by Perri Williams
It was a glorious weekend for the Irish u17 development team as they set Grangemouth Athletics Stadium alight with dozens of amazing performances. In total the team secured 33 medals, ten of them gold. Star of the team has to be Emer Purthill (Dooneen AC) who yet again produced a record beating performance in the javelin. Throwing 43.26m, The Limerick native set a new championship record, knocking 5cm off the 7 year old existing one. Purthill followed this up with her second gold. Throwing 14.73m in the shot putt, she stood high on the podium – after completing her championship double.
Kevin O’Shea (Maine-Farranfore) blew away his opponents with a superb 59.20m, almost 11m ahead of his nearest opponent. Later in the programme he took silver in the discus. There was no stopping our boys in the hurdles. Aaron Whelan (Dubboyne) kick started the weekend with gold in the 400m hurdles, Victor Lamph (Thomastown) securing silver. Eddie Raicevic (Finisk Valley) took gold in the 100m hurdles. Ellie Kate McRae (Middleton) took bronze in the girls 300m hurdles.
Fellow Middleton athlete Alex Jaworski won his triple jump and was placed second in the long jump, securing Middleton’s third medal of the weekend. Jack Tierney (Borrisokane) took the mens hammer title and Charlie O’Neill (Donore) continued to add another gold to his burgeoning summer collection with a victory in the 800m. Patrick Duffy (Tullamore) had an easy steeplechase victory.
While technically not on the Irish selection, Ally Duffy (Tullamore) entered as an individual for the Scottish championships and won her steeplechase. Dominating the event from start to finish is made all the more impressive by the fact it was her first ever steeplechase competition.
The most exciting race of the day was the u17 100m. The fastest man in the field Harry McIlwaine (Letterkenny AC) was on tender hooks as he waited for the final result. It was a close call between McIlwaine and Ben Thompson (Dundee) as both men cross the line so close together. An hour later, photo finish consulted and going back to thousandths of a second, McIlwain ceded victory to Thompson. On Sunday McIlwaine finished 3rd in the 200m.
u15 and u20 Scottish Championships Aberdeen
The previous week a small selection of Irish athletes entered in the Scottish u15 and u20 Scottish championships in Aberdeen and competed for their respective clubs. In the boys u15 Sam Kingston (Leevale) took gold with a mighty throw of 43.08m, almost nine meters ahead of his nearest competitor Scotsman Tommy Higgins. This was the first leg of a family double as his elder sister Katie Kingston, later threw 38.04m to win the Scottish u20 Championships. Meave Flemming (Leevale) won the u20 High Jump with a leap of 1.58m. The final Irish athlete in action was Bobby Gleeson (Templemore AC) who took gold in the mens u20 hammer with a throw of 54.23m.
RESULTS
BOYS
Steeplechase: 1 Patrick Duffy (Tullamore) 4:34.79
800m: 1 Charlie O’Neill (Donore) 2:04.19
100m: 2 Harry McIlwaine (Letterkenny) 11.05
Javelin: 1 Kevin O’Shea (Maine-Farranfore) 59.20m
Hammer: 1 Jack Tierney (Borrisokane) 52.16 2 Fintan O'Grady (Fannahan McSweeney AC) 50.41
Triple Jump: 1 Alex Jaworski (Middleton) 12.71m 2 Daniel DiAntolin Rodriguez (Ratoath)12.56m
400m: 3 Daniel Downey (Portlaoise) 50.11
100m Hurdles: 1 Eddie Raicevic (Finisk) 13.27 3 Aaron Whelan (Dunboyne) 13.79
400m Hurdles: 1 Arron Whelan (Dunboyne) 56.85 2 Victor Lamph (Thomastown) 57.76
Shot: 2 Liam Rohan (An Riocht) 15.13 3 Cathal McNicholas (Swinford) 12.22
Pole Vault: 2 Eddie Raicevic (Finisk Valley) 3.40m
Discus: 2 Kevin O’Shea (Farranfore-Maine) 40.91m
200m: 3 Harry McIlwaine (Letterkenny) 22.40
High Jump: 3 Parryk Pucek (Clongriffin) 1.88m
Long Jump: 2 Alex Jaworski (Middleton) 6.70m 3 Chucks Onyega (Belgooley) 6.65
GIRLS
Javelin: 1 Emer Purthill (Dooneen) 43.26 CBP
Shot: 1 Emer Purthill (Dooneen) 14.73
300m Hurdles: 3 Ellie Kate McRae (Middleton) 44.78
100m: 2 Tiffany Nwaedozie (Belgooley) 12.20
Triple Jump: 2 Georgia Myserscough (Crookstown-Millview) 10.79m
High Jump: 3 Zion Oaswe (Donore) 1.64m
1500m: 3 Ciara Rohan (Waterford AC) 3:34.96
Steeplechase: 1 Ally Duffy (Tullamore) 5:10.08 2 Ellen Sheridan (Ratoath) 5:14.58
200m: 2 Tiffany Nwaedozie (Belgooley) 24.93
80m Hurdles: 3 Danielle Ahern (Leevale) 11.82
Discus: 2 Tara Laverty (Carrick Aces) 38.20
Pole Vault: 3 Helena Golka (Leevale) 2.95m
