Weekly Galway Athletics Report

National Juvenile Indoors Championships 

Galway clubs and athletes excelled over the three days of National Juvenile Indoor Track and Field championships with a huge haul of medals and personal bests across the large contingent competing.  Craughwell AC won an incredible four Gold medals, three Silver and two Bronze medals across the 3 days of competition The performance of the weekend came from Conor Penney (pictured above with coach Mike Tobin of Craughwell AC) who smashed the Championship Record for the High Jump, sailing over 2.04m on his third and final attempt, having sealed the championship on his opening jump of 1.80.  Penney’s leap of 2.04m is also the entry standard for the European U18 championships in Slovakia in July. Penney also won the 60mh in a superb time of 8.28s, well clear of the field.  

Rachel Warde has been one of the dominant Irish Hurdlers in the past few years and once again delivered in style. Warde ran the same time of 9.17 in the heats and the finals to clinch another fantastic national title, well clear of the opposition. 

Shane Hennon also excelled, securing bronze and silver medals with personal bests in the U15 long jump (5.30m) and hurdles (9.49s). In the middle-distance races, Alan Hallinan was the highlight – running 2:06.02 for Silver in the Aaron Burke won a famous Silver Medal in the U12 Shot Putt capping a great championship for Craughwelll. 

Galway City Harriers also excelled, claiming 10 medals over the 3 days of competition. GCH won four gold medals, via Angela Cielecka in the U17 Girls Long Jump, Daniel Sangodele in the U17 Long Jump, Kevin Sangodele in the U17 Triple Jump and Louis Jean Hounkponou in the U13 60m Hurdles. Cielecka also claimed bronze in the 60m sprint as did Daniel Sangodele in the Long Jump. Fionn Law placed second in the U14 60m Hurdles, with bronzes coming via Sarah Donald in the U15 Triple Jump and Lucy Hounkponou in the U17 Hurdles. The GCH relay squad of Charlie O’Malley, Seamus Hayes, Loric Ferriere, Kevin Sangodele & Finn Lynagh claimed silver in the U15 4x200m Relay.  

South Galway AC athlete Orlaith Mannion was superb in winning the U18 girls’ 60m hurdles.  Mannion finished 3rd in this event last year and went two steps further by taking gold today. Ciarán Kelleher won silver on Saturday in the U16 boys 1500m race walk, also for South Galway. 

Seán Doggett of Athenry was another standout performer in the U19 track races, winning a 200m/400m silver and gold double. In the 400m final he showed he meant business from the start and was well clear at the break, he kicked on again on the second lap and crossed the line unchallenged in a time of 48.44. Doggett was back on the track in the U19 200m with another impressive run of 22.43 to take silver.  

Tuam AC had a great championship, set off by Rachel Treacy winning gold in the U15 60m Hurdles event. In the Race Walks, Cuisle O’Callaghan became the youngest athlete from the club to win an All-Ireland individual title claiming victory in the U14 1000m Race Walk in a time of 5.02.97. Matthew Newell also secured a championship record and gold in the U17 Boy’s Racewalk . Ciara Gilmore added another All-Ireland medal to her growing collection with a hard-fought bronze in the U18 1500m Race walks, and Holly Shaughnessy struck silver in the U19 1500m Race Walk, both for Tuam 

Castlegar AC Mattis Ozlins claimed the Gold in the U12 Boys Long Jump competition, as he jumped 4.48 metres for victory. Cliodhna Ni Chonaill claimed another medal for Castlegar, winning silver in the U15 Girls 1000m Walk. Loughrea AC Athlete Darragh Fahy took home an All-Ireland Silver medal with a new personal best of 6.23 metres in the U18 Long Jump. Clare River Harriers athlete Hazel Dinkin claimed an All-Ireland silver medal in the U14 1km race walk to finish out a super championship.

Universities Track and Field 

Tuam AC athlete Alix Joyce won her long-awaited first national title when she struck gold for ATU in the 400m Hurdles at the Irish Universities Championships in Belfast last weekend. The University of Galway claimed three medals via Ella O’Connor‘s silver in the 800m, Luke Johnston‘s bronze over 10,000m and Oisin Murray‘s bronze in the 5000m. 

Galway 5km Series 

There are just over 2 weeks to go to this year’s EY-sponsored Galway 5km Series. Leg one of the series is on April 23rd  hosted by East Galway AC in Abbeyknockmoy.