Weekly Galway Athletics Report

World U20 Championships  

Seán Doggett of Athenry AC and Stephen Mannion of South Galway AC are currently competing in Peru at the World Athletics U20 Championships in the capital Lima. Doggett competed on Tuesday with the Mixed 4 x 400m Relay team alongside Conor Kelly, Daisy Walker and Niamh Murray. They finished fourth in their heat in 3:26.40, just missing a final spot. Sean made his Irish senior debut at the European Championships in Rome earlier this summer and will also  compete in the Men’s 400m, with the heats down for decision on Wednesday morning. Mannion and Doggett will feature on the Men’s 4 x 400m Relay team at these championships in the heats on Friday evening. 

Paralympics for Bocquet 

Shauna Bocquet of Craughwell AC (pictured) is in Paris this week, for the Paralympic Games. Bocquet will compete in three events, the 100m, 1500m and 5000m in the T54 Class. Her first race is Saturday 31st Augustnext, over 5000m  followed by the 1500m heats on the  2nd September, and the 100m Heats on Wednesday, the 4th September 

World Masters Championships 

Jim Phelan, Christine Kennedy and Linda Nally of GCH, alongside Sean McDermott and Ian Egan of Castlegar all competed at last week’s World Masters Track and Field championships in Gothenburg, Sweden. The Irish Master’s team of Jim Phelan GCH , Keith Pollard (St Lawrence O’Toole’s), Ger Cremin (An Riocht) and Carlton Haddock (Leevale) won gold in the World Masters V45 4 x 400m relay. Phelan also placed a fine sixth in the Men’s V50 400m individually. Christine Kennedy once again excelled claiming silver in the V65 category in the Women’s’ 8k Cross Country Race Linda Nally  helped the Irish V 50 4x100m team to a brilliant 4th place in the relay and made an individual 100m Semi Final. Egan and McDermott both competed well over Cross Country and Half Marathon , with both also key members of team management.  

Claregalway 5k and 10k 

The Clare River Harriers organised 5k and 10k road races were held Saturday last in Claregalway. The  5k was won by Eoghan Gallagher, in 17.24 with first lady home Kieva Kelly in 22.06. In the 10k Niall Shanahan of An Bru AC won the 10k outright in 32.44, ahead of David Meehan of Tulla AC and Damien Carter in third . The Ladies event was a close-run affair, with Sarah Collins of GCH just pipping Jane Ann Meehan after a great battle, clocking 38.35 to 38.36 for second. Julie Bradshaw of GCH placed third.