Weekly Galway Athletics Report

Irish
Life Health National Juvenile Indoors

The final day of the National Juvenile
Indoor Championships was held Saturday last in the Athlone IT Arena, and
several Galway relay teams secured medal wins.

Galway City Harriers U18 Girls team took Relay gold via Seren O’Toole, Jennifer Hughes, Eimear Rowe, Chloe Casey and Emma Jane Moran in the 4 x 200m relay, in the highlight of the day for the city club. GCH U17 Boys team secured silver medals in the 4 x 200m via Niall Breathnach, Conor Hoade, Andrew Sheehy, Shaun Gilligan, Robert Urquhart and Conor Trehy, and GCH also took Silver at U19 Girls level in the 4 x 200m, with the squad comprising Rachel Hughes, Miriam Greene Chloe Casey and Seren O'Toole.

The hugely talented South Galway AC Boys team won Silver medals in the U15 Boys relay competition via members Andrew Horan, David Mannion, Ruairi Dillon, Stephen Mannion, and Sean Kelleher

Individually Conor Hoade of GCH won Long Jump bronze, doing so with a best jump of 5.77m in the fifth round of the U16 boy's competition.

University
Outdoor Track and Field championships

NUI Galway had great success at The Intervarsities Track and Field competition held last weekend over two day son the outdoor track at Athlone Institute of Technology.

NUIG Ladies team placed third overall, with
their Men’s squad finishing a fine fifth, with the combined team winning
bronze.

In the Ladies events, Aoife O Brien was the star for NUIG, winning gold in the 3000m steeplechase. Sarah Quinn claimed silver in a fast 100m sprint, behind international Phil Healy. Nicole Walsh took a fine bronze in a highly competitive 400m. Both NUIG Ladies relay teams took silver team medals respectively over 4 x 100m and 4 x 400m, with Aisling Forkan finishing out the final leg of the 4*100m, in a great display of courage, despite tearing her hamstring, to hold on for Silver. The 4*400m squad comprised Nicole Walsh, Ellie O Toole, Ciara Barry, and Sarah Lanigan and the 4*100mteam was made up of Nicole Walsh, Sarah Quinn, Ciara Barry and the heroic Forkan.

In the Men’s races, Damien Landers completed an arduous medal-winning double for NUI Galway over the two days, firstly winning silver in a 10,000m PB of 30.47, and on Saturday securing bronze in the 5000m in an NUIG record of 14.51. Sligo athlete Finlay Daly again delivered in the steeplechase winning a bronze medal, and Fergus Cox set an NUIG record winning bronze in the Javelin with a 56 metre throw.

The Men’s Relay squads won bronze in both the 4 x 100m relay (via Shane Mooney, Robert Meagher, Owen Scully and   Jonah Erugo, and the 4 x 400m with Robert Meagher, Aengus Meldon, Owen Scully and Jonah Erugo combining to medal.

Galway
Athletics Awards

The Galway Athletics Awardswere held Saturday,
April 6th in the Meadow Court Hotel in Loughrea. A large attendance celebrated
some fantastic achievements in the 2018 season,with the prestigious Senior
prizes going to GCH athletes, thrower Sean Breathnach and 400m runner Nicole
Walsh.

Special awards were made to Eamonn O Donnell of GCH and Andrew Talbot of CRH for their services to Athletics over the years. Mick Molloy (Irish Olympian in the Mexico 1968 Olympics); and Christine Kennedy (Irish international marathon runner and multiple National Champion) were inducted into the Galway Athletics Hall of Fame, and their presence and acceptance speeches made for an inspirational finale to an enjoyable evening.

Claregalway
5k

Conor Dolan was a runaway winner of the 6^th Annual Claregalway 5k organised by Clare River Harriers A.C., held Tuesday, 2nd April last. Dolan clocked 16.39 for victory ahead of second placed Kevin Moore and third home Ger Hartnett of Tuam AC. Roisin Golden won the Ladies section in 20.24, ahead of Rachel Farrell in second and Louise Geoghegan of Galway Triathlon in third

National
Spring Throws

Brendan Staunton of GCH made his outdoor debut at the National Spring Throws fixture in. and placed second in the Discus with 34.68 metres, Justin Lane of Tuam AC also placed well in his three events, Discus, Hammer and Javelin

Fixtures

National
10k

The National 10k Road Race championships will be held next Sunday in the Phoenix Park Dublin at 10.45am.Regina Casey of GCH will aim for a top ten finish in the Ladies event, while GCH Masters Men’s athletes Timmy Jones, Michael Kerrin, and Martin McEvilly will target category medals, with Craughwells Mark Davis also likely to go well.

Connemara
Marathon

The Connemarathon series of races take place next Sunday 14^th April in the scenic Connemara area of Maam Cross and the Inagh valley. There will be an Ultra, Full and Half marathon on the programme, with over2,000 athletes expected to compete. The Ultra marathon runners are first off at 9am, with the full marathon setting off at 10:30am (walkers 9:30am) and the half marathon scheduled at 12pm (walkers 11am).