gets into full swing in the coming weeks.

Any of our juveniles who may be disappointed with their race on Day 1 has a chance to make amends on Day 2 on Sunday morning 12th October in Belvedere, when there will be races for boys and girls under 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17 years of age. The first race will be at 11am, so the younger runners should be in Belvedere before 10.30am to get ready and know where they have to run. The Athletics Westmeath Cross Country is an open competition and you don’t have to be a member of a Club to take part, so everyone is very welcome to compete.

The Leinster Championships take place over two days, with two weeks between each, so juvenile athletes can run in their own age group and can move up an age group to make up teams. Therefore, we expect all juveniles to compete on both days of the Westmeath Championships unless ill or injured or they might be disappointed if not selected. The results of both days and application in training will be used to select teams to represent the Club and Westmeath in the Leinster Championships. The results of the men and women races on Day 1 will also be used to select Club and County teams for the Leinster Championships.

Thanks to all who helped to record the results, marshal and steward on the course, to the many parents who came and supported the competitors, and to the Management & Staff of Belvedere for the use of the excellent grounds, our generous sponsors of the Perpetual Trophies, but especially to the athletes who provided great competition [GD/CW].

For u/8, u/10, u/ 12, u/14, u/16 results, click HERE; for u/18, u/19, u/20, Novice, Senior Master results, click HERE.