A DEPLEATED Clare squad, due to injuries and exams, travelled to Tullamore last Sunday to compete in the first round of the Mazda Track and Field League, with teams from Galway City Harriers, Waterford Athletics Club, Tallaght Athletics Club and Olympian Athletics Club taking part.
Despite being under-strength, Clare are in a strong position to qualify for the final.
The first athlete to take part was Lunga Bulman (Marian Athletics Club), who finished third in the long jump with 5.77metres. Lunga followed this with a sensational victory in the javelin, throwing 48.97metres to gain Clare their first maximum points of the day. This seemed to galvanise the Clare team and they did not have long to wait for another victory.
Keith King, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, won the high jump, clearing 1.70metres. He also gained valuable points in the discus, where he finished fifth, throwing 20.96 metres. As the team were excelling in the field events, Darragh Lynch, Ennis Track, finished second in a photo-finish with a time of 52.10. Brian McGinley, Ennis Track, matched Gary Thorton from Galway City Harriers stride for stride in the 1,500m, only to be outsprinted into second place in a new personal best of 4mins.07.5secs. 
Eamon Chesser, Ennis Track, finished third in the 800m in a time of 2mins. 10.69secs. Mark Boland, Marian Athletics Club, doubled up in the 100m and the 200m, finishing fourth in 12.24 and fifth in 24.08 respectively.  Fergal Smithwick (Marian Athletics Club) took a nasty fall on the second lap of the steeplechase but regained his composure to finish second in a time of 10mins.07secs. Michael Maher, Ennis Track, ran a tactical race to finish second in the 5,000m in 16mins.
The final races saw the Clare 4 x 100m relay team of Lunga Bulman, Mark Boland, Eamon Chesser and Darragh Lynch finish fourth in a time of 47.74secs. In the final race of the day, the 4 x 400m relay team of Aidan Kearney, Brian McGinley, Eamon Chesser and Darragh Lynch set a new Clare record of 3mins.41.95secs when finishing in third place. 
After day one, Clare are on 82 points and attention now turns to day two, which will be on Sunday, July 18 at Athlone IT.

Gold on the double for Ryan

Deirbhile Ryan from Clonlara, a member of Nenagh Athletics Club, won two golds at the nationals in Tullamore at the weekend, setting two new personal bests in the process.
She won the shot with a personal best of 12.36m and the discus with a personal best of 27.17m.
She was unlucky not to finish higher than sixth in the long jump, jumping 4.60m, the same distance as fifth.
She jumped this from behind the board, being unable to get her mark right on a very windy day (her personal best is 4.61m). The winning jump was 4.80m and 4.68m was third. Competitors can only take part in three individual events.
Deirbhile will take part in the relay in two weeks’ time and the national multi-event on August 1 followed by the shot putt in the Community Games in Athlone in August when she will represent Clare, having won the county title last week.

All-Ireland track and field championships

The Athletics Association Of Ireland national track and field championships will take place in Santry this Saturday and Sunday, with Saturday having a starting time of 12 noon, when the first track event will be the ladies’ 5,000m walk and the ladies’ hammer.
Sunday will be a 10.30am start for the men’s hammer and an 11.30am start for the 100 metres.
Clare will be well represented, with Rory Chesser, Ennis Track, the national steeplechase champion for the past two years, looking to retain the title, Brian Markham, Ennis Track, will compete in the 800m and 1500m while  Richard Pilkington, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, will contest the 56lbs for distance and O/bar.
Tim Crowe, Sixmilebridge and Dooneen, the national U-23 champion over 400m hurdles, is looking to take another title, this time at senior level.
Rachel Akres from East Clare and Marian AC will take part in the hammer and discus.

Fixtures
July
10 and 11  Athletics Ireland Senior Track and Field Championships in Santry.
11 Clarecastle 10k Road Race and Fun Walk starting at 12 noon.
18 Mazda Track and Field League Round 2.
24 and 25 Athletics Ireland Juvenile Track and Field U-12 to U-19 Championships in Tullamore Starting at 10am.
30 Kildysart Cultural Festival and the fourth annual Dermot Power Memorial four-mile fun walk and four-mile road race, starting at 7.30pm.
31 Kilmihil Festival “Dan O’Halloran Memorial 10k Road race at 2pm.
July 31 and August 1 Athletics Ireland juvenile and senior combined events in Tullamore.