GCH Travels To Portugal For The European Clubs Cross Country Championships
Galway City Harriers. Off to Portugal for the European Championships.
Galway City Harriers Junior Men’s Cross Country team travel to Mira in Portugal this weekend for the European Clubs Cross Country Championships, which will be held Sunday next the 4th of February, on what is an historic first outing at European level for the club.
GCH qualified by virtue of their win at the National Championships in November in the Junior (U20) men’s event. The GCH squad will be among a field of fourteen teams, all respective National champions, with the likes of Italian club Torino, defending champions Castellon of Spain, Turkish team Fenerbache and Sporting Lisbon of the host country among some top-class opposition for the Galway club.
The squad is coached by Matt Lockett, and is of great calibre, comprising five of the country’s top Junior athletes in Eanna Folan, Aaron Brennan, Thomas McStay, Michael Healy and Gary Martyn, all of whom have multiple National team and individual medals to their credit.James Frizzell and Joe Tannian who were on the original winning squad are overage this year, with Frizzell travelling in support of the squad.
The team will travel with expectations of a strong performance in their debut at this level. The race will be streamed live on the European Athletics YouTube site, and will start at 10.40 Sunday morning next Irish time.
National Track and Field Indoor League
All three Galway teams have made the final of the National Indoor league following the second qualifying round of action last weekend in Athlone IT. GCH Men’s team finished in third place after a good second round, led by Michael Breathnach with a win in the High Jump, with big points scored by Robert Meagher in the 200m, Darragh White in 400m, Alvaro Garcia in the 1500 and Henrique Nkolovata in Triple Jump.
Craughwell ladies team placed second after qualifying with a win from Sarah Finnegan in the Triple Jump and good performances from Arlene Earls over 400m, Sinead Treacy over 200m, Laura Cunningham in the High Jump and Caron Ryan in the 1500m. GCH Ladies also qualified, in fourth, with good runs via Nicole King in the 400m, Kathryn Casserly in the 1500m, and double points from Laura Ann Costello over 200m and in the High Jump.
The Indoor League final will take place next Saturday in the National Indoor Arena in Dublin
The Craughwell Team Who Have Qualified For The League Finals
National Indoor Junior and U23 Championships
Alanna Lally (UCD AC), Jenna Bromell (Emerald AC) and Aoife Delargy (Nenagh Olympic AC) following the U23 women 800m at the @irishlifehealth indoor championships. Pic: Athletics Ireland Twitter Page.
The National Indoor Junior and U23 Championships were held last Sunday in Athlone IT and resulted in great success for Galway athletes, with two gold medal wins.Veronica Burke of Ballinasloe and District AC won gold in the U23 Indoor Walk, her second National title in three months, while Alanna Lally now with UCD won the U23 Women’s 800m in a fast time of 2.07. Brendan Lynch of Loughrea won silver in the U23 men’s Triple Jumps with a leap of 13.47 metres. Sprinter Cillin Greene of GCH also landed silver in the U23 Mens 200m. Conor Duggan returned to action after a long injury lay off, and the Craughwell sprinter showed good form as he took double bronze in the U23 men’s 60 metres and again in the 200m. Jerry Keary, also of Craughwell won Silver in the Junior Men’s High Jump with 1.90m clearance, while clubmate Sinead Treacy secured bronze in the U 23 Womens 200m. Aaron Brennan and James Frizzell of GCH both won bronze medals over 1500m in exciting finishes. Brennan took third in the Junior Men’s race, with Frizzell winning bronze at U23 level.
Coldwood 4 Mile Run
The 6th Annual Coldwood 4 Mile run was held on Sunday 28th of January last. First home was Shane Simcox of Mallow AC, in a time of 22.33, with David Meehan of Athenry second, and Craughwell AC’s Mark Davis making a return to action with third place. Cliona Hurst was first lady home with Mary Corless in second and Michelle Lynch of GCH third. Shauna Bocquet continued her run of victories claiming first wheelchair athlete home.
Maree 8KM
The annual Maree AC 8KM Run celebrates its 10th year in 2018. This scenic run takes place in the surrounds of Maree, Oranmore, Co. Galway on Sunday, February 4th next at 1pm.
The picturesque race circuit has been measured to AI standards, will be chip timed, and has been approved by the Galway County Board. The race starts from the Maree Community Centre, race HQ, and routes out the Tawin peninsula, and back to the finish at the centre.
The event will raise funds to develop local sporting facilities in Maree, and is organised by Maree Athletics Club in conjunction with the Maree Development Organisation.
