RHASIDAT REIGNS SUPREME
Rhasidat Adeleke of Tallaght AC consolidated her growing reputation as a sprinter when she won the 400m at the Big 12 Championships in Oklahoma in a time of 50.58 secs. Just a month ago in Florida, Adeleke lowered her own Irish record to 49.90 secs becoming the first Irish woman to break 50 seconds for the distance. She also set a new Irish record of 22.34 secs for the 200m As a result, she was named European female Athlete of the Month for April.
Over longer distances, Brian Fay of Raheny Shamrock AC not only won the 10,000m at the Pacific 12 meet on Friday (May 12) with a time of 28:24.90, he also took the scalp of British athlete Charlie Hicks, who finished second in 28:25.12. Hicks is the current NCAA cross-country champion. In the men’s 10,000m at the opening day of the Big East Outdoor Championships hosted by Villanova on Thursday (May 11), Abdel Laadjel of Donore Harriers finished second in 29:12.50. On the same day, Lauren Tinkler of Dublin City Harriers ran a personal best 34:36.61 for 10,000m at the Sun Belt meet in Myrtle Beach, South California.
TRACK
At the Irish Milers Club track meet on the Mary Peters Track in Belfast on Saturday (May 13), four Irish women went under 2 mins 2 secs. Among them was Sarah Healy of UCD AC who finished fifth in 2:01.75. Race winner for a second year was Leevale AC’s Louise Shanahan in a time of 1:59.50. A number of other Irish athletes ran, notably Traian Rebegea , who won the men’s C 800m in 1:50.57 only three days after winning the Dublin 1500m title in Tallaght. Winning the B 800m in 1:50.57 was Rebegea’s Tallaght club mate Jack Kelly. In the 100m, Mollie Reilly of DSD AC won the women’s A 100m in 11.77 secs, while Chris Sibanda of Clonliffe Harriers finish second in the men’s A 100 A in 10.60. Winning the men’s A 400m in 46.58 secs was Jack Raftery of Donore Harriers. Finishing second in the women’s A 1500m was Carla Sweeney of Rathfarnham WSAF AC in 4:14.98. Amy O’Donoghue of DSD AC was third in 4:21.00 and Ellie Hartnett of UCD AC fourth in 4:23.00.
DUBLIN TITLES FOR MAHR AND REBEGUA
A Dublin Championship title for Eimear Maher of Dundrum South Dublin AC in the 1500m kicked off the second Dublin Graded Track and Field meet of the season, held in Tallaght on a blustery Wednesday evening (May 10). Maher had a clear victory in the A Grade 1,500m with a time of 4 mins 29.15 secs. Second and third were two visitors from Nenagh Olympic - Jennifer O’Leary in 4:41.45 and Niamh Cunneen in 4:46.22. Second Dublin athlete in 4:47.45 was Kate Nurse of UCD AC in 4:467.45, with Aisling Mohan of MSB AC fifth and third Dublin athlete in 4:46.84. In the men’s 1500m Grade A race, incorporating the Dublin Championships, Traian Rebegea of MSB AC was the winner in a battle to the line with Jamie Fallon of Craughwell AC. The pair were timed at 3:58.73 and 4:00.11 respectively. In third place and second Dubliner was Jamie Byrne of DSD AC in 4:02.26.
Winning the A grade women’s 200m in 25.20 secs was Lucy May Sleeman of Leevale AC. Aoibhe Forde of DSD AC won the B race in 36.38 followed by Ava Usanova of Clonliffe Harriers in 27.05 In the men’s A 200m, Runo Ayavoro of Newbridge AC was the winner in 22.42 secs followed by James Holden of DSD AC in 22.60 and David Mannion of South Galway in 22.63. Fastest over the two B grade 200m races was Cal Traynor Russell of DSD AC in 23.23.
In the field, Michael Kent of DMP was the outstanding performer in the men’s long jump with a 6.28m effort. Showing huge promise in the women’s high jump was junior athlete Tara O’Connor of Dundalk St Gerard’s AC who soared over 1.70m. Of the men, Evan Hallinan of Craughwell AC with 1.85 proved the winner, but it was Rob Ryan of MSB AC, in his first ever high jump competition, who took the Dublin title making it over the bar at 1.40. Niamh Fogarty of Raheny Shamrock proved the class of the women’s discus with 50.52 her best effort. From LSA AC, Anna Gavigan produced a throw of 44.13 while Eoin Sheridan of Clonliffe Harriers with 52.59 was over 20m clear of his nearest rival in the men’s competition. A total of ten men and six women competed in the discus - an encouraging sign.
Also held were 4x100 relays for the benefit of the Irish squads, with the A team women clocking 47.00 and the A team men 41.41. Making up the competition, along with Ireland B teams, were teams from Crookstown Millview in both races and Lucan Harriers in the men’s race. The full results are on the Dublin Athletics website at http://pastresults.dublinathletics.com/Graded23-2/menu.html. Several pictures fron the Graded Meeting No. 2 are on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/albums/72177720308176285
ROADS
At the Run Killarney Half Marathon on Saturday (May 13), Niamh Clifford of Donore Harriers finished second overall and first woman in 77:45. Colm Murray of Rathfarnham WSAF AC was first M50 in 82:53, while Yuliia Tarasova of Clonliffe Harriers was second woman in 84:37.
At the Terenure 5 miler on Sunday almost 1,000 finishers crossed the line. The ra e was won by Aaron Hanlon, Drogheda and District AC and the ladies race by Ciara Hickey from Bro. Pearse AC,. The full results are on Myrunresults at https://www.myrunresults.com/events/sportsworld_terenure_5_mile_2023/4764/results. Pictures are on Lindie Naughtons Flickr site at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/albums/72177720308269064
COMING UP
Tuesday, June 6 - Opening round 25th annual Lord Mayor 2-Mile Series , Raheny, 8pm, with thirteen rounds in all until August 29. Entry €50 for series (including Jim Wall Handicap on September 5) or €7 per race. www.ahenyshamrock.ie
June 10 - UCD Track Meet, Belfield. In association with Irish Milers Cup. Cash prizes women’s 800m and Dr Tony O’Neill Men’s Mile. Also 100m, 200m, 400m and 3000m; field events TBA. Entry opened May 14. www.irishmilersclub.org
June 18 - DSD Open Track Meet, DSD Sports Campus, Tibradden Lane. Entry opens May 18. Details of programme and how to enter at www.dsdac.com
