TRACK
As everyone will now by now, Ireland made a golden start to the European Track and Field Championships in the Olympic Stadium in Rome on Friday evening when the 4x400m mixed relay team, with Tallaght’s Rhasidat Adeleke running a powerful second leg, won only the country’s second gold ever at these championships.Two days later on Sunday, Ciara Mageean (City of Lisburn AC) finally won the gold medal she so richly deserved in women’s 1500m,with Sarah Healy (UCD AC) finishing a creditable seventh in 4:06.77. Also on Sunday Mark Smyth (Raheny Shamrock) made the semifinals of the men’s 200m finishing a fighting fifth in 20.86 secs - not too far off his Irish record of 20.64. In the hammer, Nicola Tuthill of UCD AC, a good friend to Dublin athletics, made the women’s final .On Saturday, in the men’s 5000m, Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock) had finished 14th in 13:29.48, while on the the roads on Sunday morning, Hiko Tonosa Haso (DSD AC) finished 43rd in the men’s half marathon in a time a time of 65 mins 42 mins.The European Championship continue until Wednesday; more next week!
Races over two distances were on offer at the fourth Dublin Graded Track and Field meet held on a chilly evening in Tallaght on Wednesday (June 5). First up with the 100m sprinters and fastest of the women over the four graded races was Cressida Amaniampong (Skerries) AC in 12.63 secs. Fastest of the men, over eight races, was Runo Ayavaro (Newbridge AC) in 11.17 secs. Dean Power (Tullamore Harriers) in second place was given the same time, with Emmanuel Akinrolie (MSB) third in 11.23. Over 800m, Neil Culhane (Ace AC) won the men’s A race in 1:54.04; Cian Kelly (St Abban’s AC) second in 1:54.75 and Sean Carrigg (Clonliffe Harriers) third in 1:58.05. Maisie O’Sullivan ( St Abban’s AC) proved fastest of the women winning the A race in 2:14.23, with Sarah Lane (Nenagh Olympic) a close second in 2:14.73 and Lauren Murphy (Cilles AC) third in 2:15.69. In the women’s hammer, Ellie McGrath (Lusk AC) threw 27.15m and Frances Mansfield (Clonliffe Harriers), just a month off her 80th birthday, a remarkable 17.21m. Stephen Fee (Lusk AC) was the only male competitor and threw 36.26m.
Next Dublin Meet is on Saturday June 15 at the DSD track (2pm); full details elsewhere on this site.
ROADS
At the the Irish Life Corkagh Park 5-Mile in Clondalkin on Sunday (June 9), Tomás Fitzpatrick (Tallaght AC) wh has made a welcome return to racing in recents weeks after long break, finished third and first M40 in 26:03. First woman in 29:02 was Faye Dervan (Dublin City Harriers); third woman was Sarah Mulligan (Dundrum South Dublin AC, W35) in 29:44. Winners in the age categories included Fiona Stack (Raheny Shamrock) fourth overall and first W40 in 30:45, Dublin-based Mary Jennings (Waterford AC) W65, Mary Lynch (Raheny Shamrock) W70, Kieran Little (Blackrock) 27.00, Declan Watters (Brothers Pearse) , M50 Didier Da Costa (Donore Harriers), Alan Fairbrother (Brothers Pearse) and Sean Ryan (Civil Service Harriers). Next race in the four-race series is the Fingal 10km in Swords, Co Dublin on Sunday July 14.
Big race on Saturday was the Patrick Bell and Nicky Phillips 5km organised by Bohermeen AC in Co Meath, where Ian Guiden (Clonliffe Harriers) was the winner in 14 mins 37 secs. Ieuan Hopkins (Brothers Pearse) fifth in 15:28 and Sean Doran (Clonliffe Harriers sixth in 15:32. First woman was Ciara Hickey (Brothers Pearse, W40) in 16:42. Winning the Paddy Murtagh Cup for men’s teams of six was Brothers Pearse; with Brothers Pearse also second of the men’s club teams (four to count).
Kevin Donagher (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) was a comfortable winner of the inaugural Bru Na Boinne 5km in Donore Co Meath on Friday (June 7) with a time of 16:41. Second in 18:02 was Andrew Kinane (Donore Harriers). Making it a Rathfarnham double was Laura McDonnell who was fourth overall and first woman in 18:18.