Gold for North Leitrim AC's Sarah Mulvaney Kelly in Tullamore

North Leitrim AC’s Sarah Mulvaney Kelly was the county’s top performer at last Sunday’s 123.ie Athletics Ireland National Juvenile Championships as she won the U16 Girls 2,000m by ten seconds.

North Leitrim walkers Karl Casey and Luke Fitzmaurice also brought home medals on Sunday while Carrick AC’s Kevin English took home a silver medal from the National B Championships at the County Offaly venue on Saturday.

Sarah won the U16 Girls walk in a time of 10 minutes 1.66 seconds as she led from start to finish, leading home Mayo’s Pearl Sands (Moy Valley) who clocked 10.11.62 with Finn Valley’s Leah O’Gara a further two seconds adrift, retaining the outdoor title she won last year.

Karl Casey was just eight seconds off the gold medal in the U15 Boys walk as his time of 10.18.38 for the 2km distance saw him finish close behind winner Ryan McDevitt of Metro St Brigid’s with Senan Markey of Tir Mona AC more than half a minute adrift of the top two, the North Leitrim walker holding second place from start to finish.

Karl Casey of North Leitrim AC who won a silver medal in the U15 Boys Walk

In the U18 Boys walk, there was disappointment for underage international Luke Fitzmaurice as the North Leitrim AC walker incurred a 30 second time penalty as he finished third in the 5,000m event. The race was won by Mullingar Harriers’ John Glennon in a time of 24.11.90.

Togher AC’s Shane Byrne was second in 24.26.56 with the impact of the 30 second penalty perfectly clear in Luke’s finishing time of 24.43.77, just over 30 seconds behind the winner.

Karen Mulvaney Kelly finished fourth in the U17 Girls 3,000m walk in a time of 16.49.56 with the bronze won by St Joseph’s Lily Ryan in a time of 15.12.97. Her North Leitrim AC teammate Lucas Lyons finished fifth in the U17 3,000m in a time of 9.10.28 with the race won by Lusk AC’s Conor McGuirk in a time of 8.54.71.

Ballinamore AC’s David Townsend finished sixth in the U14 Boys walk in a time of 13.15.73 with winner Conor Brennan of Longford covering the 2 km in a time of 11.14.79. 

Tom Trench Winston finished eighth in the U14 Boys Long Jump with a best effort of 4.50m, the event won by Newport AC’s Matthew Mellerick with 5.27m. His Carrick AC clubmate Brandon McKiernan clocked a time of 12.36 in the U17 Boys 100m heats.

In the B Championships on Saturday, Kevin English was Leitrim’s only medalist as he finished second in the U13 Boys 80m in a time of 11.18 after running 11.42 to win his heat. The event was won by Tracton AC’s Aron Sisk in a time of 10.91. Kevin later went on to finish seventh overall in the 600m in a time of 1.48.46, the race won by Cathal Murphy of Finisk Valley AC in a time of 1.44.89.

Carrick AC's Kevin English (far right) claims the silver medal in the U13 boys 80m at the 123.ie Athletics Ireland National B Championships in Tullamore on Saturday

In the U14 Boys 800m, Carrick AC’s Tadhg Faughnan finished fifth in a time of 2.31.52, less than three seconds off the bronze medal in a race won by Leevale’s Tom Crowley in 2.19.45. His Carrick AC clubmate Darcy Hanley reached the final of the U14 80m where, after winning her heat in a time of 11.50, she finished sixth in a time of 11.60.

Other Carrick AC athletes competing in the B Championships were Amy Cox and Lola Gilmartin who both finished fifth in the U12 60m heats in times of 10.23 and 9.40 while Tommy Keane finished sixth in his sprint and 12th in his Long Jump with a best of 3.57m.

Eleanor Reilly finished seventh in her U13 80m heat while Elise Cody jumped 3.21m to finish 27th in the U13 Girls Long Jump.