Weekly Galway Athletics Report

Galway 5km Series

The 2019 Galway 5km Series continued Tuesday last in Athenry, with over 650 athletes finishing the fourth leg of the event on a fast course.  Cathal O Reilly of Loughrea AC was first man home in the fastest time of the series this year,16.23, to take his second win of the series. Kevin Moore came home next in a solid 16.39, with John Whiriskey of South Galway AC placing third in16.51.

First lady home was Regina Casey of
GCH in time of 17.35, again winning her second race of the series.Grainne Ni
Uallachain came home second for GCH in 18.21 and Sinead Foran also of GCH placed
next in 19.04. Shauna Bocquet of Craughwell AC was first wheelchair athlete in
a flying time of 15.19.

Tuam AC will host the fifth leg on May
28^th, with GCH hosting the grand finale in Kilcornan on Tuesday June
4th.

Galway Senior, Masters and Junior
Track and Field Championships

The Galway Senior, Masters and Junior
Track and Field Championships kicked off last Thursday May 23rd and saw two
European qualifying performances set on a top-class night of athletics in
Dangan

An incredible display of 400m running saw Robert McDonnell of Galway City Harriers clock a European Youth Olympics qualifying time in perfect conditions in Dangan. The hugely talented McDonnell ran a superb time of 48.80 to beat the 48.95 standard needed and also claimed the Junior men's title. 

Sarah Quinn of NUI Galway AC (pictured above) also produced a superb display of athletics, setting a European U23qualifying standard of 14.10, in taking the 100m Hurdles, and running a very fast 100m to win the Ladies event in 11.87. (Photo courtesy of Leonardo Brule)

Guest athlete Paul Costello of Emerald AC returned to action after a long layoff to win the Men’s100m in 10.96, with first Galway athlete home Craughwell AC’s Conor Duggan showing a strong return to form. Lydia Doyle and Richard Kamsen, both of GCH, won the Junior titles, with Masters victories for Keith Horan of South Galway and GCH athlete Majella Loftus. Justin Lane of Tuam AC took the Men’s sprint hurdles, with Mary Barrett of Loughrea AC winning the Masters hurdles,

Rob Meagher took the Senior Men’s 400m title behind McDonnell with a fast 49.7. Eimear Rowe of GCH was the fastest lady over 400m taking the Junior gold, with Masters gold for Majella Loftus and Keith Horan again, and a Senior win for Ailbhe Coyle of Castlegar,

David Carter of GCH pipped Gavin Cooney of Craughwell AC to win the Men’s1500m, in a time of 4.24, while Sinead Gaffney of Craughwell had a good battle with Sinead Foran of Galway City Harriers, before eventually pulling away to victory on the last lap.

Conor Cusack of Lake District AC in Mayo was another guest athlete seeking a European standard, competing in the U18 Javelin, and he eventually threw out to 59.22metres, just off the qualifying mark required.

Multi eventer Michael Breathnach of GCH won the Senior Men’s competition with 46.31 metres and also claimed Shot Putt gold. In the Ladies throws, Sinead Keon of Loughrea AC won the Ladies Senior Javelin gold, with Freya Bohan of Craughwell AC taking the Javelin and Shot Junior titles, while Mary Barrett took Shot Putt and Javelin gold at master’s level. Aisling Keady of Craughwell won the Senior Shot Putt and Long Jump titles. Michael Breathnach continued his great evening to win his third title in the Men’sLong Jump. Frank Gilmore of Castlegar won the Race walk.

The events this Thursday 30th
May include the 3000m Women,5000m Men, 200m, 800m, and 400m hurdles and
relays on the track, with the High Jump, Triple Jump, Discus, and Weight for
distance down for decision in the field, while Day three on the following
Thursday,  the 6th June will see the
10000m, mile, plus two sprints events on the track.

Entry is 5 euro with entries in advance via clubs and some limited availability on the night from 6.30 pm. Guests are most welcome if with AAI registered clubs.

Irish Universities match

Several Galway athletes competed on the Irish Universities team at the Celtic International versus Scottish Universities on Saturday last in Antrim. There were wins from Galway athletes Orna Murray in the Ladies 3000m, Brendan Lynch over hurdles and Aoife O'Brien in the Steeplechase, a second for Laura Nally over400m, third in the 1500 metres for Jack Miskella and fourth place for John Moroney over 5000m.

Sprint standards

Sarah Quinn of NUI Galway set a second
European qualifying 100m standard at an international meeting in Belgium last
Saturday, along with another 100m Hurdles standard following on from her
hurdles standard set at the Galway track and field competition. Brendan Glynn,
GCH sprint coach, managed the Irish Junior ladies’ team to achieve a European
qualifying time in the 4*100 m relay race at the same event

Fixtures

Irish Schools Track and Field Juvenile
Championships

The All Ireland Schools Track and Field Championships will be held on Saturday next June 1st in Tullamore, and there will be plenty of Galway athletes chasing national honours at this prestigious event. Those to watch include the in- form Robert McDonnell of Colaiste Na Coiribe,and Emma Moore of Presentation Athenryin the track events, Liam Shaw of Presentation Athenry, Daragh Jennings and Ailbhe Ni Mhaille of SCC Carraroe in the throws and Evan Hallinan also Athenry also in the field events

At Minor level contenders include Mathieu Madden of Merlin College in High Jump and his schoolmate Christian Ogbemitu over 100m, and Evan Moran of Presentation College Athenry in 75m Hurdles, while In the Girls section Caoimhe Farrell of Mercy Woodford is another to watch.

At Junior level some of the top Galway girls competing are Ava McKeon of AM Ballinasloe in the 75m hurdles, Leah Toher of PC Headfordover 1500m and Fauve Aylmer over 800m for St Raphael’s Loughrea.

In the Junior boys’ events. Calum Healy of Presentation Athenry in the hurdles, John Usifo of St Mary’s College in the 100m sprint, and distance runner David Mannion of Seamount Kinvara will battle for honours , while in the Intermediate events, Aoibheann Farrell of MercyWoodford, and Presentation Athenry athletes Conor Hoade Conor Trehyand Kyle Moorhead will expect a good outing,while Sean Cotter of Calasanctius Oranmore will target a medal in what may well be an exciting 3000m

At Senior level Jack Maher of Clifden CS and Aaron Brennan of Claregalway will target the 1500 metres, while Richard Kamsen for Merlin College, Sam Ukaga of St Brigids Loughrea in Long Jump and Ryan McNellis of Presentation Athenryover 400Hurdles will all look to impress

Tribal Games Castlegar

The annual Tribal Games track and
field event hosted by Castlegar AC will take place next weekend over two days
of the bank holiday.

Saturday, 1st June from 3pm sees a series of events being held at the Grass track in Merlin Woods Park, Doughiska. Kids Events include children’s sprints, and distance races, Shot, Javelin, and Long Jump, for U8s to U16 age groups

Adult events are as follows – on the
track; 100m, 400m, graded mile races for all abilities (run/walk a mile) and
elite Senior and Masters miles, while in the field programme, there will be a Shot
putt, Long jump, and Weight for distance throw

An all-in entry Fee of Euro 10 covers
all events, all ages, with cash prizes in the adult races

Sunday June 2nd sees the action shift
to Galway Racecourse where a 5k will take place, at 3 pm along with a Kids Mile
race