Munster Express Online

Sixteen-year-old Kate Veale of West Waterford Athletic Club was named as the winner of the Pat Noctor Supreme Young Sports Star Award for the second year ‘running’ at a ceremony held in Dungarvan on Saturday last.

“Just to summarise all of her fabulous achievements is a challenge in itself, but also it is a tribute to, and an acknowledgement of, the quite spectacular success-strewn year which 2009 has been for her,” read the adjudicators’ citation.

Talking to MC Kieran O’Connor, Kate spoke about the support provided to her by her parents, school and club throughout her walking career, particularly her school coach Brother Patrick Lennon.

Olympian and West Waterford club mate Jamie Costin had encouraged Kate (daughter of Brid and James) to take up walking, she told Kieran.

“I had tried many of the other sports, but walking was the one which worked the best for me,” she said.

And while she has enjoyed cross country success, walking is firmly established as her first sporting love.

The adjudicating panel of Mary Ashe, John A Murphy, Jim Landers and Kieran O’Connor once again were charged with the task of selecting a winner, no easy task given the calibre of candidate.

Speaking on behalf of the Noctor family (with mother Judy and brother Fergal also present), WLRfm presenter Ian Noctor thanked everyone who had made the night which honours his father’s memory such a success.

Going through each of the 12 award nominees’ credentials, Ian experienced “a realisation that I had wasted my own youth”.

He added, to laughter: “What was I doing with all the time that I had when I was young?…

“The nominees’ parents also deserve special commendation and recognition, because you are the ones sitting in the cars or walking the sidelines and having to transport your sons and daughters to Derry, Dublin, or even Spain to help fulfil their dreams and aspirations.”

Chief Superintendent Pat Murphy said that the standard that the young people had attained in their various sports was “incredible”.

He said: “Sport is critically important for the formation of our young people and it is a huge objective of An Garda Siochána to work in all aspects of our working lives with young people, some of whom are more challenged than others.”

Said Dungarvan Mayor Damien Geoghegan: “I congratulate them all for what they have achieved; for recognising and using the natural talent with which they have been endowed and the dedication they bring to their preparation and competition.

“They are a credit to the parents and families; they reflect positively on their mentors, coaches, teachers and all who have had an influence on their careers and they bring the spotlight in the best possible way on their local communities.”

Kate’s winning ways continue unabated: last week, she won the Irish Junior Indoor Championship and broke the Walk Record over 3,000m.

Last Saturday night in Tralee, she was formally recognised as the Best Junior Woman Racewalker of 2009 and also picked up the Best Junior Cross Country Runner award.

Next week, Kate will compete in the National Senior Indoor Racewalking Championships at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast.

The twelve nominees for the award were: Patrick Curran, (GAA); Joey Doherty, (Rugby); Darragh Fives, (GAA); Gary Hurley, (Golf); Thomas Houlihan, (Athletics); Eoin Kearns, (Racquetball); Shauna Kiernan, (Camogie); Colm Kindregan, (Handball); Aimee Moloney, (Equestrian); Brian O’Halloran, (GAA), Zoe Scanlon, (Athletics) and Kate Veale, (Athletics).