Week ending Saturday 4th June
Big medal haul for Mullingar at Leinster T&F
The Leinster Junior, Senior and Masters T&F Championships were held in a sun-soaked Carlow last Saturday and Sunday where eleven Mullingar athletes amassed seventeen medals between them, including two senior titles, one junior title and seven masters titles, making this a very rewarding week-end for Mullingar.
Mullingar got off to a flying start on Saturday morning in the master women 1,500m where the Mullingar women contested very strongly and after an excellent race, Linda Cunningham was rewarded with a silver medal in her category, Caroline Mullen took bronze in hers and Brigid McCabe took the gold and Leinster title in her category. On to the corresponding master men 1,500m where Gerard Gavin put in a great effort but had to settle for a place out of the medals in fifth place in his category but a great consolation was a new personal best of 4 minutes 44.16 seconds. Also running very well and finishing strongly was Aidan O’Donoghue to take earn the silver medal in his category, as did Nicky McCabe who also won silver in his category.
Charles Okafor would normally have several races under his belt by this time of year, but he had to delay the start to his outdoor season and finally got it underway in the junior men 100m where a second place finish in his heat earned him a place in final where he ran quicker again but finished just out of the medals in fourth place in a very close race. His time in the final was 11.06 seconds into a headwind, the fastest he has run in the first race of a season, which augers very well for the season ahead. Charles rounded off the day by running the anchor leg for the Irish junior men 4x100m relay, taking the baton in the lead and powering down the home straight to win in a very good 41.42 seconds.
Staying with the track, Paddy Boyhan tried a new event for him, the master men 400m and after negotiating the one lap sprint, was delighted to finish third in his category and win the bronze medal.
Over in the field events, Aidan O’Donoghue was having a busy day, winning his category and the Leinster title in the master men shot putt by a considerable margin, his best coming in the second of four attempts. Aidan then moved to the master men javelin where he won his second Leinster title, his best throw in the second round was good enough to put daylight between him and second place. In the master men shot putt, Paddy Boyhan took a while to get his rhythm but his best effort came in the last of four attempts to earn him another Leinster bronze medal. In the master men weight for distance, throwing the heavy 28 pound weight with one hand, Tom Walsh put together an excellent series to win the gold medal and Leinster title in his category. To put Tom’s performance in context, how many people in the Club could throw a 12kg weight nearly 8m using one hand? That’s throwing a 2 stone bag of potatoes the length of a good sized sitting room, with one hand.
The walks dominated the attention of the Mullingar athletes on Sunday morning where Andrew Glennon was untroubled and cruised to victory and the Leinster title in the junior men 5,000m walk and this was followed up with an excellent performance by Colm Walsh winning the senior men 5,000m walk giving Mullingar a senior Leinster title.
Meanwhile, at the field events, Aidan O’Donoghue leaped to gold in his category of the master men high jump, to win his fourth medal of the week-end and his third Leinster master title, while Paddy Boyhan jumped to victory in his category of the master men triple jump, a new event for Paddy, to win his third medal of the week-end, his second Leinster master title, adding another title when he won the master men long jump.
In the master men 5,000m run, Gerard Gavin showed little sign of fatigue after his personal best over 1,500m only the day before, and with a terrific display of determination and focus, accelerated hard at the bell and pushing strongly all the way to the line, was very pleased to finish second in his category and win the silver medal. The day finished with the senior men 5,000m run, where Vinny Connolly was running his first track race in ten years. Vinny transferred his recent excellent form on the road race circuit to the track and going off strong from the gun, settled into his running and with consummate ease kept up the pressure in the leading group which had reduced to just two going into the final kilometre. Accelerating hard at the bell, Vinny quickly opened a gap that increased with every stride to come home well clear and win the Leinster senior title in style to round off a terrific week-end of track and field action for Mullingar Harriers.
Jack O’Leary on International Duty
Jack O’Leary was in action in the European 10,000m Cup in Pacé, France last Saturday evening, finishing in a time of 30 minutes 9 seconds. This was Jack’s first appearance on an Irish senior international team, having competed at schools, under and under 23 level previously. Jack can now look forward to a strong track season, which will include the National Senior Championships on June 25 and 26.
PB for Oisin Lane in Spain
Still a relative newcomer to the 20k race walk distance, Oisin Lane competed last Saturday in the Gran Premio Cantones de La Coruña, a World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold event, held in the city of La Coruña in north east Spain, near Santiago de Compostela. It was very warm, with temperature of 30degC at the start, 27degC at 10k and down to 24degC at the finish, which are very challenging conditions for such a long race, but Oisin worked and fought hard very hard to finish in 86 minutes 45 seconds, a personal best by 21 seconds, placing an excellent forty sixth out of one hundred and five participants in an elite field of World class senior athletes with all continents represented.
Coralstown NS 5k
The Coralstown NS 5k takes place this Wednesday evening (1 June) and given its proximity, we expect that a good number from the Club will make the short trip to Coralstown to support this local race, an important fundraiser for Coralstown National School, which takes place on a lovely scenic route including quiet country roads and stretches of the Royal Canal towpath.
All-Ireland Schools T&F Finals
This Saturday one of the very best fixtures on the athletics calendar, the All-Ireland Schools Track & Field Championships, takes place in Tullamore. Anyone with even a passing interest in athletics should make the effort to attend and see athletic competition at its very best. This is always a great day of athletics as every event is a final. Medals will be keenly contested but good luck to all Mullingar Harriers athletes in action who are well prepared and will feature in a wide range of events including walks, sprints, middle distance and field events. The Club will see nine of its members competing and we wish the very best of luck to Club members Aisling Lane (Mercy Ballymahon) Inter 2,000m walk, John Glennon (St. Finian’s) Junior 1,200m walk, Andrew Glennon (St. Finian’s) Inter 2,000m walk, Matthew Glennon (St. Finian’s) Senior 3,000m walk, Jamie Wallace (Colaiste Mhuire) Junior 1,500m, Grace Byrne (Loreto Mullingar) u/16 mile, Conor Sherwin (Colaiste Mhuire) u/16 mile, Ross Killalea (Colaiste Mhuire) Inter 3,000m and Diarmuid Fagan (Colaiste Mhuire) Senior 5,000m who will be in action representing their Schools and Colleges. Spectators attending should get there in good time and be prepared for a long but hugely entertaining and exciting day.
The All-Ireland Schools reminds us to wish the very best of luck to all Club members who are taking school exams over the next few weeks and to remind them that it is very wise to take regular breaks from studying to keep fresh and alert. Pop on your running shoes and go for an easy run now and again; you’ll feel all the better for it after and come back to studying fresher and more alert.
Leinster Children’s Games and Juvenile u12 & u13 T&F
Best of luck to our young under 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 years athletes in Tullamore this Sunday. The under 9, 10 and 11 year old will compete as pairs in the Children’s Games, while the under 12 and 13 years will compete as individuals.
Entries for Leinster underage T&F
Please note that the online entry system for the Leinster Juvenile under 14 to 19 and the remaining under 12 and 13 events that takes place in Tullamore on 18 and 19 June will close next Thursday evening (9 June). This year, athletes must enter themselves using the Athletics Leinster online entry system. Athletes will need their Athletics Ireland life registration number to submit their entries, which they can get from their coach or from Greg. The system is not the most intuitive, so please do not leave it until the last minute to log in and submit entries in case you have problems. If anyone does experience difficulty, do not hesitate to contact Greg for assistance.
June Committee Meeting
The next monthly meeting of the committee takes place next Tuesday 7th June in the Club house at 8.20pm after training and a full attendance is requested. There will be a full Agenda, so a full attendance is required.
Check the Club’s website at www.mullingarharriers.com or its Facebook page for all the latest news.
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