Possible delay on return to competition (16th July)

The numbers everyone involved in athletics are familiar with are times run, distances jumped, distances thrown, personal bests, season’s bests, records etc, but in these Covid-19 times, we’ve also become very familiar with the R-number or reproductive rate, of the virus, which unfortunately is rising again. From Monday 20th July, we should have entered phase 4 of the Reopening Roadmap, and the increased limit of 500 persons at an outdoor event would allow the Leinster T&F competitions scheduled for the August 1st, 8th and 9th to be held. However, with phase 4 paused until Monday 10th August, if the events proceed, numbers attending will be restricted to only 200 persons, with obvious implications for the Leinster fixtures. Athletics Leinster is meeting to review the situation and consider the possibilities, which might include going ahead as planned but with a reduced programme, limiting the number of entries per event, rescheduling to later dates, or abandoning the fixtures altogether. Some of our older juvenile, junior, senior and master members should have been eagerly awaiting the return to track and field competition in two weeks time but unfortunately, we’ll have to await the decision of Athletics Leinster, so for now, entries are on hold.