ATHLETICS | Fantastic weekend for young athletes at National Indoor Athletics Championships in Athlone
Dundealgan, Blackrock, St Peter’s, Dunleer and St Gerard’s all enjoy national success
Some of the area’s finest young athletes enjoyed a very successful outing at the National Juvenile Indoor Athletics Championships which were held at Athlone IT last weekend.
Dundealgan AC’s Israel Olatunde left the Midlands with two medals after surging to gold in the U18 60m, setting a new Championship Best time of 6.90 seconds for good measure.
On Sunday, the Marist student — and reigning National Junior 60m holder — returned to take part in the U18 200m where he added a bronze.
Israel’s Dundealgan teammate, Kevin Oladunjoye, was also in action, narrowly missing out on a place in the U19 200m final despite a fine performance.
Elsewhere, Blackrock AC track and field star Eoghan Smyth made club history by clearing 1.85 metres to win the U18 high jump event, the first time a club member has ever done so.
After clearing each of his first three heights at the first attempt, Eoghan, along with the three remaining finalists, missed his first shot at 1.85m but he found his range with the second jump, securing gold on a count back.
On the track, sprinter Enoch Elewa was unlucky to pull up in the U18 60m with a reoccurrence of the hamstring injury that hampered his performances at the Leinster Championships.
St Peter’s AC’s Lucy Brennan brought the curtain down on the indoor season by winning her first national bronze medal with a jump of 4.78 metres in the U14 long jump.
Lucy was joined in Athlone by the recently crowned 2018 St Peter’s AC Athlete of the Year, Niamh Brady, who was unlucky to finish outside the medal positions in both the U15 high jump and hurdles.
Dunleer AC also tasted success with Karlis Kaugars setting a new national record of 16.32 metres to win gold in the U15 shot put on Saturday.
Clubmates Tadgh Reilly (U16 shot put), Anthony Dillon (U19 60m), Ciara Reilly (U18 400m), Rebecca Baldwin (U14 800m), Peter Meegan (U18 1500m) and Conor Matthews (U19 800m) also acquitted themselves very well on the day.
St Gerard’s AC’s Patience Jumbo-Gula also picked up national gold medals in the U18 60m and 200m events.
Next up for all of the local clubs is the Pre-Louth Juvenile Championships which will be held in Bush on Saturday, April 13th.
