by Perri Williams
The accolades of our juveniles were somewhat under the radar yesterday. Between the mounting success of our u23s at the European’s in Bergen and the euphoria of the Diamond League. Each year a team of boys and girls are selected from the Tailteann Games to compete in this international that serves as a breeding group for future international development.
Held in Derby (UK), the Irish team finished second in both the boys and girls’ overall competition to England. Scotland was 3rd with Wales 4th.
The Irish racewalkers did exceptionally well taking gold and silver in both the girls and boys events. Pearl Sands took the girls title ahead of Aoife Martin. While Evan Walsh took the boys title ahead of Daniel Glennon (brother of Matthew who raced in the u23 European Championships this week). The Irish race walkers have an incredible record at the SIAB schools international, with repeated victories over the past few decades. Kate Veale (West Waterford) still holds the SIAB record which she set in 2009.
No juvenile international these days could bypass the accolades of the Renton twins, Freya and Holly. With the SIAB Schools Cross-Country titles and podium places already under their belt, there was no stopping these talented Westport girls in Derby yesterday. Freya took yet another international win, taking the 3,000m title in 9:27.87 while her sister Holly finished 3rd in 9:38.25, both personal bests. Incidentally the record is held by Innes Fitzgerald at 8:59.67. Fitzgerald set a new u20 European record at the Diamond League on Saturday in London for 5000m. With both Renton girls still being eligible for this age group next year, it will be interesting to see if the record will fall.
Tara Laverty took the discus title with a throw of 39.69m after a ding dong battle with Bethany Pendlebury (England). Laverty finished 40cm ahead in the concluding stages of the competition. The Castleblaney Colllege student has had a fantastic season. Enroute to her SIAB victory she set a new Irish schools discus record while also finishing runner-up in the shot to Eimear Purthill.
Wojciech Fraczek took silver in the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.35 and sandwiched between the English pair of Hans Nmaju and Hugo Douglas-Reeves in what was a relatively close finish between all three.
Daniel Downey ran a suberb 400m hurdles race, keeping paces with England’s talented hurdler Elijah Olalaye. Coming off the final bend there was very little difference between the two athletes. The race unfolded down the home straight with Olalaye producing a perfect clearance and final sprint to snatch the title less than one second ahead of the Portloaise athlete. Ireland’s Brian Cullinane finished third.
Emer Purtill took home two silver medals. Purtill finished runner-up to England’s Lucy Bull in the javelin, with a throw of 45.16m. Taking to the field a second time she threw 14.62m in the shot, finishing runner-up to England’s Emilia Adese.
The relays always prove to be an exciting affair. The boys 4x400m team of Ethan Carr, Harrison Jamison, Daniel Downey and Luis Blanco trailed England by 2 seconds to clock 3:19.55 and take silver. There was an equally jubilant moment when the girls 4x300m relay also took silver. The team of Kate Maher, Alicia Hegarty, Aisling Shevlin and Elle McRae clocked 2:41.68 finishing behind a spectacular English team that set a new record. The Irish 4x100m team of Harry McIiwaine, Philp Offorjama, Wojciech Fraczek, and Joseph Maybagelola also took silver, clocking 42.53. The girls team delivered a bronze medal winning performance.
For those of you who like statistical moments, John Treacy still holds the SIAB international record for the 3,000m at 8.20.40 which he ran back in 1974. The only other Irish athlete to still hold a SIAB international record is fellow West Waterford native Kate Veale. Veale clocked 13:09.20 back in 2007 when she won the event for the second time. Ireland still hold one relay record. The 2017 team of Patience Jumbo-Gula, Lauren Roy, Rhasidat Adeleke and Niamh Foley are written in the record books with a rapid 45.63 for the 4x100m relay.
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