Last weekend, Donegal athletes from Tir Chonaill, Finn Valley, Rosses, Letterkenny, Millford, Lifford-Strabane, Innishowen and Cranford achieved numerous top class performances when the Ulster/Athletics Northern Ireland Indoor championships took place at the impressive AIT International arena. Numerous county athletes excelled and left Athlone as double gold medallists and with exciting performances/PB’s. The organisers are to be complimented on the brave decision of hosting the event for the first time at the midlands venue
Summary of Donegal performances
check official results on wwwathleticsni.org :
Under 12
Finn Valley’s Riona Doherty impressed in winning the the 60m/8.68secs and the Long Jump/4,11m. Tir Chonaill’s Sawyer Campbell , the first of three members of the family to get onto the winners podium, collected gold in the 60m/8.99secs. Caolan McFadden, Cranford AC impressed in winning the 600m/ 1:49.43.
Shot Putter, Ava Anderson,Tir Chonaill, won the girls competition with an 8.59m/2kg best, while Dean Leeper, Finn Valley, 8.34m/2k took the boys event. Finn Valley’s, jumpers Harry Gallagher 3.98m/Long Jump and Amy Timone, 1.20m/High Jump impressed while Tir Chonaill’s Ethan Dewhurst and Lifford Strabane’s Nathan Russell both cleared 1.26m — Ethan collecting the gold medal on fault count back. The exciting 4 x 100m relays found Finn Valley securing the girls title, while Tir Chonaill impressed in winning the boys –59.86secs
Under 13
Wins and gold medals for high jumpers Ashleigh McArdle, Lifford-Strabane/1.40m and and Eoin Boyle, Tir Chonaill,/1.41m.
In the 4 x 100m relays, Letterkenny AC, Boys/63.34secs, and a most impressive Finn Valley, Girls/57.73secs. took gold medals
Under 14
60m sprints are always exciting with hundredths of a second seperating the finishers. Aoife McGee, Rosses/8.51secs won in a blanket finish while Elvis Okoh, Letterkenny/8.26secs won the boys event. Finn Valley’s Abbie Mc Granaghan topped the podium in the 1k race walk. Shot Putt firsts for Amber Gallagher, Rosses, 10.14m/2kg and Alex Anderson,Tir Chonaill, 10.39m/ 2.72kg. Cranford’s Teresa Mullen won the Long Jump/ 4.56m and Tir Chonaill celebrated another win in the High Jump when Tori Murchan cleared 1.41m.
Finn Valley’s 4 x 200m relay team won in a fast time of 1:59.21
Under 15 –
The Under 15 age category was one of the most closely contested of the weekend. Tir Chonaill team mates, Rachel Gallagher, Lucy McGlynn and Niamh Moohan were part of closely contested finishes in four disciplines. In the 60m hurdles, Rachel led the way with 9.53secs , Lucy followed in 9.73secs, and Niamh clocking 9.78. Later on Sunday afternoon over 60m flat, the podium placings was turned upside down, with Niamh winning in 8.41secs, Lucy taking the runners up spot in 8.42secs and Rachel bronze in 8.44secs – three hundredth of a second separating the three – electronic timing deciding. Rachel and Niamh picked up a second gold medal each, with Rachel winning the High Jump/1.51m and Niamh the Long Jump/4.47m.
Another Tir Chonaill athlete, Ben Campbell, impressed when winning the 60m hurdles/ 9.68secs and the 60m/7.82secs. Cormac O’Donnell, Lifford Strabane/1.54m, following a great battle with Rian O’Murchu, Tir Chonaill, 1.51m took the High Jump title. In the 4 x 200m Relay, Tir Chonaill AC completed a clean sweep, winning the boys race in 1:57.80 and the girls race in 1:53.69.
Under 16
In one of the most closely contested middle distance events of the weekend, Colin Gargan, Shercock, emerged victorious in the 800m/2:05.59 – – 0.1secs of a second ahead of Glenswilly’s Sean M McGinley, competing for Olympian YC, who finished in 2:05.69. Lifford Strabane’s Shot Putter, Ross Henderson,12.16m/4k took the title with his last effort from close friend Shane Breslin, Tir Chonaill
Under 17 –
Four Under 17 athletes finished the day with two victories/gold medals – they were Jordan Cunningham (City of Lisburn AC), Laoise McGonagle (Tir Chonaill AC), Alice Rodgers (Ballymena & Antrim AC) and Joshua Knox (City of Lisburn AC).
Laoise McGonagle, trains with the Glenties/Tir Chonaill group struck gold in the 60mHurdles/10.33secs and Shot Putt, 9.29m/3kg. Aine Wilkinson,Finn Valley, won the High Jump/1.50m from Gwen ODonnabhain, Tir Chonail/1.45m while Michaela Byrne,Finn Valley, secured the Long Jump with a 4.96m.
Multi event talented, Eoin Sharkey ,Tir Chonaill, won the 200m/23.34secs and filled 2nd places in the 60m Hurdles and Long jump. Rosses athlete Johnson Bangora won the 60m in most impressive time of 7.49secs .
In the 4 x 200m Relays, Finn Valley’s Girls clocked 1:55.63, while their Boys recorded 1:45.60 -both impressive
Under 18 –
There was also double gold for Finn Valley’s Christopher Kearns, with wins in the 60m hurdles/10.08secs and Triple Jump,11.58m. In the field events, Jack Murphy,Glaslough Harrier, [ he trains with a Tir Chonaill group in Donegal Town] won the Pole Vault with a 2.70m effort. In the Long Jump, Finn Valley celebrated a double win, with Lee Walsh/4.61m and Denis McGinley,5.56m victories
Under 19 –
Finn Valley excelled in the 4 x 200m relay/1:42.80 -the fastest 4 x 200m Relay time of the weekend.
