West Waterford Athletic ClubWest Waterford Athletic Club

Juvenile Notes, 26th April 2009

Record Number of West Waterford Athletes Compete at County Championships

The largest number of athletes ever 77 in all travelled to compete in the first session of the county championships, which were held last Sunday at the R.S.C.

The programme got under way at 11am with the walk events and the last of the 100 events was over at 4.20pm. The programme was rearranged this year and meant that the younger athletes had all their events on the first day of the championships. In the older age groups under 15 & 16 events and under 17 & 18 events were combined to make them more competitive. This new format gave and added buzz to the event and the large numbers of athletes from all the clubs created a great atmosphere and give rise to some excellent performances.

Twenty Five County Titles for West Waterford Athletes
Our young athletes got stuck into their events in both track and field and claimed a total of eighteen county titles with many of athletes winning their first ever county titles. Claudia Quarry was our only sprint winner taking gold in   the girls under 9 60m. Kate Veale clocked 14m 37 in winning the junior women’s walk and we also had the winner in the under 16 when Alex Lai won the first of his five medals. Jerome Power had a double winning the under 10 long jump and 300m. His older brother Michael also won gold in the under 11 500m. Our athletes continued to dominate the distance events with wins for Sinead Flynn under 12 600m, Erwann Le Gal under 14 800m, Stephanie Power and David Earley under 16 800m.Declan Power had a double winning the junior men’s 3000m and steeplechase.  In the long jump Caoimhe Dwyer had to produce a new personal best to win the under 11 event as did Claire Collins in the junior women’s high jump. Lorna Cummins had a win in the under 12 girls high jump.

In the throwing events Zoe Scanlan had a treble winning the under 16 hammer and shot and the junior shot and she also won a bronze medal in the junior hammer. In the Shot there were winning performance from Cliona Ryan under 13 and Kate Hickey under 15. Stephen Mc Mahon had a double in the under 15 hammer and triple jump. In one of the last throwing events of the day Nolween Le Gal won the under 9 ball throw.

In the relay events the girls under 9 team of Nolween Le Gal, Ciara Mc Kenna, Orla Queally and Claudia Quarry got us off to a winning start and the under 12 girls team of Laura Cusack, Kate Mc Grath, Lorna Cummins and Sinead Flynn also had a win in their relay.

Silver Medals won in all age groups
The first silver medal of the day was won by Aine Flynn in the under 10 girls 60m. Micheal Power also collected a silver medal in the under 11 sprint as did Sinead Flynn and Eoin O’Brien under 12. In the distance events Nolween Le Gal  won silver under 9 as did Cian Fagan under 10, Niamh Leamy under 12 , Sean Curran under 13, Alex Lai under 16 and Lughaidh O’ Mahoney under 18 800m and steeplechase. In the 200m under 14 Alan Mc Mahon won the first of his three silver medals. In the jumping events Ciara Mc Kenna was second in the under 9 long jump as was Sean Curran in the under 13.  Sarah Wyley under 13 and Zoe Crotty under 15 both finished second in their high jump events while Brandon Barry also placed second in the under 17 triple jump as did Alan Mc Mahon in the under 15 triple jump. In the shot events there were silver medals won by Eoin Dwyer under 13 and Alan Mc Mahon under 14. Lisa Houlihan was second in the under 17 hammer as was Michelle Kenneally in the junior event. Claudia Quarry collected a silver medal in the under 9 ball throw as did Jack Mc Grath in the under 10 boys. The following relay teams also finished second under 11 girls Chloe Fennell, Rachel Wyley, Sarah Morrissey and Caoimhe Dwyer: under 10 boys Diarmuid Harty, Jerome Power, Aidan O’Brien and Cian Fagan; under 10 girls Judith Campbell, Claudia Quarry, Ciara Mc Kenna and Aine Flynn: under 12 boys Aidan Mc Kenna, Micheal Power, Oisin O’Mahoney and Eoin O’Brien: junior women Una Mc Grath, Stephanie Power, Claire Collins and Lisa Houlihan: junior men Brandon Barry, Micheal Tutty, Alex Lei and William Keane.

The following athletes won bronze medals Ciara Mc Kenna 60m, Orla Queally ball throw, Caoimhe Dwyer 60m, Alex Lai hurdles & triple jump, Lorna Cummins shot, Rayanne Barry high jump, Tholm Reddy 600m & long jump, Gemma Wyley 800m, Erwann Le Gal triple jump, Lisa Houlihan 200m & high jump, Robbie Mulligan 800m & triple jump. In the under 11 relay the team of Niall Blackwell, Aidan Mc Kenna, Eoin Ryan and Micheal Power finished third as did the under 14 team of Richard Casey, Tholm Reddy, Eoin Dwyer and Sean Curran. Our second junior men’s team of Lughaidh O’Mahoney, David Earley, Declan Power and Stephen Mc Mahon finished third in their relay event.  It was great to see so many of our athletes among the medal winners on the day but there were also some very good efforts from those who finished just outside the medals including Cian O’Riordan 4th in the ball throw and 300m, Kathy Lai and Dearbhla Whelan in the high jump and Aisling Prendergast, Aine Power, Aoife Kiely, Lucy O’Brien and Kate Curran in the middle distance events.

Well done to all our athletes who travelled to compete in this event and a special thanks to the many parents who acted as team managers on the day your assistance made it possible for all our athletes to get to their many events.

Primary School Sports Next Thursday April 30th
The first leg of the Primary school sports will take place on Thursday night in St. Augustines College with the first race getting under way at 6.30. This will be the heats for the big schools. A big crowd is expected for this event so please come early and give yourself plenty of time for parking.

Wednesday 23rd
The Waterford Secondary Schools Championships will be held at the R.S.C. starting at 12.30. all the local schools will be competing in this event.

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