Athletes from Waterford schools sparkled at the All Ireland Schools Championships in Tullamore on Saturday last. They won 12 titles and set two new records and equalled another.
Star performer of the day was Ciara Giles Doran, Mercy Convent, in the junior grade as she had a super double in the 200 metres and the Long Jump. In the latter she broke a record that was set 20 years ago with a magnificent leap of 5.53 metres.
Another young girl also hit the headlines in the Intermediate 2000 metres walk, namely, Kate Veale, who took a massive 32 seconds off the old record set some years ago by Olympian athlete Olive Loughnane in winning the title by a huge margin.
In taking the Senior Pole Vault title, Thomas Houlihan of St Augustine’s College equalled the current record of 4.50 metres. The following were the Waterford winners:
Senior
Billy Ryan, De La Salle, 400 metres.
Thomas Houlihan, St Augustine’s, Pole Vault.
Niamh Ryan, Abbey CC, 3000 metres.
Nicola Power, Abbey CC, Long Jump.
Fiona Dennehy, Mercy Convent, 3000m walk
Intermediate
Thomas Barr, De La Salle, 400 metres hurdles.
Shane Quinn, De La Salle, 1500 metres.
Kate Veale, St Augustines, 2000m walk.
Zoe Scanlon, Ard Scoil na nDeise, Discus.
Clare Collins, Ard Scoil na nDeise, High jump
Junior
Ciara Giles Doran, Mercy, 200 metres and long jump
Silver medals went to Cara Kennedy of St Declan’s CC, Kilmacthomas, in the Senior Hammer; Lorraine McCarthy, St Augustine’s in the 1500 metres senior; Ruth Fennell, St Augustine’s in the Pole Vault Senior; Megan Kiely, Ursula, in the Intermediate 300 metres and 300 metres; Lisa Houlihan, St Augustine’s, in the Pole Vault; Thomas Barr, Intermediate High Jump; Tom Whelan, Abbey, Junior Discus.
Bronze medals were won by: Billy Ryan, senior 200 metres; Kate Hickey, St Declan’s, Junior Discus; Olivia Phelan, St Augustine’s, Pole Vault; Tom Whelan, Abbey, Junior Shot Putt; Anna Rogers, Stella Maris, Tramore, Junior Hurdles; Cara Kennedy, Junior Discus.
Very well done to one and all and their coaches also.
Power wins in Portlaw
On Friday last the Inaugural Tom Jordan Memorial Road race was held in Portlaw over 5 miles in brilliant weather and it attracted a great entry of 150 runners and 60 walkers. It was a most enjoyable event with the proceeds going to Portlaw Red Cross.
Graham Power of Ferrybank AC led from the start and had a convincing win in a time of 26 minutes 47 seconds. Bryan Murphy was second in 26.59 and Danny Smith, Ballynonty was third in 27.04.
Madeline Loughnane, Thurles Crokes, was also a very impressive winner of the ladies section in 29.02. Corina Walsh, West Waterford AC, was second in 30.25 and Diane Behan, Waterford AC, was third in 31.57. The complete results are as follows:
Men
1st Graham Power, Ferrybank AC 26:47
2nd Bryan Murphy, 26:59
3rd Danny Smith, Ballynonty AC 27:04
4th Denis Shanahan ,Thurles Crokes 27.34
5th Keith Maher, 29:00
Men Over 40: 1st PJ Guinan, West Waterford 28:17
Men Over 45: 1st Darryl Hale, Waterford AC 29:38
Men Over 50: 1st Tom Moroney, West Waterford 33:27
Men Over 55: 1st Leslie Smith, Coolquil 31:46
Junior Men: 1st John Dee, 34:58
Women
1st Madeline Loughane, Thurles Crokes 29:02
2nd Corina Walsh, West Waterford 30:25
3rd Diane Behan, Waterford AC 31:57
4th Joan Mahoney, Waterford AC 32:16
5th Mary Molloy, Clonmel 33:00
Women Over 35: 1st Suzanne Dullaghan, Waterford AC 34:12
Women Over 40: 1st Maura Lawlor, Waterford AC 38:52
Women Over 45: 1st Clare Fowler, Waterford AC 35:5
Women Over 50: 1st Mags Power, Carrick AC 37:23
Brian Nugent, on behalf of the Red Cross, thanked the many organisations, firms and individuals who helped out in many ways, and two daughters of the late Tom Jordan, Anne Marie and Roisin Jordan, presented the prizes.
McCarthy’s big win Stateside
On Saturday last in Greensboro, North Carolina, David McCarthy continued his outstanding form running for his university, Providence College, in the American Regional Collegiate 1500 metres final.
David won the event and took the lead with almost 400 metres to go and despite the attempts of his challengers he held on to win in a blanket finish with three others in a personal best time of 3 minutes 41. 37 seconds.
Matthew Gibney, the Big East mile champion from Villanova, was second, with Liam Boylan-Pett from Georgetown, the Big East 1500 metres champion, third.
David is now through to the National finals later this month and his time is the fastest so far this year by a European athlete under 23.
Kelly wins in Bedford
On Sunday last in Bedford in England, Ferrybank AC’s Kelly Proper made a successful start to the season by winning the long jump with a leap of 6.42 metres. She also finished second in the 100 metres in 11.83 seconds and fifth in the 200 metres in 23.89.
Her clubmate Niamh Whelan finished fourth behind Kelly in the 100 metres and Christopher Russell set a personal best in the 200 metres of 21.80, but was unplaced in the event.
European Masters
Joe Gough, West Waterford AC, was in Denmark last weekend competing in the European Masters over 55 cross country team event and also the Half-Marathon team event representing Ireland. In both events the Irish were second.
Joe’s career continues on and on and very successfully so.
