Olympic success for Irish relay Squad
There was great success for the Irish 4 by 400m Relay squad at the Tokyo Olympics over the past week, a team on which city club Galway City Harriers had two Olympians, in Robert McDonnell and Cillin Greene.
The Irish squad successfully made it through their heat on Friday last and onto the final of this, the first time running of the event, which was held on Saturday, where they placed a fighting eighth place overall, behind runaway winners Poland.
Cillin Greene ran two storming lead off legs in both the semi-final and final, and he and the other members of the flying Irish quarter who ran both races, Phil Healy of Bandon, Sophie Becker of Raheny, and Chris O Donnell of North Sligo, should be justifiably proud with a superb set of performances against the best in the world.
Robert McDonnell and Cliodhna Manning were the two other squad members who played a key role in the squad throughout their time in Tokyo.
Both Greene and McDonnell will no doubt be thrilled with their Olympic experience as they look forward to Paris 2024 in just three years’ time.
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Galway Senior/Masters/Junior track and field championships
Galway Athletics Board held the second and final day of the Galway Senior/Masters/Junior track and field championships at the Regional Sports Centre track in Dangan, Galway last Thursday.
In the Ladies events, the 200m saw Sinead Treacy of Craughwell AC take victory in a fast 25.23. It was yet another double for the Quirke family as GCH duo Nicole and Karen Quirke won the Junior and V35 titles, with Majella Loftus of GCH and Peggy Higgins of Corofin taking the other Masters titles.
Fiona Molloy of GCH was most impressive winning the Senior Ladies 3000m race, with Sinead Foran also GCH first Master and Caoimhe Kelleher of South Galway winning the Junior section.
Sinead Gaffney won an intriguing Ladies 800m with a big kick on the last lap, with the front running first Junior Ella O Connor of GCH putting it up to Gaffney all the way.
In the field events, Laura Cunningham of Craughwell AC won on the double, claiming both the Senior Ladies High Jump and Triple Jump golds, with Caoimhe Farrell of Loughrea first Junior in the High
Jump and Erin Kelly winning the Junior Triple Jump for Craughwell.
In the Discus, there were wins by Ella Rafferty of Tuam at Junior level and Michelle Drysdale of Craughwell at V35 level, with Mary Barrett of Loughrea and Peggy Higgins of Corofin taking the Masters 50 and 65 age group honours, while in the Weight throw, Rafferty, Barrett and Higgins again claimed gold.
In the Men’s events the 200m saw Alex Lee of GCH take victory following his recent 100m win, with clubmate Mathieu Madden winning the Junior title. Masters V35 gold went to David Mulligan of Craughwell, after a great battle with clubmate Cormac Kearney.
GCH athlete Keith Fallon impressed clocking 1.55 to won the Senior Men’s 800m, while Barry Murphy of GCH was first of the Galway junior athlete’s home.
Adrian Grogan of Castlegar AC impressed in winning M35 gold, with John Connolly also Castlegar and Andrew Talbot of CRH winning the other Masters titles.
William Fitzgerald of Craughwell AC was first over the line in an enthralling 5000m with a super time of 14.55, after a great battle with long-time leader and clubmate Jamie Fallon, who ran a personal
best and clocked 15.03 for second.
The race was one of great quality with the first four athletes all
going sub 16 minutes, with Craughwell duo Patrick Noonan third and Kyle Moorhead first Junior in fourth.
Masters’ honours went to Ger Cuddy (V35), Gerry Carty, V50, and Martin Kearney at V65, all for GCH.
In the field events, Lukas Schukat of Craughwell AC won the Junior Men’s High Jump with a leap of 1.75m, with Senior victory via Michael Breathnach of GCH, and Masters honours going to Cormac Kearney of Craughwell AC and Seamus Lynch of GCH.
John Toner of CRH and GCHs Seamus Lynch claimed the Masters Triple Jump titles.
In the Discus Liam Shaw of Athenry AC won Junior Men’s gold, Michael Breathnach of GCH won his first of two golds at Senior level, Seamus Lynch won at M50 level and the evergreen Tommy Farragher of Corofin won M65 gold, while in the Weight throw, Breathnach won Senior gold, with Master’s golds going to Justin Lane of Tuam and Farragher again for Corofin.
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Fixtures
This weekend sees the National Juvenile Track and Field programme kick off in earnest as the first two days of the Irish Life Health Outdoor U12-U19 T&F Championships competition take place in Tullamore, Offaly, with many Galway clubs and athletes be among those seeking National honours across a busy programme of events.
