FVAC NOTES 2025
The dominant athletics activity last weekend for those of us in Finn Valley, and indeed in Ireland, was the European Indoor Athletics Championships in Apeldoorn, Holland. The club were honoured to have two representatives on the team, Mark English 800m and Arlene Crossan who made her international debut in the 4x4 relay. We enjoyed three days of intense activity and excitement as Mark came through the rounds to Sunday’s final. Mark had, on two previous occasions, medalled at these championships, once in Prague and on another occasion in Glasgow, adding to his two European outdoor medals. He was now chasing a 5th medal to become, along with Sonia O’Sullivan, one of the best Irish achievers ever in terms of medals at a major championship. Mark brought all his experience to bear in the final and to the great joy of us all in Donegal, ran an outstanding race to return a time of 1.45.46 clinching his third European indoor championship medal of his career and his 5th overall. A stunning final lap by an athlete who gained his first medal some 10 years ago and added to what has been a remarkable career of achievement and longevity. He departed on Tuesday to Dubai, to a training camp and will travel onwards from there to the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China in 10 days time. It was an edge of the seat performance for those of us watching back here in Ireland and obviously the impact of a performance such as this is wonderful for athletics in the area. We are very pleased to be associated with Mark, regarded as the finest athlete ever to come out of Donegal and we wish him well in the coming months both in the world indoor and outdoor championships.
Arlenne Crossan began life as a young primary school athlete and showed strong indication of talent in both the long jump and 200/400m as a youth athlete, gaining selection for the European Youth Olympics amongst other notable achievements. She unfortunately lost her way through injury in the intervening years but has shown great tenacity and desire in the last 6 months an approach which has produced 2 Donegal records at 200 and 400m, thus selection for the Irish 4x4 relay team. In the final events on Sunday evening, she was on track as the third leg runner for Ireland in the 4x4. It was an under-par team but finished 6th and no doubt she will have taken a lot of confidence and a lot of learning from her days with the squad. Her split for her leg of the 400m was 53.50. She now needs to build and work towards consistent sub 54 400m returns and possibly consider the 400m hurdles. The immediate plan is to spend 3 weeks warm weather training with some of her fellow teammates and come out fighting in the summer months. It was no doubt a special moment for her parents, Sean and Bernie and indeed her entire family.
The Irish Schools Cross Country finals were held at the Ballybrit racecourse in Galway, the highlight from a local perspective being Odhran Mcbrearty from St Columba’s College who dug deep to see off a strong challenge from two cork athletes to win by 2 seconds and in addition lead the Columba’s team to Silver team spot with the aid of Padraic Mc Gettigan, James Donaghey, Mark Alexander. In winning the title, was in fact retaining what he had achieved the previous year which was in many ways exceptional. We offer congratulations to him and the team.
