ATHLETICS | Sadie starts the cross country season with a bang as St Gerard’s AC shine in Stamullen

Youngster blazes to gold medal in U11 race at Star of the Sea

Sadie Murphy, winner of the girls U11 race

A small band of hardy athletes, coaches and supporters from St Gerard’s AC braved the inclement weather on Sunday morning to make their way to Stamullen to compete in the first cross country event of the season, hosted by Star of the Sea.

The day got off to a great start as the ever-impressive Sadie Murphy brought her fine track form onto the cross country circuit by winning gold in the girls U11. Her teammate Cara Miele also ran very well in testing conditions.

Up next was the girls' U9 event where Eire McCrystal and Chloe Hoey both ran very well in difficult conditions. In the boys' race, Evan Cheshire and Calvin McCourt were running out of their age group and performed very well. Chloe Cheshire ran a stormer to finish seventh in the girls U10 while in the boys' race Ben Eccles narrowly missed out on a top 10 finish.

L-R: Chloe Cheshire and Ben Eccles

Some of the St Gerard’s AC contingent at the Star of the Sea cross country

The U12s were next onto the circuit with Adam Eccles running a fine race in the boys' section while Doireann Conlon did likewise, finishing seventh with Ellie McVeigh narrowly missing out on a top 10 finish. Elsewhere, Abaigh Moonan finished eighth in the girls' U13 race and Leah Miele ran very well in the U15 2200m.

Thanks to Colette Woods Miele for all her hard work with the cross country training and for helping the athletes on Sunday. Training continues as usual on Monday and Wednesday nights from 6.30pm at the DYI pitch on Hoeys’ Lane.