123.IE NATIONAL SENIOR INDOORS .
GOLD AND SILVER FOR VEALE AND HOLMES.
The stars of Irish athletics took to national competition last weekend as the 123.ie National Senior Indoor Championships which took centre stage at the Sport Ireland National Indoor Arena across two days Saturday and Sunday. Sarah Healy (UCD AC) broke her own 1500m championship record with a stunning 4:08.74 CR, while there was also a gold medal-winning performance from 400m star Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC) who retained her title with a 51.91.West Waterford AC produced its own stars over the weekend also and taking into account that our club currently has no track to call home and still we can produce athletes competing at the very highest national standard at track and field and take home national medals as well,with 3 athletes competing Lucy Holmes in the 1.500 meters ,Kate Veale in the 3.000 meters and Micheál Power in the 1.500 meters and 3.000 meters also.Kate Veale made it 8 from 8 on the bounce in the 3.000 meters walk when took her 8th national senior indoor title in a time of 13.24.02 with Mullingar Harriers AC Aisling Lane in silver position in a time of 13.57.28 and the bronze going to Ciara Wilson Bowen Dundrum South Dublin A.C. with a time of 14:23.33,the Ladies race this year saw the largest field ever for the event with 16 starting which was very encouraging to see. Lucy Holmes had her heats of the 1.500 meters on Saturday, running in heat 2 of 2 Lucy finished 4th in a time of 4.41.36, it was quite a slow heart this one but with 6 to go through Lucy was comfortably through in that 4th spot .Lucy was on the Irish ladies under 23 cross country team in Turkey at the European cross in December and acquitted herself really well on the day so going into that final on Sunday Lucy was fancied among the top 5 or 6 to medal, but indoor racing is a different animal to other running races as tactics come into play a lot. In Sundays finals Lucy showed she can be as good a tactician as anyone as when Irish Female sensation Sarah Healy had raced away from the field early the silver and bronze were among a group of 4 going into the final few laps and here Lucy showed her tactical skill which I’m sure was well talked over with her coach Ian O’Sullivan beforehand. Lucy keeping the pace high at the front of affairs the runner-up spot came down to herself and DCH AC athlete Amy O’Donoghue over the remaining 4 laps or so, on the final lap O’Donoghue made her move from lane 2 but Lucy proved to too strong holding the inside lane running a very fast last lap to take a brilliant silver to add to her bronze from last year at the same championships.
Sarah Healy UCD AC 4.08 78 (CBP) Lucy Holmes West Waterford AC 4.23.10 Lucy O’Donoghue DCH AC 4.23.74
Micheál Power was our 3rd athlete in action as he doubled up at this year’s championships when entering the 1.500 meters and the 3.000 meters as well. The 1.500 meters had heats on Saturday and Micheál set the pace here in heat 1 of 2 indeed he lead from gun to tape and was the fastest qualifier from the two heats posting a time of 3.56.14 so it was on to Sundays finals and here Micheál was in action first in the 3.000 meters final which was a straight final no heats, If any athlete over the weekend was unlucky not to medal it was Micheál, after dominating the pace for much of the race he was really looking likely to medal with 2 laps remaining but in the final sprint to the line four athlete were back in contention in a very tight finish and he finished 4th of the 4 in 8.14.47 but none the less a brilliant effort by Micheál as he gave it his all for sure. Having qualified for the 1.500 also this final was on 15 minutes after he finished the 3.000 meters race and here he showed early in the race but after such effort in the 3k it just was too much to have to run the 1.500 so soon after and he faded over the final lap finishing 11th in a time of 4.06.99. Very well done to all our three athletes on their performances and wearing the club vest with pride on the national stage.
2 GOLD 1 SILVER FOR GOUGH.
On Saturday and Sunday last the British Masters Indoor Championships were held at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre and club member Joe Gough was competing in the 0 70 category Joe competed in three events over the two days the 800 metres on Saturday and 400 and 1500 metres. On Saturday in the 800 meters Joe got his weekend off to the preverbal flier taking gold in a time of 2.35.19 from Kevin Archer silver in 2.41.04 with bronze going to David Oxland 2.42.91.The following day Sunday Joe’s first event was the In the 1.500 meters Joe again took gold when winning in a time of 5.25.40 from David Bedwell silver 1.30.46 and bronze going to David Oxland in 5.30.83 and to round off a great weekend Joe competed in the shorter distance of 400 meters where he narrowly beaten for gold by Ian Broadhurst 1.02.61 and Joe silver in 1.02.97 and bronze went to Pater Mould 1.06.34.Another very successful weekend of championships running by Joe.
HUGE MARATHON PERFROMANCE BY AIDAN CONNELL IN SAVILLE.
Club member Aidan Connell was among the 11.000 runners last Sunday in the Seville Marathon Spain. Aidan finished 253rd overall in a brilliant time of 2.35.52, super run well done Aidan.
2025 WEST WATERFORD AC REMAINING FIXTURES
2nd March Munster road championships
2nd April to 30th April 2025-Mason Colligan Hill League for 5 Wednesdays
21st April 2025-Aglish Fun Run
09th May 2025-AHS Tuning Ballinroad 5k
23rd May 2025-Round Tower Hotel Ardmore 5 Mile
6th June 2025-Dungarvan Leader Dromana 5 Mile
27th June 2025-Oriel Bar Ballymac 5 Mile
4th July 2025-Deise College 10 k
18th July 2025-Ballinameala 5k
30th August 2025-Eurofins Greenway Half Marathon
16th November 2025-Murrays Pharmacy Brickey 5k
05th December 2025-Turkey Trot
CLUB MEMBERSHIP 2025.
The club membership for 2025 can now be paid. The club membership is for the calendar year January to December. The membership stays unchanged at 50 euro. You can pay your membership online by logging onto the athletics Ireland web site and just follow the instruction under membership.
NEXT LEAGUE IS THE POPULAR MARK MASON FINANCIAL SERVICES COLLIGAN LEAGUE.
Spring is in the air when we start mentioning our next big club event the 5 week Mark Mason’s Financial Services Colligan running league for beginners and regular runners. Open to all once they are over 16 years of age. This league has something in it for all from the beginner to the seasoned athlete with many distances to choose from along with flat courses and hilly courses. Beginning at the wooden bridge and finishing at the wooden bridge. This is 4.4 km in distance or 2.7 miles so it might suit all those that ran the short route over the winter league plus this route is more or less completely on the flat. Another option is to take part in the 3 lap which is 6.5 kms or just over 4 miles; this is 3 laps of the same flat circuit of the wood mentioned above. The final option is the 5 mile hill route which is one lap of the wood for starters and then up the first hill and down the hill and then across the road for the second hill and finishing in by the wood at the bridge. Entry will be online in due course. The league will start on Wednesday April 2nd and continue for five more Wednesday evenings April 09th,16th, 23rd and 30th .Mass start each evening at 6.30 pm.
MUNSTER ROAD RACING CHAMPIONSHIPS TO BE HELD IN BALLINAMEELA NEXT SUNDAY.
Hosted by West Waterford athletic club THE 2025 Munster road racing championships for senior novice and masters will be held on Sunday March 2nd next at 12 noon at the Ballinameela community hall as race HQ ( by kind permission) A great days racing is promised with the Ladies and men’s distances both over 4 miles of the Ballinameela 5k race circuit making up most of the race course. There will be Munster medals for Novice, Senior Masters all age categories individual top 3.If you not running and have a couple of hours to spare you might like to give a hand stewarding the course contact James 086 8184762
TEAM CATEGORIES.
LADIES
novice women 4 to score club and 4 to score county
senior women 4 to score club 4 to score county
ladies is 4 to score club and 4 to score county teams over 35
ladies is 3 to score club and 4 to score for county teams over 50
MEN
senior team 4 to score for club 6 to score for county team
novice men 4 to score for club and 6 to score for county teams
4 men to score on club teams over 35 and 6 to score on county teams
in over 50 mens team category 4 to score club
and 4 to score county team
The club pay all entry fee to all championship events so please contact padraig mens entries or Kelly for Ladies entries.
Padraig Healy (086) 105 4012
Kelly Fitzgerald (087) 950 3168
RAN THE GAP.
Well done to our club members who ran the Gap of Dunlow half marathon last weekend which was held in wet conditions for the 362 participants. Stephen Gray ran a time of 1.48.12 while Cait Verling and Linda Foley ran the course together finishing with the same time of 1.59.02.
RAIVIS WINS 5K .
The Beat the Billy Goat 5k was held last in Waterford weekend and the club had one athlete participating when Raivis Zakis won the 5k event in a time of 17.14.Well done Raivis.
WEST WATERFORD ATHLETES OUT AND ABOUT.
Over the past few days the club had 2 athletes taking part at two different venues in two different distance .Michael Coakley ran the Gorey Co Wexford night run in aid of Wexford hospice this was Michael’s 4th time running this event which is held over an undulating 5k course Michael completed the course in a time of 29 10.Helen Leahy was in action also at the Nenagh Co Tipperary 10k race where she ran a time of 53.38,well done to Michael and Helen.
