National u/20 & u/23 T&F 2025 (5th July)
After a very long day of competition at the National u/20 and u/23 T&F in Tullamore on Saturday 5th July, the first and last individual track races saw National Titles won by Aisling Lane and Diarmuid Fagan, book-ending what was a very good Championships for the small group from Mullingar Harriers that competed.
Having walked 13:57 and 13:55 (a Leinster record) in her last two 3,000m walk races, Aisling Lane knew that she only needed one second faster in the 3,000m u/23 Walk to set a new Championship Record, but breezy conditions and a rain soaked track made this a tougher challenge than anticipated. Only one competitor managed to stay with her for the first lap but from then on Aisling moved to the front and it became a solo effort. Despite the conditions, she held form and technique throughout. At the bell for the last lap she needed a swift 1:45 lap to achieve her goal and with determination she drove on hard over the final lap to cross the finish line first in 13:54.98, a new personal best, a new Championship Record by just one second, bettering the previous set 35 years ago in 1990, and mission accomplished for a delighted Aisling. This is also a Mullingar Harriers Club Record, so in the Club’s 50th Anniversary, Aisling’s name is added another time to the list of Club record holders. A PB, a CR, a Club Record – one second giving three happy results.
Matthew Glennon competed in the 5,000m u/23 Walk but a tightness in his hamstring hampered him and affected his technique, something you simply won’t get away with in the race walk. After receiving several warnings, he was eventually stopped a little over halfway through and disqualified, a terrible disappointment but one of the perils of Championship race walking.
Third in his heat of the 200m u/20 was enough for Kyle Faherty to qualify for the final. Drawing the tight inside lane two in the final, Kyle blasted from the blocks and ran an excellent bend and was well positioned coming into the home straight. Despite holding his form and continuing to work hard to the line he had to settle for sixth place, out of the medals but will take great encouragement from reaching another National sprint final.
The 200m u/23 was a straight final where Mohammad Al Bashir also drew the tight inside lane two, not ideal. He put that aside though and with a good start from the blocks, quickly got into his running and blasted around the bend into the home straight where he held his form and finished strong, out of the medal places unfortunately, but can be satisfied with his effort.
The final individual track race of the day, the 5,000m u/23, started fast but quickly settled into a good rhythm with Diarmuid Fagan leading the chasing pack on the early leader who had gone out hard and kept pushing on in the early laps, with John Ryan, a real medal prospect, tucked in nicely into the chasing pack. Drawing on his racing experience, Diarmuid knew the leader’s pace was too strong, so bided his time and slowly closed the gap. With six laps to go, Diarmuid took the lead and pressed on as the leading group began to break up and string out, but with John Ryan keeping in touch. With 600m to go, Diarmuid pushed on and at the bell surged forward, quickly opening a big gap on the back straight that couldn’t be closed and he came home clear to win the National Title. John finished fast behind in fourth, very disappointed not to realise his pre-race plans of winning a medal, but fourth at this level is an excellent result [GD].
