The All-Ireland Novice men’s and women’s cross country championships, as well as the boys and girls under 11,13,15,17 and 19 championships, were held in Coleraine, Co Derry on Sunday last and by all accounts the organisation of the event left a lot to be desired.
Also, the course layout was described as a disgrace by one well-known Waterford official, so much so that two of the races may have to be re-run in February – the boys u13 and girls u15.
Once again that most versatile young athlete from West Waterford AC, Kate Veale was the county’s best performer. Kate combines race walking with running and she is tops in both but probably better known for the former.
On Sunday last, however, she showed all her versatility and fighting qualities to run a terrific race in the under-17 championship and in a huge field she finished a superb second overall.
Other good individual juvenile performers, all from Ferrybank, were Eoin Brown (4th u13), Orla Queally (5th u13), Krista Meade (8th, u11) and Beth Walsh (9th u19).
In the Novice women’s race Maria Halley was 5th while in the Novice men’s Paddy Flynn was 9th and John Cleary 16th.
For West Waterford the following figured on Munster teams that won medals: Sinead Flynn, u11 1st team; Miseal Power u11; Robbie Mulligan u15, and Declan Power u19. All Munster teams placed third, as was Krista Meade, Ferrybank.
