Rising stars shine at All-Ireland Athletics Championship

The Olympic stars of the future shone on the Tullamore track in recent weeks, with the county’s athletes producing some exciting action. Cathal O’Reilly (Kilkenny City Harriers - KCH) and Andrew Cooper (Gowran) took home gold medals.

There were medals also for Chloe Lynch (Gowran), Alex Cullen (KCH) and Lily Ryan (St Joseph’s), Jordan Knight (St Joseph’s).

Galmoy’s Katie Bergin, competing with Moyne AC, took double gold in the 100m and 200m.

The action continued on Sunday with the Masters in action at their All-Ireland championships. Kilkenny masters won 24 All-Ireland medals, 10 of them gold.

Under-20, under-23

Saturday was another one of those Irish summer days where medal-winning performances interspersed periods of pouring rain and intense sunshine. The 400m hurdles kick started the days proceedings where Irish record holder and world championship-bound Fintan Dewhirst (Tir Connaill) lined up beside Alex Cullen of KCH.

Cullen has had a phenomenal season this year. Moving towards the 400m flat and 400m hurdles, he has produced massive improvements in his times. While Dewhirst was the favourite to take the title, Cullen was not going to sit back and just settle for a medal.

The Kilkennyman was third coming off the stagger into the home straight. Showing a tremendous turn of speed he passed Eoghan Mac Mhuiris (An Riocht) with 70 metres to go, racing for the finish line to record a swift 54.82 in his final race of the season.

By the afternoon the sunshine had given way to torrential downpours that made conditions very difficult for many of the technical events. The elements hampered Chloe Lynch (Gowran), who finished third in the under-20 pole vault.

The difficulty for many Pole Vaulters in these types of conditions are keeping the pole itself dry. Even those with pole vault containers found the poles bore the brunt of the elements when exposed for moments of competition.

The poles are so heavy,” said Lynch, “which makes vaulting difficult.”

Chloe Lynch (Gowran) in the action in the under-20 pole vault at the under-20 and under-23 All-Irelands

Add this to surface water on the runway, and decent heights can become hard to obtain. Chalk helps a little from the vaulter’s hands slipping – but is not fully weatherproof.

Lynch has had a long but good season and may yet take part in the Scottish under-17 championships later this month, prolonging her season a bit more.

Andrew Cooper was another under-20 athlete whose time in the arena was marred with rain. Despite this the Gowran man managed two golds, finishing first in the shot-put and weight for distance. Cooper has dominated the shot-put this year, starting with that magnificent senior indoor title back in January.

He is still trying to master the turn and fouled his second and fourth attempts. He did manage to throw 16.47m on his first throw to take overall victory.

Cooper has now won the indoor and outdoor titles at under-19, under-20 and senior indoors - quite a collection for one year.

Lily Ryan (St Joseph’s) looked technically perfect as she clinched bronze in the under-20 walk. Ryan, who also took bronze last week in the under-17 championships, had a season’s best in her race.

Elsewhere Evan Walsh (St Joseph’s) was fifth in the under-20 5,000m walk, a race that was won by the European under-18 silver medalist Seamus Clarke (Moy Valley).

The under-20 1,500m had some of the highest numbers of the day. The only Kilkenny athlete in action in the under-20 event was Ruairi McEvoy (KCH) who finished 15th.

However the under-23 1,500m produced a Kilkenny winner in Cathal O’Reilly, who patiently waited for the right time in the main group before making his move with 600m to go. Pulling ahead on a gradual basis, O’Reilly produced a strong kick over the final 100m to win his final track race of the season in a comfortable and convincing manner.

Gowran’s Andrew Cooper won the under-20 shot-put

Galmoy’s Katie Bergin, running in the gold and green of Moyne AC, made a welcome return to competitive action. Bergin picked up an injury last April and struggled to make a return earlier in the season.

Better late than never – she won both the 100m and 200m, repeating the double victory she had achieved indoors last January.

Jordan Knight finished second in the under-23 long jump with a leap of 6.49m, which he achieved on his final jump. Knight has improved marginally as the season progressed, finding both form and motivation.

Masters win medals

It was a great day for medals at the masters All-Irelands on Sunday, as Kilkenny athletes picked up 24 medals, 10 of them gold.

Masters compete in age groups that step every five years. However, due to the often-lower numbers taking part, the actual races themselves may be run in groups of ages, making for a more competitive competition. Kilkenny have had a steady stream of masters athletes over the past decade, with names like Verena Fenlon, Mary Breen, Maggie O’Connor and John Joe Lawlor (from St Joseph’s) along with John Barron (Kings River), while the boys from Brow Rangers have been regulars in the masters throws.

Matt Ryan (Gowran) has joined in the lowest masters age group, the over-35s. Ryan took home a set of medals, gold in the high jump, silver in the long jump and bronze in the hammer.

He was the sole Gowran competitor on the day. Also a sole competitor from his club Kings River was John Barron, who finished third in the over-45 triple jump.

John Joe Lawlor and Maggie O’Connor are a permanent fixture on the masters’ walks startlist. O’Connor has a plethora of national titles to her name, with as many from John Joe Lawlor in the men’s.

As expected Lawlor won the over-55 walk. O’Connor was up against tough opposition in Sinead McGranaghan (Finn Valley AC). She ceded victory to the Donegal woman, finishing silver in a comfortable 16.32m.

Verena Fenlon and Mary Breen won six medals between them, three apiece, in the weight for distance, shot and hammer. It was three silver medals for Fenlon, ceding victory to different opponents in each event. Breen took home gold in the hammer and shot with silver in the discus. There was a fine victory in the 3,000m over-55 for Maria Griffin, who continues to run strongly.