World U20 Selections
Two Galway athletes have been selected for the Irish team for the prestigious World U20 Championships to be held in Lima, Peru from August 27th to August 31st next. After achieving the qualification standard at the Belfast Milers meet, winning the National U19 400m title, and claiming silver in the National U20 championships, Seán Doggett of Athenry AC has been selected to represent his country yet again. He will compete in the men’s individual 400m, and has been named on both the mixed 4x400m and the men’s 4x400m relay teams. Stephen Mannion of South Galway AC has also been selected for Irish U20 squad and will join the Men’s 4 x400m Relay squad. Both athletes and their coaches (Stephen Doggett and Jim Phelan) and their clubs are hugely excited ahead of what is one of the major global championships this year
U17 Irish squad selection
Up and coming GCH star Shane McGovern has achieved a well-deserved selection on the Irish international Under 17 squad for Scotland mid-August. McGovern made a huge breakthrough this year in the 400m, claiming 3rd place in the Irish Schools Intermediate category - and then winning silver in the National Outdoors for the under 17 400m in a PB of 51.45s.
National U20 /U23 Championships
The final weekend of National Track and Field Championships took place last weekend, with several Galway successes. Galway City Harrier's Andrew Egan- stormed to a thoroughly deserved National U23 200m sprint gold. There was a 1-2-4 placing for Craughwell AC in the National U20 Men’s High Jump . Conor Penney was back at his brilliant best with a 2.05 clearance to take the National title and Evan Hallinan made a successful return to National action after a long absence due to injury to take silver with 1.90 leap, with Darragh Kelly 4th .
Loughrea AC secured National U20 Triple Jump gold via champion Darragh Fahy (pictured). That concludes a marvellous year for Fahy – as in total he has won six gold medals in 2024 in Triple Jump.
Alix Joyce of Tuam AC continued her great season to win silver in the U20 800m Championships , just days after breaking 2.10 for the first time. Craughwell AC athletes Lauren Kilduff and Emma O’Donovan blasted to 2nd and 4th places in the U20 Women’s 400m Hurdles. Athenry AC thrower Liam Shaw collected double silver in the Shot and the Discus while clubmate Sean Doggett finished off his domestics season with another silver over 400m and West Coast AC continue to make their mark on the National stage , winning U20 Relay Bronze to cap off a great first year of competition
National Masters
Some of Galways best Masters athletes excelled at the National Masters Track and Field championships last weekend. GCHs Linda Nally was superb as she did a sprint double, winning the National 100m title running a fantastic 13.73s in the 50+ category. She then followed that up by easily winning the 200m in 29.62s. Jim Phelan of GCH also struck gold at V50 level over 400m. The evergreen Martin McEvilly won triple gold over 800, 1500 and 5k at V75 level. Other Galway medals came via Eoin Daly, Cormac O Cadhain, and Sinead Foran of GCH, Sarah Finnegan and Justin Lane of Craughwell, Peggy Higgins Corofin AC , and the GCH men’s 4*400m relay.
Streets of Galway 8km
This weekend features the 38th annual Streets of Galway 8k, which will be held on Saturday August 10th next in the city at 7pm. The race is a full house, with 3,200 entries gone, and a huge sense of anticipation around as race day nears . Once again sponsor Blackrock Health Galway Clinic are behind the event along with Galway City Harriers. Race HQ is at the Claddagh Hall, with number pick up Friday and Saturday, with race start at GTI on Fr Griffin Road and the finish in South Park. Among this year’s favourites include reigning champion David McGlynn of Waterford AC, but he will be tested by Craughwell duo Jamie Fallon and William Fitzgerald . In the Ladies section, Laura Mooney of Tullamore Harriers, Norah Newcombe of Mayo AC and Maebh Brannigan are among those favored.
