Some of the best young talent from County Wexford travelled to Athlone last week for the National Juvenile Indoor Track & Field Championships (Days 1 & 2). There were some great performances, both from the more established athletes and from those making the step up to the big time.
There is one group young men who are certainly no strangers to the podium when it comes to national competition. The Menapians team of David McDonald, Ciaran Maher, brothers Sam and Luke O’Neill, and Adam Tierney Smith won the U19 2x200m in a time of 1.31.25 minutes. They had more than a second to spare over the second placed Galway City Harriers team.
The ever-consistent Ryan Carthy Walsh of Adamstown A.C. achieved a championship best performance in winning the U19 High Jump (2.10m). All going well, Ryan will see his pb moving closer to the 2.15 mark in the weeks and months ahead.
Lystus Ebosele (Enniscorthy A.C.) comfortably won the Girls U17 Shot Putt. While any one of her putts would have been good enough to win the competition her fourth round effort of 13.55 put the matter beyond any doubt. Adamstown athlete Éadaoin Stafford was 7th in the same event.
Jack Forde of St Killian’s A.C. was a clear winner in the U15 shot. His final round effort of 13.46m – a p.b. – put more than a metre between himself and the second placed athlete. Jack also placed 3rd in the High Jump with a jump of 1.68m, another p.b.. Indeed, this was the same height cleared by the silver medal winner but, on countback, Jack just lost out.
In the U19 60m sprint Aoife Cloke Rochford turned it on in the latter part of the race to take an excellent 2nd place. Her time of 7.71s was 0.09s behind the winner.
In the Men’s U19 60m Ciaran Maher of Menapians placed 4th in a time of 7.27s.
Marguerite Furlong (Adamstown) took silver in the Girls U18 Shot Putt with a best of 12.27m.
Eva Casey of Macamores A.C. claimed a very good silver in the U13 Shot Putt with her best effort of 10.33m coming in the first round. This was a mere 2cm behind the winning putt. The top two athletes were 2 metres ahead of the rest of the field!
Jack Hayden of Menapians A.C. claimed his first ever national medal placing 3rd in the U18 400m. His time of 51.46s was a massive pb.
Orlaith Deegan (SBR A.C.) came 2nd in the U13 High Jump with a best of 1.46m, just 3cm behind the winner.
Staying with High Jump, Maeve Hayes of St Paul’s A.C. was unfortunate not to medal, placing 4th in the U16 event with a best of 1.55m.
In the High Jump U16 Adam Leahy of Menapians announced his arrival on the national stage with a pb of 1.45m. That was sufficient to get nudge him into the top ten in his age group for the event.
Sammy Delaney (St Paul’s) finished just outside the medals in the U18 Long Jump. He was, however, rewarded with a new PB of 6.01m.
Padraig Hore (Taghmon A.C.) had to settle for bronze in the U18 Shot Putt, his third round putt of 13.82m being just 3cm behind the silver medal-winning distance.
Aisling Kelly (Taghmon A.C.) was just outside the medals, coming home 4th in the U15 60m. Her time of 8.05s, a pb, was just 0.02s off making the podium.
In the U13 60m Sean Rowley (Bree A.C.) was unfortunate in being run out of the medals. That said, he should be happy with finishing a good 4th.
Adamstown race-walker Triona Mooney placed 7th in the U18 1.5KM Walk.
Abbie Doyle (Bree A.C.) placed 8th in the U12 60m sprint. Club-mate Gracie Kehoe missed making it through to the same final by one place although she was rewarded with a joint 7th place finish in the High Jump.
Bree’s Olivia Howe narrowly missed out on making the final for the U17 60m.
Saidhbhe Byrne (Enniscorthy A.C.) placed 6th in the U14 Long Jump with a very consistent series of jumps.
Orlaith Byrne (SBR A.C.) placed 7th in the U13 60m Final.
By any standards this was a very good weekend for the county’s athletes. Athletics Wexford Chairman, Paddy Morgan, expressed his own satisfaction with the results saying that juvenile athletics in County Wexford is in a very good place right now. He was particularly happy to see the numbers of athletes who are progressing through the ranks and making an impression at national level.
Day 3 of the National Juvenile Indoor Track & Field Championships takes place in Athlone next Saturday, April 1.