Tir Chonaill AC Notes
Karl Griffin selected to compete in World Juniors in Oregan
The weekend just passed on the competitive athletics front will go down in history as the most successful and satisfying for local club members.
• When the Irish selectors met in Cork, following the Irish Junior T/F c/ships on Sunday evening, Karl Griffin was named on a nine person team to contest the World Junior championships in Eugene, Oregon, at the end of July.
The selection was not difficult as Karl, who has just completed his first year of study and athletics scholarship at UCD, filled all the selection criteria. On seven occasions Indoor and Outdoor, during the past six months, the Ballydevitt man, has ran sub qualification times and crowned it all off with a most impressive victory in Cork on Sunday evening in a tactical Irish Junior 800m final with a decisive victory.
All in Tir Chonaill wish him well in Eugene, the mecca of athletics in the USA and congratulate him on another massive achievement
Selections for the 2014 World Junior Championships -Marcus Lawler, St Lawrence O’Toole’s, 200m;Zak Irwin, Sligo AC 200m, Karl Griffin, UCD/Tir Chonaill AC 800m, Robert Tully,Star of the Sea,800m; Síofra Cléirigh-Buttner, DSD, 800m/1500m; Aislinn Crossey, Newry AC, 800m, Niamh McNicol, Ferrybank AC, 200m; Cliodhna Manning,Kilkenny City Harriers, 200m; Emma O’Hara, Galway City Harriers, Hammer;
• Tir Chonaill AC girls smash National and County records
On Saturday last, in a packed Tullamore Stadium, the GloHealth Relay Championships of Ireland provided an exciting day’s competition with the very best club relay teams battling it out for the national titles. There were seven new championship best performances set on an exhilarating day of competition. Tir Chonaill AC, U19 girl’s 4x100m team were part of the this record breaking day when the quartet of Emma Brady, Kate McGowan, Eva McMullan and Kelly Mc Grory won impressively in a new CBP of 49.03secs –taking nearly one second off the old record. This multi-talented group joined Tir Chonaill ACas ten ear olds and annually have been improving and reaching greater athletic heights. Saturday’s victory was achieved via excellent sprinting, slick baton changing and no small amount of teamwork.
Day two of the GloHealth Juvenile Championships take place next Sunday, 13th of July in Tullamore Harriers Stadium when six club athletes will contest
• Karl Griffin and Kate McGowan win National Junior titles in Cork
The opening thirty minutes of competition in the Irish Junior/U20 c/ships at the Cork IT stadium on Sunday morning had messages on ‘Facbook’ reading
‘Kate Mc Gowan and Kelly Mc Grory finish 1st and 2nd in 400hurdles at National Juniors in Cork this morning. Both had huge PB’S with Kate getting under 62secs and Kelly close behind. Mc Gowan came from 4th to 1st in final the 50 metres’
This was the beginning of a successful fairy tale days competition for seven club athletes who went on to record numerous PB’s win nine medals, three National titles, secure three runners up spots, one bronze medal finish and two 4th place finishes.
The three National titles came at the extreme ends of the day. Kate McGowan and Kelly Mc Grory have had a roller coaster week. On Wednesday night they lined up in Belfast in an International meet at the Mary Peters Track, were not fazed and ran very positively. Daily throughout the week they supported and coached in a very successful club summer camp. On Saturday morning they travelled to Tullamore and as part of a successful quartet smashed the Irish 4 x 100m U19 age group CBP. It could be argued that this was not ideal preparation for Sunday’s junior c/ships.///
The women’s 400m Hurdles over ten 2’6’’ flights of barriers spaced 35metres apart is one of the most demanding events in track and field athletics. Words such as courage, rhythm, oxygen debt, lactic acid, technique and energy systems can be used to describe. McGowan, Lane 2 and McGrory Lane 4 ran the opening 200m controlled and conservatively and were placed in 5th and 3rd positions when the real race began with 150m to go. Kelly ‘clobbered’ the 8th hurdle while Kate held her form with two barriers to go. At the final barrier and 50metres remaining both girls continued to attach. Kate cam e from 4th to win a remarkable race in a new PB time 0f 61.88secs while Kelly who had fought her way to 2nd prior to Kate’s final effort pushed again for a runners up spot at the finish line – a one/two for friends and club mates. Result 400m H (1) Kate McGowan 61.88 (2) Kelly McGrory 62.33 (3) Leanne Prout, Carrick on Sur 62.88
As the afternoon came to a close Karl Griffin lined up in an eight man 800m final – all had qualified via semi-finals earlier in the afternoon. The opening lap was conservative with one of the favourites, Robert Tully, Star of the Sea, leading the field through the bell. The Meath man, who had secured a 2nd standard for the World c/ships in Belfast’s International meet on Wednesday night and where he also finished in front of Griffin began to wind up the pace, Karl covered every move and in a blistering attach at 150m to go overtook and outsprinted Robert for a most satisfying victory. The final lap was covered in 53 seconds.
• County record for relay team
The relays at the end of the day found the club quartet of Brady, McGowan, Mc Mullan and Mc Grory show very little sign of tired limbs when they impressively powered their way to a new county record of 48.46secs – a record of 48.98secs that has stood for over twenty years and was held by the St Columba’s school quartet of Michelle Given,[Lifford] Anne Marie Lynch,[Finn Valley] Elish Levelle, [Finn Valley] and Shauna Colhoun, [Lifford].
• More impressive performances
Eva McMullan, from Ballyshannon, was delighted with her 400m performance. She ran a positive race and showed a lot of determination and dug very deep over the final 70metres to record a PB time of 60.21secs and wins a bronze medal – her first at National level. Barry Quigg, from Carrick, secured a silver medal in the U23 High Jump with a best of 1.85m and later finished 4th in the Triple Jump with a 13.36m PB recording. Conal Mahon, from Irivinstown, a 3rd level colleague of Barry Quigg’s, at NUIG, took bronze in the Triple jump with a best of 13.39metres. Conal expressed some dissatisfaction afterwards as he expected a better placing –he is a 14m + triple jumper. Emma Brady, filled 4th in the Junior Triple Jump with a best of 10.43m. Finally Christopher Doherty, who has been having the season of his life, was the unfortunate athlete of the weekend. The Gortloskey, Donegal Town, based Trinity College, medical student achieved PB’s during the past month –most recent 4.20metres. On Sunday evening he warmed up confidently and entered the competition at 4 metres –alas he no heighted and the possibility of a national winning medal evaporated. However Christopher re assess, learn from the experience and move on.
Congrats to all seven on a remarkable and successful weekend and thanks to club coaches and parents that travelled to support
Caolan O’Callaghan
Congrats to Abbey Voc student and Tir Chonaill AC member Caolan O’Callaghan, who received conformation earlier this week of his selection on the Irish Schools U17 team for the upcoming Home Countries International in Cardiff. This is a great honour for a young man who has made steady progress since his introduction to athletics via the Donegal Sportshall Athletics team three years ago, Tir Chonaill AC wish Caolan all the best in Cardiff and also wish to congratulate the following county and North West athletes on their selection – Christopher O’Donnell, Magh Ene, Bundoran/ Nth Sligo AC, 4 X 100m Relay, Sommer Leaky, Srabane Academy/ Finn Valley, High Jump, Brendan O’Donnell, St Eunans/Liffolrd AC , Hammer, Toni Moore, Sacred Heart, Omagh,/Omagh Harriers, Steeplechase, Amie Hamill, Colaiste Oriel/Clones Ac , 1,500m and Clodagh O’Reilly, Loreto Cavan/Annalee AC 3k
• Tir Chonaill AC Summer Camp
The 2014 annual summer camp came to a successful conclusion on last Friday evening . The young athletes during the five days enjoyed numerous individual and team challenges that tasked and improved their agility, balance and co-ordination. All were introduced to many new running, hurdling, jumping and throwing disciplines and games. The spacious and well equipped school and club facilities at the Abbey Voc. School were used to the maximum by all. The weather was kind with glorious sunshine welcoming the participants each morning. At the camp conclusion all participants were congratulated and thanked, parents for supporting and the many club coaches and senior athletes for their enthusiastic coaching expertise and assistance
• Next weekend
Day 2 of the Irish Juvenile c/ships takes place in Tullamore on Sunday. Is club athletes will contest. Also on Sunday Letterkenny AC Open International meet will has three club athletes invited to compete, we wish all every success
Club training continues a the normal times and venues
Tags:
