RHASIDAT ON FIRE!
Tallaght AC’s Rhasidat Adeleke of Tallaght AC became the first Irish women to break 50 seconds for 400m when she ran a world-class time of 49.90 secs at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational in Florida, USA, on Saturday (April 15). Adeleke finished second behind Britton Wilson in the race; Wilson clocked a time of 49.51. A day earlier at the same meet, the Tallaght athlete had improved on her own Irish record when she finished fourth in the 200m with a time of 22.34 secs, helped by a wind reading of +1.8. In late January, Adeleke had run an overall personal best time of 22.52 secs indoors
At the Bryan Clay Invitation (April 13-15), in Azusa, California, Brian Fay of Raheny Shamrock AC won the fastest 5000m race of the day in 13:21.99.
Also over the weekend, a large number of Irish athletes were competing at the Providence College Friar Invitational in Rhode Island. Best in the men’s 5000m was Abdel Laadjel of Donore Harriers who was second in a huge personal best time of 13:44.28. Laadjel’s previous best for the distance was 14:02.94. In Gainesville, Florida, Louis O’Loughlin, also of Donore Harriers, ran a time of 1:48.79 to finish tenth in the 800m at the UF Tom Jones Memorial meet. Clonliffe Harrier’s Davey Davitt was in action at the Gerry Sullivan Invitation in New York where he won the the 400m in a personal best time of 48.45 secs.
AI APOLOGISES OVER RACE CHAOS IN THE PARK
Athletics Ireland has issued an apology after runners in Sunday’s Great Ireland 10km (April 16) were misdirected and ended up running 1.5km short of the stated 10km distance. When Jake O’Regan of St John’s AC crossed the line in 26 mins 8 secs, it was clear that something had gone wrong. All results have since been declared null and void. Close to two thousand had signed up for the race which incorporated the National 10km Championships.Organising club was Dublin City Harriers.
The Women’s Meet and Train Winter league fun run and prize-giving in Bushy Park was an altogether happier occasion. Awarded the Paddy Craddock Trophy for her support of the Meet and Train Leagues down the years was Ann Woodlock of Donore Harriers, who won the W80 3000n and finished third in the 1500m at World Masters Indoor Championships in Poland last month. Overall series winner was Aoife Carroll of Sportsworld AC, who only started running seriously two years ago. In the team categories, the winners were Crusaders AC A (platinum division), Esker Runners A (gold), Clonliffe Harriers C (silver) and Donore Dawdlers (bronze). New clubs are welcome to join in the fun and a meeting to decide the dates for the 2023/4 Winter League will take place in September,. If you want to be notified, contact Fiona Shine of Crusaders AC at
Outside Dublin, Ray Hynes of Donore Harriers was the winner of the Clara 5km in 15 mins 54 secs. The race was the third round of the Offaly 5km Series.
At Limerick Racecourse, Niamh Clifford of Donore Harriers was the winning woman at the Michal Rejmer Memorial 10-mile. Her time was 61:20.
Clonliffe’s annual Grand Prix Series commenced last week with the Frank White Handicap 5 Mile at the ALSAA track. Ger Kirwin posted the fastest time of 27.47 with Aine McCann the winner. Next round is the McDonald Cup 4-Mile, also at the ALSAA, on Thursday April 28 (8pm)
- Congrats to Paddy Marley of Clonliffe Harriers and Dermot Nagle, DCH AC, who have been awarded life vice presidency of Athletics Ireland for their contribution to Irish Athletics.
NATIONAL ROAD RELAYS
Good luck to Dublin clubs competing in Sunday’s National Road Relays hosted by Raheny Shamrock AC. The UCD women and Clonliffe men made it a Dublin double in two thrilling senior races last year. Sportsworld were the W35 champions and Raheny the W50 winners. Can they all successfully defend their titles?
46 AND COUNTING
As of the end of February, Dublin has 46 athletics/running clubs (and counting) affiliated to Athletics Ireland. Special welcome to HOPE Recovery Runners, Hunters AC, Titans AC, Inner City RC and Plant-Based AC. Let us know your news!
Coming up -
Wednesday April 19 - Raheny Winter League Rd 9 (final round) Open Mile, 8pm. All welcome. Entry €7. C: info @rahenyshamrock.ie
Hills: Leinster Evening League Rd 2, The Scalp (6.35km, 217m) , Co Dublin, 7.30pm. www.imra.ie
Friday April 21 - Saturday April 22
Irish Universities Track and Field Championships, DSD Track, Tibradden Lane, Dublin. Timetable at https://trackandfield.iuaa.org
Sunday April 23 - National Road Relays, Raheny, Dublin. wwww.athleticsireland.ie
Dublin Juvenile U10-16 T-F League Rd 1, Tallaght, 10am. www.dublinathletics.com
Saturday April 29
Dublin Graded Meet Rd 1, UCD, 12 noon. Paced miles (12 noon), 800m (2.30pm), 100m (3.30pm), 3000m (4.15pm); Dublin Championships hammer (1.30pm) and shot (3.30pm). Pole vault at DSD track, Tibradden. Entry April 24-27. www.dublinathletics.com
*Send your club news (and pics) to
Captions: Paddy Marley, with John Cronin, president Athletics Ireland and Adrian Curley of Tullamore Harriers
Meet & Train League Prizewinnners with Ann Woodlock at Spoertsworld HQ in Bushy Park. More at https://www.flickr.com/
Aoife Carroll of Sportsworld AC - overall winner Meet & Train Winter League.
