National Senior Track and Field Championships
The 2022 Irish Life Health National Track and Field Championships celebrated its 150th edition at a windswept Morton Stadium in Santry Dublin last weekend .
Galway athletes once again acquitted themselves superbly against some top-class fields, with multiple National medals returning West after the weekend action.
Sean Breathnach of Galway City Harriers excelled in both Weight throws, as he added Gold and Silver to his burgeoning National medal haul, setting a new National record in the Weight for Height event of 4.94 metres eclipsing Gerry O'Connell's long held record from 1986. Breathnach later claimed second place in the Weight throw event, with clubmate Pierce McManus also a fine fifth
A major highlight was a superb breakthrough National silver medal for GCH sprinter Andrew Egan over 200m . Racing into a massive headwind in the final, Egan had the race of his life taking second spot behind the talented Mark Smyth of Raheny. Robert McDonnell of GCH was unlucky to miss out on competing with a light strain. Also competing in the sprint heats were Alex Lee, Joe Doherty and Rob Meagher of GCH .
Laura Nally for GCH impressed in the Ladies 200m with 6th spot in the final, while Nicole Walsh returned to action in the 400m heats. Hurdler Aoife Sheehy was 7th in the 400m Hurdles final
GCHs young star Emma Moore finished a fine eighth place in the final of 800m, with fellow GCH Ladies Ellen Moran and Catherine Thornton finishing 10th and 15th in the in the 5000m where Olympian Fionnuala McCormack was a runaway winner
Finlay Daly of NUIG and Sligo AC ran a superb race in the 3000m Steeplechase narrowly missing gold by fractions of a second behind Jayme Rossiter of Clonliffe, with Craughwell’s Paddy Noonan in sixth spot.
Sarah Quinn of NUIG and St Colmans was another medal winner with 100m Hurdles sprint bronze
Sinead Treacy of Craughwell once again impressed on the big stage placing sixth in the Ladies 400m final, with clubmate Jade Moorhead eighth in the High Jump
Craughwells Jack Miskella and Kyle Moorhead raced well in the heats but advanced no further in a stacked 1500m with Sinead Gaffney narrowly missing out on the Ladies 1500m final , while Jamie Fallon ran a super 14.41 for 15th in a high-quality Mens field. Eoin Killeen debuted over 800m at senior level for valuable experience.
South Galway AC duo David and Stephen Mannion led an Irish U20 squad to gold in the Relay that closed out a super weekend's action.
Next up are the National Juvenile Track and Field championships which run throughout July
Tailteann Games
The Interprovincial Schools Track and Field event known as the Tailteann Games was held Friday last in torrential downpours in Tullamore. Several Galway athletes competed, with Amy Rose Kelly of Gort CS claiming Hurdles gold in the 300m, and Liam Shaw of Presentation Athenry once again taking top billing as he claimed Shot Putt gold and Discus bronze. Mathiew Madden of Merlin College and Oisin Phelan of HRC Mountbellew were second and third over 400m hurdles
