Week ending Saturday 5th September
Homecoming for Jack and Oisin
There was a large gathering of our juvenile athletes at the club last Tuesday evening when we officially welcomed home Jack O’Leary and Oisin Lane following their performances in the recent European T&F Championships in Birmingham, England. Our juvenile members were keen to hear from Jack and Oisin on their experiences. A very insightful question and answer session took place with some great tips from both who have come right up through the juvenile ranks to senior in the club. Our current juveniles were keen to get insights into training tips, as well as preparation for racing. The different approaches for Jack as a track, road and cross-country runner and Oisin who specialises in race walking were very informative. They both shared their knowledge, which has great relevance to our younger athletes as they plot a pathway to hopefully compete both Nationally and Internationally in the future. The homecoming ended with a one lap jog around the track, where several boys and girls were determined to leave our two Internationals in their wake!!
Sean McMullin Double World Masters Champion
It was raining heavily on music fans at Electric Picnic in Laois last Friday night, but at the same time on the far side of the World in Daegu (South Korea) it was early on Saturday morning and it was absolutely lashing rain, definitely no picnic for the 83 men who took to the start line for the 20k race walk at the World Masters Championships. As well as the rain, the men had to endure hot 28degC temperatures and high humidity, very tough conditions for a 20k endurance event.
Sean McMullin was looking to add to his gold medal from the 10k race walk the previous Saturday and set about the task with his customary grit and determination. Sticking to his race plan, always under the vigilant eyes of the judges, he carefully controlled his pace and using all the water stations to keep well hydrated, he battled on and crossed the finish line 2 hours 41 minutes 51 seconds later to win his age category by over 10 minutes and add his second World Masters title of these Championships. This is a great result for a dedicated Mullingar Harrier on the World stage [GD].
Tullamore Half Marathon
The annual BnM Tullamore Harriers Half Marathon took place on Saturday morning. It was damp and overcast following heavy overnight rain. The humidity was a significant factor for the 1,174 finishers, with many remarking on the difficulties at times from the constant heat like conditions. Plenty of well serviced drinking stations along the route helped the athletes. The half marathon incorporated the Leinster Half, and for the first time, the Westmeath Half Marathon too. 55 athletes from Mullingar Harriers completed the half marathon, our largest ever group in this race.
Pride of place goes to our senior ladies’ team of Niamh McEntegart, Jacintha Reilly, Orlaith Flanagan and Criona Reid who won the Phyllis Delaney Cup for first women Club team. This was for the overall top team in the open race that included athletes from across the Country with 4 athletes to score. Our men’s team of Dan Morris, Kris Foster, Griffen Kearney and Johnny Morrissey placed an excellent third Club.
The big Mullingar squad was led home by Dan Morris in an excellent tenth place in 1:11:26. In the women’s race, Niamh McEntegart (1:23:08) finished third woman overall, but as she was the second woman from Leinster, she was awarded the individual Leinster senior silver medal. With Niamh winning a senior medal, Jacintha Reilly (1:30:01) moved up to third place in her master category to win the bronze medal. Leinster master gold medals in their age categories were won by Dan Morris, Eddie Newman (1:22:56), Criona Reid (1:33:23) and Mary Stuart (1:36:39), and silver was won by Marie Louise Johnston (1:38:32).
In the Leinster Team events, the senior men team of Dan Morris, Kris Foster (1:15:08) and Griffin Kearney (1:17:16) were third club, and the senior women team of Niamh McEntegart, Jacintha Reilly and Orlaith Flanagan (1:33:05) went one better and finished second club. The over 35 master women team of Criona Reid, Mary Stuart and Aeilish McGovern (1:37:49) was third club, a mere five seconds away from the silver medals.
There were county teams too and the master women over 35 team were victorious by a big margin thanks to the combined times of Niamh McEntegart, Jacintha Reilly, Criona Reid, Mary Stuart, Aeilish McGovern and Orla Gillespie (1:37:33) and in the master women over 50 with just four needed to score, Marie Louise Johnston led the Westmeath team to victory by a big margin thanks to terrific support from Athlone AC’s Rosie Greene, Maura Shine and Triona Kinane. It was victory too for the Westmeath senior men team of Dan Morris, Kris Foster, Griffin Kearney Johnny Morrissey (1:17:17), Alan Crowley (1:17:24), and Ken Whitelaw (1:18:42)
Also competing was John Long (1:17:12), Andy Boyhan (1:19:25), Steven Underwood (1:23.01), Dara O’Shea (1:25:15), Alan Coyne (1:28:02), Declan Claffey (1:32:18), Conor Collison (1:30:18), Conor Corcoran (1:31:49), Timmy Mescall (1:31:53), Gerard Gavin (1:32:17), Declan Claffey (1:32:18), Ger Feerick (1:32:25), Darren Carroll (1:33:11), Tommy Byrne (1:34:34), Mick Fagan (1:34:42), Darragh O’Donoghue (1:35:56), Jason McKevitt (1:36:16), Barry White (1:36:20), Tom Byrne (1:37:34), Niamh Doherty (1:38:49), Richard Carey (1:39:25), Shaun Mills (1:41:03), Emer O’Hanlon (1:41:15), Zane Smukste (1:41:38), Aisling Corcoran (1:42:55), Mark Dunne (1:43:24), Joanna Bula (1:43:32), Matt Creagh (1:44:27), Eva McMorrow Byrne (1:45:39), Patrick Healy (1:46:07), Caroline Mullen (1:46:38), Mark Geoghegan (1:46:47), Ciara Dillon (1:50:00), Jillian O’Grady (1:50.47), Linda Cunningham (1:53:04), Brendan Rice (1:54:49), Claire Lennon Gavin (1:55:46), Matthew Johnston (1:57:52), Rodney Farry (1:59:12), Kevin O’Brien (2:03:58) and Megan Whiley (2:08:27).
In the Westmeath Championships it was gold for Niamh McEntegart in the senior ladies’ race, Jacintha Reilly taking silver and bronze going to Orlaith Flanagan. The men’s race was won by Dan Morris, with silver to Kris Foster and the bronze to Griffen Kearney. Female Over 35 saw gold to Niamh Doherty, silver to Elisha McDonnell (Coralstown – Kinnegad 1:51.02) and bronze to Gina O’Neill (Athlone 2:25.29). The men’s over 35 saw gold to Johnny Morrissey, silver to Andy Boyhan and bronze to Steven Underwood. Over 40 females, was gold for Lisa Fahy (Athlone 1:48.39), silver Lisa Coleman (North Westmeath 1:53.26) and bronze to Rebecca Rushe (Athlone 1:55.23). Over 40 men, gold for Alan Crowley, silver for Kieran Shine (Athlone 1:24.37) with the bronze to Conor Collison. Over 45 females, gold to Orla Gillespie, silver to Aeilish McGovern and bronze to Zen Smukste. Male over 45, gold to Ken Whitelaw, silver to Dara O’Shea and bronze to Daragh O’Brien (North Westmeath 1:36.35). Female Over 50 – gold to Marie Louise Johnston, silver to Maura Shine (Athlone 1:39.15) and bronze to Triona Kinnane (Athlone 1:40.17). Male Over 50 – gold to Pauric Whelehan (Athlone 1:28.10), silver to Gerard Gavin and bronze to Mick Fagan. Female over 55 – gold to Criona Reid, silver to Emer O’Hanlon and bronze to Caroline Mullen. The men’s over 55 resulted in gold for Andrew Bracken (Coralstown Kinnegad 1:42.18), silver to Matt Creagh and bronze to Denis Bergin (Athlone 2:07.02). Female over 60 saw gold to Mary Stuart, and silver to Rosie Green (Athlone 1:39.05). The men’s over 60 resulted in gold to Eddie Newman, silver to Mel Leahy (North Westmeath 1:50.27) and bronze to Eamonn Campbell (North Westmeath 1:50.25) [MO’S]
International Duty for Jack Moran
On foot of his excellent sixth place finish in the 5,000m at the National Senior T&F in Santry a month ago (26 July), Jack Moran was selected for the Irish team to compete over 5k at the Antrim Coast Half Marathon & 5k in Larne, Northern Ireland last Sunday week (23 Aug). While the course is billed as a fast one, Jack admitted his twelfth-place finish in 14:43 wasn’t his best race this year, but it’s been a long season, and he was happy to finish it in an Irish singlet and be part of the Irish team that finished first. It’s been eleven years since Jack made his international debut in 2015 and it’s great to see him still competing on the international stage [GD].
Longford Train Run series
The fourth and final night of the Longford trail run series took place last Wednesday evening with Newcastle Woods the host venue on this occasion. A total of 154 athletes completed the run. For Mullingar Harriers, Darragh O’Donoghue finished seventh overall in 19:40, with Maura Dervin running strongly to record a time of 22:07. Kieran Dodrill ran 22:17, with Therese Glynn coming home in 25:02. Aidan O’Donoghue recorded a time of 26:30 [MO’S].
Cross country season approaches
The start of the cross-country season is only a few weeks away. Now is the time to slowly begin the build up to the end of September for the Westmeath Schools Cross Country, the Star of the Sea AC Open Cross Country, before the Westmeath and Leinster cross countries in October.
Important dates for the diary
Please take note of the following important cross-country dates. Westmeath Schools in Belvedere (23 Sept), Star of the Sea AC Open in Co. Meath (27 Sept), Athletics Westmeath day one for even ages and all adults in Belvedere (Sat 3 Oct), and day two for uneven ages in Belvedere (Sun 11 Oct), followed by Athletics Leinster in Co. Kildare (24 Oct) and Co. Kilkenny (7 Nov).
Check the Club’s website at www.mullingarharriers.com or its Facebook page for all the latest news.
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