DOUBLE GOLD FOR JOE GOUGH AT EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS IN POLAND.
Club member Joe Gough was the talk of the parish as they say, after a brilliant weekend at European Masters Indoor championships held in Torun Poland.Going into the event Joe was ranked among the top contenders for gold in his category and he not alone took victory in his favoured 800 meters but a day later struck gold again in the 1.500 meters final. In the first event the 800 meters Joe had to go through a preliminary round to qualify for the final which he did with ease, the final on the following day and in a brilliant display of indoor track running he held off Peteris Arents from Latvia over the final lap to clinch gold and he also added a new European record and seasons best time of 2 minutes 23.41 seconds, the race from the gun saw the two clear of the field with the Latvian leading for the first 3 of 4 laps but Joe was always on his shoulder before he made his decisive break at the back straight in the final lap to finish clear of the Latvian who held on for 2nd in 2.25.32 with Yves Levassuer France third in 2.40.32. Joe after coming through the 800 un scaled and and as he was also entered for the 1.500 decided to run as it was a straight final with no qualifying rounds. Here again the race came down to the Latvian Arents and Joe as they broke away from the remainder of the field, and after a great tactical race Joe came home, first for his 2nd gold at the championships in a time of in 5 minutes 27.83 seconds with Arents 2nd in 5.28.04 and Levasseur the same France athlete as the 800 took his second bronze in third in 5.31.24.Congratulations Joe from all at your club on your latest achievement in a long list of them.
THE MARK MASON FINANCIAL SERVICES COLLIGAN LEAGUE .
The club’s next big local event is the 5 week Mark Mason’s Financial Services Colligan running league for beginners and regular runners and all are welcome once they are over 16 years of age. We would especially encourage newcomers to come along and join in this league in Colligan wood. For the complete beginner there is the option of doing two laps of the wood, 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 3rd and continue for five Wednesday evenings April 3rd,10th,17th, 24th and May 1st.Mass start each evening at 6.30 pm.
FORMAT OF THE LEAGUE.
Over the course of the 5 weeks of the league we will keep a record of each person’s finishing position. If you finish first you get one point, fifth place will earn you 5 points and so on. All runners will be put in to divisions of 5 and after the five weeks the winner of each division will receive a prize. Prizes will be awarded to those in each route and the divisions make it fun and interesting and all the more enjoyable.
10th ANNUAL AGLISH FUN RUN/WALK IN AID OF CRUMLIN.
The 10th Annual Aglish Fun Run/Walk is back and will take place on Easter Monday 1st April 2024. Registration from 11.30am on the day and costs €10 / Donation.The popular 5k Walk and run will kick off at 11.30. All proceeds to Children’s Health Foundation Crumlin. Numerous Spot Prizes.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING.
The clubs annual general meeting will be held on Friday April 12th at 8pm.The venue is upstairs in Merries bar Lr main st. All members welcome to attend.
CLUB SHOP NOW OPEN.
A new club Tee is also available now with a 17% discount at the online club shop.Three different sizes available kids-men’s and ladies fit, Please note when men are choosing theirs to pick the normal or the tight fit there is a big difference in the sizes so just be careful when you chose.
https://bodibro.ie/collections/west-waterford-ac
MALLOW 10.
The Mallow 10 mile road race was held last Sunday and a field of 1,005 complete on the day in damp drizzly conditions. The overall race winner this year was Peter Somba IND 50.50 and the Ladies victory went to his team mate Niamh Moore Leevale AC for the 2nd year in succession with a time of 58.30.West Waterford AC had a very big number of athletes who travelled to the race with Raivis Zakis our first man home with a time of 55.55 for 16th place overall. Our first Lady was Eveleen Drohan who clocked a time of 77.17.Well done to all, it’s great to see such a big number in Mallow.
16 Raivis ZAKIS 55:55
93 Pat FITZGERALD 01:03:44
126 John COFFEY 01:05:03
144 Niall BARRY 01:06:07
169 Eveleen DROHAN 01:07:17
176 Eoin WALSH 01:07:44
201 David DONNELLY 01:08:55
202 David NIXON 01:08:51
228 Michael DUNFORD 01:09:59
246 Ray HAHESY 01:11:02
316 Gareth POPE 01:14:14
317 Martin TOBIN 01:14:06
374 Mick CONCANNON 01:16:27
437 Patrick BERGIN 01:18:51
496 Sandra MOORE 01:20:32
692 Fiona ORMONDE 01:28:35
767 Andrea GAFFNEY 01:31:25
782 Mary CAHILL 01:32:39
798 Kim DALY 01:33:08
799 Mark LENIHAN 01:33:08
800 Joe O’ROURKE 01:33:09
801 Helen KEATING 01:33:08
931 John WOODS 01:43:38
932 Stephen CURRAN 01:43:36
939 Anne-Marie POWER 01:45:15
SYMPATHY.
West Waterford athletic club extend sincere sympathy to the family and friends of Seamus Ó Droma Baile na nGall, Ring. Jer Mason Barrack street Cappoquin.Rachel Cotter Byrne Ville Dungarvan and Philip Dunne Kilrush Park Dungarvan who passed to their eternal reward recently, may they rest in peace.
