First All Ireland Title for Isabelle Gaffney
The final day of the All Ireland Championships were held in Tullamore on Saturday August 22nd. West Waterford had just one athlete in action. Isabelle Gaffney finished 2nd in the Munster championships in mid July and qualified to compete. While all the rest of our athletes were on a three week break Isabelle continued to train with the help of her training partner Rosie Berryman under the watchful eye of her coach Mary Ashe.
The top 15 young athletes in the country gathered in Tullamore for the All Ireland Final. Going into the race the Munster Champion Anna Vaughan Reddan had the fastest time of1.45 with five other athletes with times of just a second slower it was going to be tough to get among the medal winners.
The athletes were lined up in two groups eight on the inside track and seven in the outer lanes with the two groups coming together after100m.
Isabelle did not get a good start and after 50m found herself in 6th place of the eight athletes she started with. The Connacht pair of Fraya and Holly Renton set a very fast pace covering the first two hundred metres in 31 secs and as they reached the bell it was Fraya leading from Holly with the Munster champion Anna Vaughan Reddan in 3rd and Isabelle Gaffney in 4th. Going down the back straight and round the top bend the Munster girls closed the gap and they came into the home straight 4 abreast. Anna surged up the inside line while Isabella made her move on the outside. With 50 metres to go Isabelle lengthened her stride open up a small gap on her rivals and crossed the line a clear winner in a time of 1.42 which improved on her Munster run by 5secs. Anna Vaughan Reddan was second and only the width of a jersey separated the Renton twins for third and fourth place. Anna, Fraya and Holly also recorded personal best times on the day.
Well done Isabella on a great run.
Cross Country Training
In preparation for the upcoming cross country season our athletes started back training last Wednesday. This year we are hoping for a more normal cross country season with the counties getting underway at the end of Sept and the beginning of October. We have the potential to line out some very strong teams this year so it is important that all our athletes are back training this week.
Munster Tailteann Trials
A Munster trail to select a Munster Schools team will take place in Templemore on Sat Sept 4th . This is for athletes aged under 17 on Sept 1st 2021. Athletes can be entered by their school or a parent and all the information about the eventin on the Munster Schools Athletics website.
