Galway Athletics Report 08/12/19
Galway athletes in European Cross Country action
Galway athletes Thomas McStay (pictured) and Damien Landers both put in excellent performances at the European Cross Country championships in Lisbon, Portugal last Sunday, in what was a top class event on a truly demanding and hilly course.
GCH Junior athlete Thomas McStaywasthird scorer on a very strong and unlucky Irish Junior Men’s team who placed fourth team overall, only losing out on countback to hosts Portugal for bronze. McStay ran another tactically excellent race, coming through strongly on the last lap to place 24th overall, on a day when junior athlete Efrem Gidey won bronze individually for Ireland .
Damien Landers, currently competing for the
Galway County Cross Country team, ran a solid race in a very exacting Senior
men’s race over a 10km distance, to place 71st overall and fifth of
the Irish team home.
Athletics Ireland teammanagement were led
by two Galway members , with Paul McNamara ,High Performance Director, and National Endurance Co-ordinator Matt
Lockett of Galway City Harriers, and bothwere delighted with the excellent Irish
team medal haul of two individual bronze medals and two silver team medals from
the championships
National cross country
The second day of the National Cross country championships take place in Dunboyne Co. Meath , Sunday next December 15th from 11.30am.The event will feature Juvenile championship races from U11 ages through to U19, with many of Galway’s top young athletes competing for honours, including individuals and club teams from Tuam, GCH ,Craughwell and South Galway among others.
At adult level, the always exciting National Novice cross country championships will be held following the conclusion of the Juvenile programme. Galway County will field very strong teams in both Men’s and Women’s races. The men race over 6km and the Galway squad will feature the likes of Keith Fallon, Eanna Folan and James Frizzell of GCH and Damien O Boyle, Mark Davis and Jack Miskella of Craughwell AC, as well as Stephen Casserly and Lonan O Farrell of Castlegar. GCH, Craughwell and South Galway will all field strong club teams.
In the Ladies event, over 4km, Galway
County and Galway City Harriers will field strong teams .The county squad
includes such talent as Caron Ryan and Sinead Gaffney of Craughwell, Barbara
Dunne of GCH and Aine O Farrell of Athenry
Claregalway 5K
The Claregalway 5k Jingle Bells Fun Run was held on Sunday 8th December last at 11am. First home was Keith Fallon of Galway City Harriers in 16.06, with Aaron Brennan of GCH second and third home was Brian Furey of Rathfarnham.
Kathryn Casserly of GCH won the ladies
section by a clear margin with SineadGaffney of Craughwell next and Tara Whyte of
GCH came home in third place .
The race acted as a fundraiser for juveniles at Clare River Harriers Athletic Club and Claregalway Handball Club.
