Galway
Indoor Track and Field Championships
The 2020 Galway Indoor Championships
were held in the superb surroundings of Athlone IT Arena last Saturday and Sunday.
A huge entry of over 800 athletes from all Galway clubs competed at both juvenile
and adult level over the two-day competition, accompanied by a large crowd of
parents and supporters who were in attendance for a great weekend of athletics
At senior level, Kathryn Casserly of GCH
was in flying form, winning the Senior Ladies 800m and 1500m double with a
great display of front running. Paul Joyce of Craughwell looked imperious in
winning the senior men’s 800m in a fast 1.59, and Jack Maher GCH finished
strongly in taking the Men’s 1500m county title.
Stuart Moloney, a guest athlete, showed
great form as he won an enthralling Men’s 3000m in 9.01, ahead of GCH athlete
David Carter, who was first Galway athlete home with William Fitzgerald of Craughwell
third over the line. Tara Whyte of GCH had a fabulous run to take victory in
the ladies’ race ahead of Helena O'Keeffe of Loughrea AC
In the sprints, Ronnie Warde of Craughwell
AC powered home to take the Men’s 60m title with Darren Costello of GCH claiming
the Men’s 200m.Samuel Ukaga of Loughrea won the Men’s 60m sprint hurdles.
In the Ladies, Laura Cunningham of
Craughwell AC won gold in the 60m sprint, and GCH’s Majella Loftus won gold in
the masters 60 and 200m events
In the field events, Brendan Lynch of
Loughrea AC won the Long Jump. Justin Lane of Tuam AC claimed the High Jump and
Pole Vault titles. In the Shot Putt, Richard O’Hanlon of GCH and Martin Griffin
of Ballinasloe won the Masters titles. In the Ladies, Laura Cunningham of
Craughwell won double gold in both High Jump and Shot Putt, to make it a triple
win on the day. The talented Chloe Casey performed well in taking Long Jump
gold for Galway City Harriers. Mary Barrett of Loughrea AC won Masters gold in
the Shot and Hurdles
At Juvenile level Jack Cahill of
Craughwell won a double gold in the U12 Boys 60m sprint and the High Jump, with
Liam Bailey of South Galway AC winning the 600m distance race. Jamie Cooke of
South Galway AC also won a superb double, claiming both Sprint hurdles and Long
Jump titles. Ethan Stace of Craughwell AC won gold in the Shot Putt.
The U12 Hurdles title in the Girls
section went to Rachel Ward of Craughwell AC. In the Shot Putt, Ava Doyle of
Craughwell AC took home gold, winning the Girls event. Lauren Morgan of
Craughwell AC won the Long Jump with Rebecca Moynihan of Tuam AC winning gold
in the High Jump.
On the track, The U12 Girls 60m sprint
was won by Isla Day of Clare River Harriers, in the longer distances, the U12
Girls 600m title went to Hazel Fahy of Loughrea AC with a dominant run.
At U11 level, The Girls 60m sprint title
went to Eimear Fallon of Tuam AC, who was another athlete, won a double in
claiming the 600m title as well. Rhys Lawless of Loughrea won the Boys 60m
title, with Alan Hallinan of Craughwell AC taking home gold in the Boys 600m race.
Oisin O'Donovan of Craughwell AC and Sarah Donald of GCH won the U 11 Long Jump crowns.
In the U10 events, the Girls 60m sprint
title went to Aisling Tauchen of GCH with a flying run, and she later made it two
wins on the day, with Long Jump victory as well. Cathal Walsh of South Galway AC was fastest
out of the blocks in claiming the Boys gold over 60m.
Darragh O'Donnell of Craughwell AC was another double gold winner, claiming Boys Long Jump and 400m victories. Sally Fahey of South Galway AC won the U10 Girls 400m.
At U9 level, both The Girls 60m and 200m titles were won by Laoise Colleran of Craughwell AC, while Lola Whitney Mangan also of Craughwell AC won the Girls Long Jump gold medal.
In
the Boys section, The U9 60m title was won by Rory Tauchen of GCH, with Jack
McNena of Craughwell AC taking home gold in the Boys 200m race. Oscar Conneely
of South Galway AC won the Long Jump title.
At U13 level Juno Hayes of Galway City Harriers
made it two golds in winning the Girls Long Jump and the Sprint hurdles. The Girls
60m title was won by Lauren Kilduff of Craughwell AC.
Emma O'Donovan of Craughwell AC also won double gold in the U13 High Jump and the 600m distance race. Ruby Casey of East Galway AC claimed the Shot Putt title
In the Boys section, Sean Hoade of Craughwell
AC was victorious in both Sprint hurdles and Long Jump. The U13 60m title was
won by Jack Barry of GCH, with Odhran O'Hare of Tuam AC winning the 600m gold. Ciaran
O’Donnell of Tuam AC won the High Jump, while Cillian O Tuarisg of Ballinasloe
won the Shot putt crown.
In the U14 Events the Girls 60m title
was won by Orlaith Mannion of South Galway AC while Myah Gallagher of Tuam AC
claimed the honours in the 800m. Saoirse Kilkelly of South Galway took gold in
the 1k Walk.
Ella Farrelly of Craughwell AC won the
Sprint Hurdles and Long Jump double at U14 level. Danielle Moynihan of Tuam AC
won High Jump gold, while Abbi McGrath also of Tuam won Shot Putt gold
In the Boys events, the U14 800m title
was won by Kyle Fitzgerald of Clare River Harriers after an exciting finish. First
home in the 60m sprint the winner was Ronan Duggan of GCH.
Darragh Fahy of Loughrea AC impressed at
U14 level takinggold in the 60m hurdles and the Long Jump. Darragh Kelly of
Craughwell AC took gold in the High Jump, with Jack O'Shaughnessy of Caltra AC
winning the Shot Putt.
At U15 level Caoimhe Kilkenny of Ballinasloe and District AC won gold won in the 60m, while Nicole Duffy of Clare River Harriers won the Sprint hurdles. Siobhan Geaney of South Galway AC won the 800m distance race, while Sinead Maher of South Galway AC won the 1k Walk.
In the field events, Grace Keaveney of
Craughwell AC won the Long Jump, with Grace Bermingham of South Galway AC
winning the High Jump, and Bronagh Deeley of Athenry AC claiming gold in the
Shot Putt.
In the U15 Boys section, Evan Moran of
GCH won the 60m sprint and 60m hurdles double. Cian McNellis of GCH won the 800m
title, with Ryan Mill of Craughwell winning the 1500m. In the field, Sean
Liston of Craughwell AC won High Jump gold, while Eoin Higgins of Clare River
Harriers won a superb Long Jump and Shot Putt double gold.
In the U16 Girls section, Sophie Farrell
of Loughrea AC won on the double, winning both the 60m and 200m races. The
Girls 60m hurdles title was claimed by Caoimhe Farrell of Loughrea AC, while Fauve
Aylmer of GCH took gold in the 800m and Craughwell’s Clodagh O'Meara won the
1500.
Ella Lyons of Craughwell AC won gold in
the Long Jump with clubmate Jade Moorhead winning the High Jump, and Caitlin
Griffin of Loughrea taking victory in the Shot Putt. Alana Grogan of Craughwell
AC was the U16 Race walk gold medallist
In the U16 Boys section, there were two
great all round performances, via Mathieu Madden of GCH and Stephen Mannion of
South Galway, who claimed three golds each. Madden set three new championship bests
across all three of his under 16 events, winning the 60m with a mark of 7.62s,
a High Jump CBP of 1.70m,plus a Triple Jump of 10.70m in his first ever
competition. He was also a gold medallist for Relay. Stephen Mannion also
shone, winning triple gold in the 200m and 800m events and later took the Long
Jump honours also.
Liam Shaw of Athenry dominated the Shot Putt,
with several massive throws, while Sean Kelleher of South Galway AC won the
race walk.
In the U17 events Darragh Jennings of GCH and Ella Farrelly won the Shot Putt titles. Ella O'Connor of GCH won the 1500m Girls title with Ross McGuinness of Craughwell AC winning the Boys event. The other U17 winners were: Boys 200m, Luke Dahler (GCH), 60m - Calum Healy (GCH), 800m - Robert Urquhart (GCH); High Jump - Daragh Jennings GCH; Long Jump - Conor Hoade (GCH); Triple Jump - Lukas Schukat (Craughwell AC)
Girls 200m - Nicole Quirke (GCH); 60m - Nicole Quirke (GCH); 60m Hurdles - Saoirse Pierce (Craughwell AC); 800m - Ella O'Connor (GCH); High Jump - Isabelle Moynihan (Tuam AC); Long Jump - Nicole Quirke (GCH); Triple Jump - Aoife Waldron (GCH).
At U18/19 level, Andrew Egan of GCH won
the 60m sprint title, with Seren O'Toole of GCH taking the Girls gold. Kyle
Moorhead of Craughwell AC won the U18/19 Boys 800m title. South Galway’s Fionn
Power took 1500m gold
In Hurdles, Aoibhin Farrell of Loughrea
AC won gold in the Girls 60m event. Aoife Kelly won the U 18 Shot Putt with
Chloe Casey winning the U19 title
In the relay events, there were wins in
the Girls events for South Galway at U10
level ,GCH won out in the U11s, Tuam
were winners at U12, GCH claimed gold at U13, Tuam AC won again at U14, U 15
gold went to Craughwell AC, GCH took U16 relay gold , while Craughwell took
Senior gold,
In the Boys relay races, Clare River won
the U10 Boys, Tuam AC took U11 gold, at U12 level Craughwell AC took gold, GCH
won out at U13, U14 and U15 level, Craughwell AC won the U16 Boys, while GCH
won the Men’s relay event.
International
Cap
Galway City Harriers athlete Thomas
McStay competed on the Irish U23 team for the Celtic International Cross-Country
event Held in Stirling, Scotland last Saturday. Despite an early fall, McStay
placed 41st overall, helping the Irish team to second. NUI Galway athletes
Donal Devane and Aoife O’Brien also competed on the Irish U23 squads.
National
Track and Field Indoor League
Galway City Harriers Ladies and Men, and
Craughwell AC Ladies all fielded teams in the first round of the National
Indoor league which took place in the National Indoor Arena in Dublin last weekend.
GCH men’s squad impressed placing second overall behind Clonliffe Harriers and
the squad had good performances all round, with two wins, firstly in the Shot
Putt, from the ever-reliable Brendan Staunton, and by Robert McDonnell in the
60m. They were backed up by solid
performances from Keith Fallon in the 800 metres, Eoghan Jennings in the
Hurdles and Pole vault and a superb debut by new recruit Owen Scully in the
long jump
GCH ladies are sitting 4th overall, with
Sarah Lanigan running well to place second in the 800 metres while Nicole
Walsh was also second in the 60m and made her debut in the Shot Putt
throwing 8.94 metres. There was great hurdling by Aoife Sheehy for a fourth-place
finish and she also scored points in the Long Jump for the city club
Craughwell ladies had a solid start to
the League with a sixth-place finish, with Sinead Treacy, Aoife Kelly, Sinead
Gaffney and Sarah Finnegan all scoring heavily for the experienced squad.
Fixtures
The Irish Life Health Indoor Combined
Events finals take place Sunday next in the National Indoor Arena in Dublin
