In the Dublin Open Track & Field Championships the 5000M Race programmed for Ladies will by popular demand be a 3000M event. The Championships are in Santry on 19th June starting at 7.00PM

Gareth Turnbull makes a Winning Return

After a six year absence from the track Gareth Turnbull made a winning return in the 800 metres clocking in 1.53.87 with Ailish McSweeney also showing fine sprinting form as she clocked an impressive 11.75 to win the womens 100 at the Dublin Graded Meeting in Irishtown Stadium.

The early afternoon temperatures of the mid 20’s were replaced by a cooling breeze blowing up from Dublin Bay as up to 200 athletes gathered for the fourth meeting in the series organized by Dublin Board. 

Raheny,s Feidhlim Kelly fresh from a 100 metres victory in a new p.b. of  11.85 took the field though the opening lap in 54 seconds with Andrew Connick and Micheal Dowling leading the chasing bunch with Turnbull hanging in the middle of the filed. 600 metres was reached in 82.5 s and it looked like Connick and Dowling might prove best but the strong running Belfast man was looming large as they moved around the final turn and the lack of racing has not dimmed his trade mark home straight surge as Gareth moved ahead to win in 1.53.57 with the Sliabh Buidhe man Connick second and Michael Dowling running faster tha before in third spot. No fewer than 10 p.b.’s achieved in the two development races on the programme including John Travers who moved down in distance to record a 1.56.36.

“It is nice to be back “was Gareth Turnbull’s post race comment “and I hope to finish the season healthy” was how he described his season’s ambitions. 

Other impressive winners of the ten 800 metres races were Ferrybank’s Patrick Flynn who won with an impressive home straight surge in 1.55.83 and DSD’s Eoin Healy who won his race in 1.57.50. 

Another athlete happy to be back was Raheny’s Siobhan Eviston who front ran her way to an impressive 2.12.72 just outside her best. Out of action for the best part of three years, through injury, on the evidence of this performance her progress throughout the remainder of the season will be interesting.

National 100 metres Champion Ailis McSweeney was quickly out of the block which was reflected in her winning time of 11.75. “I am quite happy but Barcelona qualification is my aim “ was how she summed up her run. With quite a few athletes hovering around the 11.6/11.7 mark the National Womens 100 should be very interesting. 

Joe Sweeney continued his winning ways as he won the 3000 in 8.10.62. His steady 65 second tempo left him well clear of the field from early on and he was quite pleased as he said after the race “ I really did not ease down for this. A 13m50 5000 in a few weeks time is my target”

Clonliffe’s David Donegan won the Pole Vault with a 4.80 clearance. His clubmate Ian Rodgers cleared 4.70 and narrowly failed at 4.80 as he went in search of a new National Junior Record. Stuart Greene cleared 4.60 in third spot. These athletes are part of an enthusiastic group of vaulters who compete at most of the graded meetings in stark contrast to throwers and jumpers who seem to be in short supply despite the much vaunted coaching sessions that appear to have taken place.

Click on Link Below for full results of Graded Meeting 4 and Development Races

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Results of Graded Meeting Number Four

The final Complete List of Juvenile T & F League Results now available by clicking below

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Juvenile T & F League Results

Click on attachment on Nick Davis Reports for full results of Graded Number 3

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Results of Graded Number 3

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John Travers qualifies for World Juniors at Dublin Graded 

John Travers showed that he was equally adept on the track as he is on the country as the National Junior Cross Country Champion ran 8.09.83 to qualify for the World Juniors in Canada in July. 

In an additional race to the previously scheduled programme series organizer Tom McCormack was happy to facilitate a request from a number of athletes and we had a fine race in one of the better summer nights so far this year.

 Raheny’s Feidhlim Kelly first kilometre of 2m45s set the scene for a  lively race as the 18 man field broke into two groups of nine and for a short time Liam Tremble lead Sean Connolly. John Travers,Mark Hanrahan, Brian Farrell,Mark Kirwan, Simon Ryan and Simon Taylor. 

By the 2 kilometre mark it was down to three Connolly, Travers and Hanrahan. The Leevale man was next to go as Connolly and Travers moved away and it was down to the smooth moving Tallaght man and the youthful Donore man. In a post race track side interview John Travers said “ With 600 to go I said to Sean I have to go now “ and so he did anxious not to find himself outsprinted he took it on and was very happy with running 13 second faster than ever before and of course a qualifying mark. Connolly, Hanrahan, Farrell,Hamilton and Ryan and many others all set p.b’s in what was fine race. 

John Travers 8.09.13 moves him to third on the ranking list for this season a listing that will be revised extensively after this race proving that the Dublin Graded Series is the place for good competition. 

There were some very competitive mile races on the programme with a much improved Mark Dooley the fastest clocking 4.23.67. Home straight battles saw Brain McGinley of Ennis Track win the “B” race in 4.28.98,MSB’s Mel Hilliard emerged best in a blanket finish to win the “C” race

with Michael Fox of Raheny winning the “D” event. 

Clair Phelan of St. Abban’s took up it at the half way mark to win the women’s race in 5.10.2 ahead of Kate O’Neill of MSB.

Ballymena and Antrim’s John Houston won the mens “A” 400 in 49.5 with Clonliffe’s John Laffey eschewing an opportunity of a more competitive race to win the “B” race in 49.8.

Attachments:

Graded No 3 19 th May 2010.xls