Akers wins gold in Tullamore

The National Juvenile Track and Field Championships (day 3), U-14 to U-19, were held in Tullamore on Saturday. Alice Akers (Marian) produced another fine performance in the U-16 girls’ hammer when taking the gold medal with 52.28m. Following in her sister Rachel’s footsteps, she threw well over the six rounds.

The National Juvenile Track and Field Championships (day 3), U-14 to U-19, were held in Tullamore on Saturday. Alice Akers (Marian) produced another fine performance in the U-16 girls’ hammer when taking the gold medal with 52.28m. Following in her sister Rachel’s footsteps, she threw well over the six rounds.
Róisín Harrison, O’Briensbridge and running with Emerald AC Limerick, added another national title to her collection. After winning the 100m two weeks ago in Tullamore, she claimed the 200m title in 25.20. 
Just days after winning the world youths walks gold medal, Kate Veale (West Waterford AC) was back in action at the National Juvenile Championships, where she set a new U-18 record, a new Irish junior record, a new Irish U-23 record and a new Irish senior record for the 3,000m walk, with a spectacular winning time of 12.18.86, taking almost a minute off her own Irish junior record and almost 16 seconds off Gillian O’Sullivan’s senior record. Clare Athlete Claudia Loughnane (Marian) finished fourth in 18.05.41.
Another Clare athlete, Cormac Lynch (Marian), came through his semi-final very well to win a bronze medal in the final with a time of 23.10.
Clare athletes had a number of fourth-place finishes, amongst them Eoin Hanrahan (Ennis Track) in the boys’ U-16 discus, Fergal Conlon (Tulla) in the boys’ U-17 3,000m walk and Harriett Flynn (Shannon) in the girls’ U-19 1,500m.

Results
Girls’ U-15 shot putt: 4 Deirbhile Ryan (Nenagh) (11.14m); 12 Rachel Clancy (St John’s) (7.89m). U-16 hammer: 1 Alice Akers (Marian) (52.28m). 200m: 1 Róisín Harrison (Emerald) (25.20). U-17 1,500m: 6 Laura Egan (Kilmihil) (5.06.34.) U-18 3,000m walk: 1 Kate Veale (West Waterford) (12.18.86.); 4 Claudia Loughnane (Marian) (18.05.41). U-19 1,500m: 4 Harriett Flynn (Shannon) (4.59.45). Long jump: 5 Suzanne Kelly (Kilnaboy) (4.80m).
Boys’ U-14 1,500m: 7 Mark Fennell (St Mary’s) (4.43.39). U-16 discus: 4 Eoin Hanrahan (Ennis Track) (41.01m). U-17 3,000m walk: 4 Fergal Conlon (Tulla) (17.16.83). U-18 200m: 3 Cormac Lynch (Marian) (23.10). U-19 200m: 8 Mark Boland (Marian) (23.59).

Clare through to national league final

The Woodies DIY National Track and Field League Round Two was held at a wet and windy Santry on Sunday, where Clare athletes once again demonstrated their great potential on the national stage by advancing to the final, which will take place on August 20.
The first athlete in action was David Courtney (Ennis Track) and his versatility proved invaluable to the team as he finished third in the 110m hurdles in 21.22, fifth in the triple jump with a leap of 9.86m and secured Clare’s first victory in the pole vault, clearing 2.50m.
Fergal Smithwick (Marian AC) secured second place in the 3k walk in a time of 18.10.79 and William Flynn (Shannon AC) demonstrated his talent by winning the 400m hurdles in a new personal best time of 58.66.
In the field events, Eamon Cleary (Shannon AC) showed true grit and determination by battling through injury to finish fourth in the shot putt with a throw of 10.11m and he threw 27.78m in the discus.
Lunga Balman (Marian AC) returned to form by winning the javelin with a throw of 43.93m and he was fourth in the long jump in 5.57m.
Cormac Lynch (Marian AC), the Munster U-18 100m champion, soared over the high jump in 1.60m to secure another victory for Clare. Cormac had barely recovered when he lined up for the 100m sprint against some senior athletes and finished second in a time of 11.33. 
Mark Boland (Marian AC) enhanced his growing reputation by finishing second in the 200m in 23.81 and later in the afternoon he competed in the 400m in 52.38.
There were five Clare athletes in the 800m with Michael Keane (Ennis Track) producing a blistering finish to secure victory in 2.01. Jason Fay (Olympic Harriers) finished third, Aidan Kearney (Ennis Track) fourth, U-17 athlete Ian Slobbery (Kilmihil) finishing fifth, with Kevin Chaser (Ennis Track) sixth.
Jason Fay (Olympic Harriers) controlled the men’s 1,500m from the start and with a lap to go made a decisive move and secured victory in 4.08.
Brian McGinley (Ennis Track) ran the race of his life in the men’s 3k steeplechase, running a personal best time in 9.48 to secure second spot.
As the points were being tallied, Clare had seized control and team captain Brian Murphy (Ennis Track) battled defiantly to secure victory in the 5,000m in 15.46.
The final events of the day were the men’s 4 x 100m relays and here William Flynn, Cormac Lynch, Lunga Bulman and Mark Boland broke the county record of 45.81 but had to settle for second in a photo finish. The 4 x 400m relay team of William Flynn, Aidan Kearney, Ian Slobody and Micheal Keane ran 3.37 but were again just beaten on the line and had to settle for second spot.
The Clare team finished the day on top, for the second Sunday in a row, with 115 points and this, combined with their initial points tally of 119, secured Clare’s passage to the final in Tullamore on August 20 as division one leaders.