ATHLETICS | Impressive start to the track and field season for Dundalk St Gerard’s AC
Louth Pre-Championships at Lourdes Stadium, Drogheda
The track and field season kicked off with the ever popular Louth Pre Championship event at the Lourdes Stadium in Drogheda on Saturday last.
Representing Dundalk St Gerard’s AC were Niamh, Conor, Ciara and Aoife Gorham, Nicole, Hayden and Caitlin Mulholland, Hannah, Amy and Conor Toal, Adam and Ben Eccles, Oran and Sylvia Keogh, Seana, Keeley and Leah Mooney, Carmen and Hely Rasandratana, Cara and Leah Miele, Hannah and Rebekah Cunningham, Grainne and Emily Moran, Cillian and Ethan Mullen, Elahna and Zariah Faapito, Isobelle and Sarah Holmes, Lucy Rosbotham, Adam Joynt, Rian McCrystal, Liam Bingham, Doireann Conlon, Logan Carroll, Dara McEnteggart, Meabh O’Connor, Enya Silkena, Abaigh Moonan, Lucy Mahon, Mia Keely, Rachel Culligan, Ciara Cunningham, Colm Drumm, Emma Whately, Ava O’Hanlon, Ciara McCourt, Kerrie Hazzard, Joe Lennon, Maria Smith, Keanu Van Beek, Jamie Wynne, George Maas, Caitlin Mulholland, Orlagh Conway and Sam Eweje.
First off were Seana Mooney in the girls U8 and Ben Eccles and Cillian Mullen in the U8 boys 60m races. Both of the boys qualified for the final where Ben sped his way into third place and Cillian ran well too. In the turbo javelin, Cillian was fourth and Ben sixth.
In the girls U9 category, Zariah Faapito, Niamh Gorham, Cara Miele and debutante Sarah Holmes competed well. Zariah took a great bronze in the 80m and Cara was jumping for joy with a fantastic gold in the long jump.
Rian McCrystal, Liam Bingham, Adam Joynt all performed well in the boys U9 events. Debutant Rian showed great promise with a brilliant fourth place finish in the sprint with Adam just behind. In the long jump, Liam was in the medals with a third place finish.
The widest smile of the day was on Doireann Conlon’s face after her brilliant run to a silver medal in the U10 girls 500m. In the turbo javelin, Carmen took a fine silver with Lucy Rosbotham in third and Doireann just behind them in fourth.
Adam Eccles, Oran Keogh and Logan Carroll all showed promise in the boys U10 events while the girls U11 athletes once again put in another solid day’s work.
In the sprint, Grainne Moran led home a clean sweep with Enya Silkena in second place, birthday girl Meabh O’Connor third and Abaigh Moonan, Dara McEnteggart, Keeley Mooney and Lucy Mahon also performing well.
In the 600m, Enya stormed to victory with Abaigh second and Grainne third. In the long jump, Enya was on top again with Meabh just one centimeter behind in second and Lucy fourth. In the U12 turbo javelin, Enya was was number one again with Meabh taking silver.
The U11 boys Ethan Mullen, Hayden Mulholland and Conor Gorham performed well while Mia Keely, Ciara Cunningham, Emily Moran, Elahna Faapito and another first timer — Rachel Culligan -showing great promise in the U12 girls category.
New boy Colm Drumm and Hely Rasandratana did really well for the boys U12 and Leah Miele, Emma Whately, Ciara Gorham, Amy Toal, Hannah and Rebekah Cunningham gave their all for the team in the U13 girls category.
Aoife Gorham, Ava O’Hanlon, Ciara McCourt, Isobelle Holmes and Leah Mooney did well for the girls U14 and Kerrie Hazzard once again was in good form in the U15 girls event.
Joe Lennon showed he is coming back to his best with a comfortable win in the U15 boys 100m with Conor Toal also competing well.
Maria Smith had an impressive seasonal debut in the U16 girls 100m, taking a great win, while Keanu Van Beek showed himself to be an athlete of tremendous promise and ability with another impressive debut for the club.
Keanu powered to victory in the 100m to lead home a clean sweep for the club with a wide margin win ahead of George Maas and Jamie Wynne.
In the shot putt, the boys once again filled the same positions and in the 800m Jamie took silver with George in third. In the U17 long jump, Jamie took another silver with Keanu taking third place.
Caitlin Mulholland took gold in the U19 girls long jump and also the 800m where Orlagh Conway took silver. Orlagh took another fine second place in the 100m.
In the boys events, Sam Eweje performed well to win the 800m and also take silver in the 100m and long jump. In the relays the U9 girls took silver while the U11 girls had an impressive win, delivering Enya her fourth gold medal of the day.
The boys U16 team looks like it has plenty of potential with a great victory completing a hat trick of gold medals for Keanu Van Beek.
