It was an action packed weekend at the GloHealth National Juvenile Track & Field Championships Day 1& 2 in Tullamore on Saturday and Sunday.
Ireland’s brightest young talents were inspired by their senior Internationals competing at the European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam.
Sunday was very successful and the weather was kind with Padraic Spillane St Laurence O’Toole A C setting the standard by breaking the National record in the Boys U12 600m in a time of 1.39.38 and claiming gold. Aaron Shorten ran a superb race in the boys U13 800m to come home a clear winner in a time of 2.14.71s and could have run a faster if pushed. Corrine Kenny made it a treble for the club when she ran a very tactical race to win the U15 girls 800m in a time of 2.18.77s, and also had to run a heat to qualify for the final.
Dean Holmes has shown great form this season and collected silver in the boys U18 3000m steeplechase in 10.09.51s which was a new pb for Dean. Padraic Whyte proved that he has a future over hurdles when he took the bronze medal in the boys U14 75m hurdles in a time of 11.96s. Zoe Garrigan is another athlete with a great future in the high jump when she won bronze in the girls U14 event with a clearance height of 1.45m. Kieran Cooper and Adam Nolan finished joint 4th place in the boys U13 high jump when they both cleared 1.40m Jonathan McKenna had to settle for 5th place in the boys U18 long jump with a jump of 6.15m in the third round.
In wet, humid and blustery conditions on Saturday, the National Relay morning session started with a fantastic straight final win for the U18 boys 4x400m team of Jonathan McKenna, Jack Brennan, Jack Mitchell and Niall Harvey winning in a time of 3:31.85 just 1 second outside the championship record set back in 2006 by KCH.
Next up the boys U13 4x100m relay team with Jack Archbold, Jack Dunne, Jack Murphy, Adam Nolan finished fifth in their heat and were unlucky not to progress to the final.
The afternoon relay session started with boys U12 team of Matthew Farrell, Zachary Nolan, Aidan Ryan, Daniel Uchendu, who after placing 2nd in their heat, went on to place a very impressive fifth in the final.
Next up the girls U14 team of Aoife Ryan, Zoe Garrigan, Faye Dillon, Ciara Moore and Aibha Kiernan finished 3rd in their heat to qualify automatically and again ran a great final to finish in 6th place.
Final relay team for St Laurence O’Toole was the boys U18 4x100m relay Jonathan McKenna, Brandon Martin, Tamilore Awonusi and Jack Mitchell who were unfortunate to drop the baton on the final changeover when in medal contention.
Athletes who qualified fof the finals in Tullamore but did not reach the podium were Catherine Doyle girls U17 800m, Sam Power boys U19 800m, Michael Spillane boys U15 800m, Ella Duane girls U16 long jump, Zoe Garrigan girls U14 75m hurdles.
See Pics from the meet below…
