Leitrim athletes run, walk, jump and throw their way to success

Leitrim athletes had a marvellous day in the boiling heat in Athlone last Saturday as they ran, walked, jumped and threw their way to success at the Connacht Athletics U14 to 19, Senior & Masters Track & Field.

North Leitrim AC’s Sarah Mulvaney Kelly and Susanne O’Beirne both won two gold medals each, Sarah winning the U16 walk and discus while Susanne won the F50 400m & discus while both also won silver medals in their respective 800m.

Sarah’s gold was one of four won by North Leitrim in the walker as International Luke Fitzmaurice dominated the U18 boys event while Cealagh McGloin & Karl Casey (U15) both won their age groups in fine style

Lee McNamara (U15) & Karen Mulvaney Kelly (U17) underlined the club’s strength in the walk with silver medals while Arved Schramm (U13) & Linda Mickane (U15) won bronze medals in Athlone in the walks.

Carrick AC’s Hanora Brady won a gold medal in the U18 1,500m as she won in a time of 5.33.49 while Karen Mulvaney Kelly (U17 Hammer) and Jessica Sheridan (U14 Discus) would also top the podium in their events. 

INSPIRING IRISH ATHLETES TO FEATURE ON AN POST STAMP AFTER EUROPEAN SUCCESS

Mulvaney Kelly added a silver in the U17 Discus to her collection while Sheridan did the same in the U14 Hammer, a placing emulated by her clubmate Linda Mickane in the U15 event. The Hammer was a popular event for North Leitrim with Karl Casey (U15) & Oisin Reynolds (U16) winning silver medals while Cealagh McGloin (U15) & Lee McNamara (U15)  bronzes.

McNamara added another medal to his collection with a bronze in the UI15 discus while Mark Hazlett won three medals, silvers in the U17 Long & Triple jumps to go with a bronze in the 300m hurdles.

North Leitrim AC’s  Lucas Lyons ran two very strong races in quality fields to take home two silver medals in the U17 1,500m and 3,000m ahead of the Tailteann Games where he has been selected to represent Connacht over 3,000m. He will be joined by clubmates Karen Mulvaney Kelly (Walk) and Mark Hazlett (Triple Jump) in Santry next Saturday.

Carrick AC’s Trench Winston jumped a new personal best of 4.53m twice to claim the bronze medal in the U14 Long Jump before finishing eighth in both the 80m and 200m. His clubmate Alannah McKiernan took home a silver in the U15 Javelin with a best throw of 16.32m before finishing 15th in the 200m.

Alannah’s brother Brandon finished fourth in the U17 100m in a time of 12.18 while clubmate Valeriia Serhienko took fourth in the U18 100m. Ballinamore AC’s Setanta Gleeson cleared 1.60m to take second in the U16 High Jump and David Townsend finished 2nd in the U14 walk.

Carrick AC’s Darcy Hanley finished seventh in the U14 200m and 10th in the 100m while Mia Gill was seventh in the Shot. Tadhg Faughnan 10th in the U14 800m as did Sian Walsh in the Hurdles. The relay team of Hanley, Gill, Walsh and Matylda Wilinska finished tenth in their relay.

PICTURES: HOMECOMING OF SHARLENE MAWDSLEY & SOPHIE BECKER FOLLOWING EUROPEAN SUCCESS

In the recent European Masters Non-Stadia championships in Porto Santos off Madeira, Ballinaglera’s Michael Cornyn helped Ireland to the bronze medal in the 10Km road race. Michael teamed up with Paul Crowe and Tom O’Connor as Ireland took third bedding Portugal and Italy as the Dunboyne AC athlete battled through injury to make it to the finish.