INDOORS
Irish athletics performance of the weekend came from Tallaght sprinter Rhasidat Adeleke who took silver in the women’s 400m and helped her team to another silver when anchoring the 4 x 400m relay at the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships held in Albuquerque, New Mexico on March 10-11.
In a 400m, run off in two races, Adeleke was a clear winner of the first in 50.45 secs which failed to beat the personal best 49.48 secs recorded by Britton Wilson when winning the second race. Running to pick up points for Washington University was Brian Fay of Raheny Shamrock AC who lined out in both the mile and 3000m. He finished eighth in the mile with a time of 4:05.07, having run 4:02.92 to qualify a day earlier. In the 3000m, held an hour after the mile final, he clocked 8:17.60 for 15th place. Washington finished fourth in the overall team standings - three points off bronze.
OUTDOOR RECORDS FOR FAVORS AND BARRY
Eric Favors of Raheny Shamrock AC broke his own Irish putt record when he threw 20.66m for fifth claim in the men’s shot put at the European Throwing Cup in Leiria, Portugal over the weekend. Favors had set the existing record of 20.50m last August. In February, he improved on his own Irish indoor shot record with a 20.16m effort. Nicola Barry of UCD AC set a new Irish women’s U23 record when finishing second in the U23 women’s hammer with a 64.44 throw. In the women’s discus, Niamh Fogarty of Raheny Shamrock AC threw 46.65 for 11th place in the senior event, while Anna Gavigan of Lambay Sports Academy was 12th in the U23 event with a throw of 46.95.
ROADS
In Spain on Saturday (March 11), Efrem Gidey of Clonliffe Harriers finished second in the 10km Villa de Laredo with a time of 28 mins 17 secs - not far off the personal best time of 27:57 he ran for the same distance in January, also in Spain. Raheny Shamrocks AC members were enjoying the sun in Portugal where Adrienne Atkins finished second W55 in the Lisbon 10km, with a time of 44 mins 31 secs and Mary Lynch was fifth W60 in the Lisbon Half Marathon.
Locally, the quality race of the weekend was the Bohermeen Half Marathon in Co Meath on Sunday (March 12), where Kate Purcell of Raheny Shamrocks AC won the women’s race in 78 mins 24 secs. Sergiu Ciobanu of Clonliffe Harriers finished fourth of the men in fourth in 67:41
DUBLIN MEN’S 10KM ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS - GARRISTOWN 10K
For the second time, the Dublin Men’s 10km Championships was run in conjunction with the Garristown Windmill 10km on Sunday (March 12). Winning the race in 31 mins exactly was David McCarthy of West Waterford AC Second and Dublin champion was Isak Eriksson of Dundrum South Dublin AC in 31:51, while third in 34:02 was Darren Ryan of Lusk AC. A close fourth and first M40 was David Kirwan of Raheny Shamrock AC in 34:08, who took the Dublin M45 title. Bernard Roe of Raheny Shamrock AC was first M40. First M50 (in a closely contested age category) was Keith Fleming of Raheny Shamrock, with Peter Gaffney of Donore Harriers second and Steven Rice of Lusk AC third and just three seconds separating the three. Other Dublin titles went to Dave Woods of Raheny Shamrock AC M55, Sean Ryan of Civil Service AC M60 and Tallaght AC’s Alan McCabe M65. Meath club Ratoath AC was first team, which meant that Raheny Shamrock AC 1 in second place took the Dublin title. They were followed by the Raheny Shamrock AC 4, with Lusk AC third. Other clubs represented were Lucan Harriers, LSA AC, Clonliffe Harriers, Fingallians AC, Dublin Bay RC and host club Garristown Flyers. First woman home was Jill Horan in 39:59. Second was Aisling Andrews of Clonliffe Harriers in 44:09, while third in 46:07 was Laura Knight. Taking the women’s team title was Garristown Flyers, with Lusk AC second. The full results of the Dublin Championships are in the attachment.
The Dublin Women’s 10km Championships will take place for a second year in conjunction with the VHI Women’s Mini Marathon on Sunday June 4.
LEINSTER INDOORS
At the Leinster Indoor Championships held at the NIA, Abbotstown on Saturday (March 11), the stand-out performance came from Mark Smyth of Raheny Shamrock AC who the broke the twenty-year old Irish record when winning the 200m in 20:64 secs. Finishing second was Marcus Lawler of Clonliffe Harriers in 21.10, beating his own club record. Leah Bernin of Clonliffe Harriers set a new championships record of 55.95 secs when winning the senior women’s 400m. Winning the senior men’s title was Joe Doody of Cabinteely AC in 49.68. Winning the senior men’s heptathlon was Rolus Olusa of Clonliffe Harriers with 5243 points. In the middle distances, Laura Tuite of Clonliffe Harriers won the women’s 1500m in 4:46.76. Taking the men’s title was Aaron Shorten of StLOT AC in 4:01.22. Lauren Carr of Clonliffe Harriers won the women’s 200m in 25.83 secs, followed by Cressida Amaniampong of Skerries AC.
In the masters categories, Clonliffe Harriers was having a good day. Women’s winners were Snezana Bechtina W40 200m, Edel Maguire W60 60m, high jump and 400m and the legendary Frances Mansfield, a club member since 1963, W75 shot and weight for distance. Of the men, Thomas Moran won the M45 200m and Matt Slattery the M70 200m; while the Sherlock brothers were also in winning form - Niall M35 800m and Tom Sherlock M35 1500m and 3000m.For DSD AC, Avril Dillon set a new W40 record of 8.68 secs in the 60m hurdles. Other winners for DSD were Shane Sheridan M60 60m and 200m, Kevin Byrne M50 60m H, long jump, and pole vault; Ronan Gately M50 200m, Peadar McGing M65 200m, high jump, pole vault; George Wyatt M55 long jump, Alison Beck W45 long jump, shot, pole vault, and Lucy Moore Fox W65 weight for distanceLusk AC was picking up medals in the field events - Garrett Lynch M45 long jump, Colin Burke M50 high jump, Stephen Fee M40 shot, and Colm O Donnachadha M45 weight for distance. Donore Harriers did well in the throws: Colm Tierney won the senior men’s shot and Neil Allen M45 shot and weight for distance. Carol Kearney of Lucan Harriers won both the M55 200m and 400m. Full results at www.athleticsleinster.com
SCHOOLS CROSS-COUNTRY
St Aidan’s CBS and Mount Sackville took both inter team titles at the Irish Schools Cross-Country Championships, held in Carrignanore WIT, Waterford on Saturday (March 11).
Winning the girls’ race and leading her school to team victory was Emily Bolton of Mount Sackville. Making up the team were Laura Nunan and Claire O’Hanlon. There were top ten runs also from Ana Diver Dominican College and Julie Cleary Loreto St Stephen’s Green. Castleknock Community College finished fifth team. In a tightly contested boys’ inter team competition, St Aidan’s narrowly defeated old rivals St Michael’s Enniskillen on count-back, with both teams finishing on 66 points. First home for St Aidan’s was Tom Breslin in sixth place - one place behind Matei Ursachi of St Paul’s Raheny. Making up the St Aidan’s team were Rory Quill, Sean Henry and Devan Morrissey. Blackrock College, led by Charlie White 18th, finished fifth team. St Aidan’s, led by Sam Murray, also finished a fighting fourth in the senior boys’ race. In other races, the Institute of Education Dublin was a close third in the senior girl’s team race and St Paul’s Raheny were second of the junior boys.
Coming up:
Entry is still open at www.popupraces.ie for the Tallaght 5km incorporating the Dublin Novice 5km Championships takes place on Friday March 17 (10am).
Women’s Meet and Train League final race (two-mile cross-country) Abbotstown, Sunday March 19 (10am). All welcome! Reg Conference Centre; entry on day €7. Info Fiona Shine
UCD will host the first graded meeting of the season on Saturday April 29 (12 noon) with six more meets to follow. Details elsewhere on this site.
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