Athletics Wicklow Talented Athlete Squad
28-02-2008
Thanks to the hard work and enthusiasm of AAI Regional Development Officer Ryan Montgomery and the support of Athletics Wicklow Board, an initiative has been announced offering young talented athletes in Wicklow the opportunity to progress in their Sport. A sponsor has come on board, support systems put in place and a series of workshops planned. Access to physiotherapy, nutritionists and other valuable supports are included, and the possibility of competition abroad is being investigated. It is appropriate that this squad is being initiated in 2008 when two Wicklow athletes, Roisin McGettigan and Fionnuala Britton, will compete in the Olympic Games in Beijing. During their years as juveniles in Wicklow they were supported by Athletics Wicklow. Now it is the turn of the county’s best athletes to receive similar support.
The first meeting of the Squad was on Friday February 15th in Charlesland Sport & Recreation Park, Greystones. Congratulations to the athletes selected:
Claire Walsh Blessington Valley
Tom Walsh Blessington Valley
Claire Fox Bray Runners
Stuart Scargill Bray Runners
Richard Owens Bray Runners
Richard Hourihan Bray Runners
Louise Dickenson Inbhear Dee
Keith Geraghty Inbhear Dee
Sarah McWalter Inbhear Dee
Claire Earls Inbhear Dee
Cathal Daly Inbhear Dee
Dara Broe Inbhear Dee
Rachel Bolger Inbhear Dee
Tara Jameson Inbhear Dee
Anne Hanton Inbhear Dee
Donna Carolan Inbhear Dee
Lynda Earls Inbhear Dee
Theresa Slattery St. Benedict’s
Emmy Coffey Parnell
Cian Ward Parnell
Michael O’Connor Parnell
Jason O’Byrne Parnell
Clara Byrne Parnell
Leah Doyle Greystones
Caoimhe Basquille Greystones
Aisling McGee Greystones
Isabel Malley Greystones
Laura Boylan Greystones
Ellie Hartnett Greystones
Niamh Kearney Greystones
Ferdia Kenny Greystones
Sean Ryder Greystones
Patrick Costello Greystones
Ciara Stuart Greystones
Katie Phelan Greystones
Kellie Ryder Greystones
Ronan Kearney Greystones
Amy Howard Greystones
Michael Dowling West Wicklow
Una Britton Kilcoole
Craig Curley Roundwood
Laura Kavanagh Roundwood
Sarah Kavanagh Roundwood
Jonathon Phillips Roundwood
Here is a photo of the squad, courtesy of Andrew Firth:
Leinster Star Awards News
08-01-2008
Well done to the Wicklow athletes Brian Farrell, Ellie Hartnett and Ferdia Kenny who received presentations at the Athletics Leinster Star Awards Dinner in Carlow on Saturday 5th January. Photos here.
The full list of award winners and photos are available from the Athletics Leinster website.
World Mountain Running Championships - News from Cormac Conroy
11-09-2007
The World Trophy takes place in Switzerland this weekend, Saturday 15th September and once again Sli Cualann are represented, this time by Jason O'Byrne who has earned his first Green Singlet. Jason ran a controlled qualifying race in Trooperstown recently to finish in 2nd place with the first four to qualify, and by doing so he automatically qualifies for the British and Irish juniors next month.
Michael Dowling also ran well, just missing out on qualification by finishing in 5th place, no doubt he will be back to challenge for a place on the Irish team for the upcoming British and Irish Juniors. We all wish Jason the best of luck for the weekend.
European Mountain Running Championships - News from Cormac Conroy
08-07-2007
In the Junior race Sli Cualann's Mike Dowling led the Irish Team home finishing in 30th place overall and the Irish Team finished 9th.
In the Senior race Sli Cualann's Colm Mullen was the 2nd Irishman home and finished in 48th place overall, just behind Robin Bryson in 45th place.
European Hill Running Qualifiers - News from Cormac Conroy
The Qualifying race for the European Hill Running Championships took place on Sunday 17th June. The course was a gruelling "up only" race from the Glen of Imal to the top of Lugnaquilla. The quality field that assembled on the start line included the great Robin Bryson who has previously finished 4th in the World Championships on two occasions, along with Marathon Champions Cian Mc Loughlin and Gary Crossan. The first four senior and junior finishers automatically Qualified for the Euro Championships which will be held in France on the 9th July. Sli Cualann runner Colm Mullen had a fantastic race finishing in 2nd place behind winner Robin Bryson, with Ronan Guirey in 3rd and Stephen Duncan in 4th and Gary Crossan just missing the cut in 5th.
The Junior Race was won by Mike Dowling who also Qualifies. Mike showed his talent by finishing over a minute ahead of his nearest challenger in what was his first hill race and is delighted with his surprise result.
The race also incorporated the Inter Club Championships which was won by Rathfarnham with the Sli Cualann team of Colm Mullen, Cormac Conroy, Mike Dowling and Hugh Kinsella finishing in a strong 2nd place ahead of North Laois in 3rd and Omagh in 4th position.
Fit4Life
Thursday, February 15th, saw the launch of the Athletics Wicklow 2007 Fit4Life Spring League. This is a five race road series, which, it is hoped, will attract up to 200 runners.
The Fit4life series, which has already attracted great interest in athletic circles, is aimed mainly at the general public. In these health conscious times, more and more people are tying on their runners and taking to the roads. Fit4life offers them the opportunity to participate in events locally, to meet other runners, find training partners, experience competition at a suitable level and, most of all, to have fun. Add to that the health benefits, improved muscle tone, weight loss / maintenance, lowered cholesterol and blood pressure, stress relief and stronger bones and it's no wonder the series is set to be the biggest sporting attraction in the County this Spring.
Five races in total will be held between February and April in Roundwood, Arklow, Kilcoole, Bray and Greystones. The final evening will end with the presentation of prizes where anyone completing three of the five races will be in line for prizes in the various categories from Junior to Masters.
A Summer League will be held a five different venues between June and August. Finally, a Winter League will be held between September and December, again at five different venues. There will be an overall award made to the top individual in each category who has participated in three races in each of the leagues in 2007. This award will be made at the annual Wicklow Star Awards Presentation (usually held in February).
Race venue details are available for download (Word document) here.
County Championship results from Donard available - click here
Leinster Senior and Junior Cross Country - report from Pat Diskin
Click on any of the photos for a larger image
Cold temperatures greeted the competitors in this year's Leinster senior and junior cross country championships which were held in conjunction with the Celtic cross country international championships at ALSAA under clear blue skies on Sunday 29th January, 2006.
The curtain raiser was the juvenile cross- country relays in which Wicklow clubs were well represented. The under 14 girls were our most successful team with Inbhear Dee and Greystones winning gold and silver and in that order. The Inbhear Dee quartet were Dara Broe, Sarah McWalter, Laura O'Toole and Clare Earls. The Greystones silver medal winners were Ellie Hartnett, Aisling McGee, Isabel Marley and Sophie Gummerson.
In the Celtic under 17 open race Tara Jameson of Inbhear Dee finished in a credible 7th position and well ahead of some of the Irish national team athletes. She certainly gave team selectors something to think about.
The highlight of the day for Wicklow supporters travelling to ALSAA was the Leinster senior women's 6000 metre race held in conjunction with the Celtic under 23 championships. Fionnuala Britton dispelled the impression that she cannot run well over a flat course by defeating the previous champion to collect the senior women's title, while Wicklow's ladies won the bronze medal in the county category. Britton looked untroubled throughout the three laps as she skimmed over the twisting course. Only Pauline Curley of Tullamore and Orla O'Mahoney of Raheny offered any significant challenge to the Kilcoole woman. Their valiant efforts expired at the end of the second circuit as Britton put the foot on the gas, opening a 20 metre lead which more than doubled before the finish. The 21-year-old student looked delighted to win her first ever Leinster senior title. She said, "the pace at the start was nice and I didn't feel like taking it on, but with one lap to go I decided to push it out". The other county team bronze medal winners were Michelle Lambkin 26th, Mary Dawson 37th, Susan Lawless 44th and Jean Bader 47th.
In the senior men's category Mick Byrne of Slí Cualann gave a good account of himself finishing in 26th position with Cormac Conroy in 43rd position. Other Wicklow athletes competing were Donal Phelan and Paul McCormack.
Moving to other venues, in Boston Roisín McGettigan ran a massive personal best of 9 minutes 3 seconds to finish 9th in a blistering 3000 metre race in which Merseret Defar's winning time of 8 minutes 30 seconds was just outside Berhane Adere's world record (8 minutes 29 seconds. This time is 2 seconds inside the standard for the world indoor championships in Russia. In the same meet Wicklow's Brian Farrell ran 8 minutes 16 seconds in the 3000 metres - another personal best for him.
Following are the results for Wicklow athletes in last week's East Leinster Schools cross country championships:
Senior girls: 5th Claire Shannon (Dominican College Wicklow), 7th Fiona Slattery (St. Mary's). Inter Girls: 7th Ann Hanton (Dominican College Wicklow, 10th Donna Carolan (Dominican College Wicklow) 12th Una Britton (Colaiste Craobh Abhann).
Junior Girls: 1st Fiona McKenna (Loreto Dalkey), 3rd Tara Jameson (Dominican College Wicklow), 5th Ellie Hartnett (Loreto College, Dalkey), 6th Dara Broe (Dominican College Wicklow), 7th Rachel Bolger (Dominican College, Wicklow), 13th Isabel Malley (Loreto Dalkey), 14th Sarah McWalter (Dominican College Wicklow), 18th Claire Earls (Dominican College Wicklow), 22nd Helen Daly (Dominican College Wicklow). Team: 1st Dominican College Wicklow, 2nd Loreto Dalkey.
Minor Girls: 3rd Laura O'Toole (Dominican College Wicklow), 4th Niamh Kearney (Loreto Dalkey), 15th Aisling McGee (Loreto Dalkey). Team: 2nd Loreto Dalkey
Minor Boys: 3rd Cathal Daly (De la Salle Wicklow). Junior boys: 1st Jonathan Philips (Coláiste Raithín), 7th Keith Geraghty (De la Salle Wicklow). Team: 3rd De la Salle Wicklow. Inter Boy: 3rd Michael Dowling (West Wicklow).
All the athletes mentioned here will go forward to the Leinster Schools' cross country championships to be held in DCU on Wednesday, 8th February next.