A super weekend of action at the National juvenile finals in Tullamore saw many brilliant performances and personal bests, six of which resulted in National podium finishes for some of our super athletes.

Evan Hallinan put in an amazing series of jumps in the U13 Boys high jump commencing with a first-time clearance of 1.35m and culminating with a first-time clearance of 1.56m to take the National title and in the process equal the U13 National record in this event. Only a handful of athletes in the club have set or equalled National records and it is an incredibly impressive achievement to jump or equal the highest jump ever by an athlete of the same age in the National Championships.

Chloe Casey was in 4th place in the U16 Girls discus after 3 throws with a best of 26.34m and went on to smash this on her 5th throw with a powerful 28.61m. Chloe’s throw eclipses the previous club junior record held by Emma Urquhart for this event and also the club senior record held by Sarah Finnegan. And continuing the club’s success in the throws, Niamh Duffy heaved the 2kg shot putt out to an impressive 8.64m in the U12 Girls event to add the National outdoor silver to her bronze medal from the National indoors. Also in the silver medals, Jade Moorhead had a magnificent series of jumps in the U13 Girls high jump to clear 1.45m and take the silver medal, a huge improvement for Jade in this event having placed 12th in the National indoors with a best of 1.30m.

And in the U18 Girls pole vault, Ciana Reidy leaped an impressive 2.40m to take the bronze medal in an event that Ciana only took up this year. The weekend concluded with a fantastic bronze medal for Lukas Schukat in the U14 Boys high jump where he leaped a splendid 1.58m to claim bronze in stiff competition, a new PB and an age group record within the club and Lukas’ second time on the National podium having medalled as an U12 indoors in 2015. It was a great weekend for Lukas having earlier placed 8th in the U14 long jump with 4.73m. And hard luck to Aughagower’s Thomas Gannon who placed 4th in the high jump and was just pipped for a medal by Lukas but in the true spirit of sportsmanship, both he and his mum/coach Breffni warmly congratulated Lukas after the event.

Ciana Reidy bronze medalist in U18 Girls Pole Vault pictured with 
silver medalist Ciara Hickey (Blarney/Inniscara AC) and gold medalist Clodagh Walsh (Abbey Striders AC)

There were further impressive performances in the U14 boys hurdles where Conor Hoade and Robert Urquhart both made the final of the U14 75m hurdles with Conor racing to 4th place in a time of 11.89 and Robert taking 8th place in a time of 12.33 and both boys breaking the club’s age group record for this event.

Ben Garrard was another in fine form with a tactical 2.02.54 in the heats of the U19 800m to take the 3rd automatic qualification spot and went on to place 5th in the final with an impressive 2.01.82 only 2 hours later. Laura Cunningham had a good series of jumps in the U18 Girls long jump to place 6th with a best of 4.74m while Lorraine Delaney placed 9th with a best of 4.67m, Shauna Tobin 10th with a best of 4.27m and Arlene Earls 11th with a best of 4.08m. Arlene went on later to record a fine 2.32.38 when taking 9th place in the final of the U18 Girls 800m. Siona Lawless made it into the final rounds of the U17 Girls long jump where she placed 7th with a best of 4.65m.

Ellie Cronin took 5th place in the U15 girls high jump with a clearance of 1.50m and later placed 11th in the long jump with 4.37m. Garvin Surlis placed 7th in the U16 Boys Triple Jump with 9.85m and 9th in the long jump with 4.84m. Kyle Moorhead had a brilliant run to take 8th place in the final of the U16 Boys 800m in a time of 2.11.59 only a fraction of a second away from his PB while Oisin Lyons raced to a 2.03.17 to take 7th place in in the heats of the U18 800m.

There were many more fine performances over the 2 days including Elisha Larkin 6th in the heats of the U15 100m in 13.52; James Furey 10th in the U15 javelin with 21.02; Liam McDonagh 10th in the U14 javelin with 29.64 and Oisin Keane 13th with 28.27; Saoirse Moore 12th in the U14 high jump with 1.30 and Saoirse Pierce 14th with 1.25; Rebecca Lynch 11th in the U14 long jump with 4.38 and 13th in the javelin with 20.04; Hannah Hynes 11th in the U14 discus with 15.73m; Cian Lavan 6th in the heats of the U13 hurdles in a PB time of 11.17 and 16th in the high jump with 1.25; Calvin Ryan 15th in the U13 high jump with 1.30; Aoibhe Fahy 15th in the U13 shot putt with 6.94 and unlucky to foul her throws in the U13 javelin; Jade Moorhead 16th in the U13 long jump with 3.14m; Chloe Hallinan 10th in the U12 long jump with 3.91 and Grace Lynch 16th with 3.20; Izzy Fitzgerald 16th in U12 high jump with 1.10; Niamh Duffy 7th in the heats of the U12 60m in 9.12; Evan Moran 10th in the U12 long jump with 3.83 and 16th in the high jump with 1.20 and 6th in the heats of the 60m in 8.90; Eddie Silke 13th in the final of the U12 600m in a time of 1.55.24.