With Covid restrictions on the wane participation is increasing. Athlone saw huge numbers checking in for Day 1 of the Leinster indoors. KCH helped to swell the numbers with over sixty athletes from the club taking part. Our under 12 age group had fourteen competing and all doing well on their first taste of indoor athletics. Aidan Malone, Amelia O’Brien, Jasmine Timmons McEneaney, Alicja Slawinski and Molly Rose Keegan all got through to the semi-finals. Aidan and Jasmine made it to the finals where Aidan placed 7th and Jasmine took the gold in 8.98 seconds. Well done.
Ellen Daly was the pride of the under 13s with a bronze in the 60m (8.64). Other quality runs came from Eabha Hanrahan, Faye Moore and Liadan Blanche. Emily Long and Thomas Hayes did well in the Long Jump where Patrick Wall was excellent placing 5th with a 3.90 jump.
No medals won by the under 14s but one suspects they will be a hot team come the relays. Martha Bergin, Emma Hogan and Kate Maher all won their 60m heats while Emma and Kate progressed through the semi-finals to finish 7th (8.69) and 8th (8.80) respectively in the final. There were good runs also from Tiernan O’Brien, Joshua Malone and Kyrell Mtinsi. Kyrell placed 7th in the final in 8.67.
Just three under 15s in action and what action. All three qualified for the final. Molly Daly took the gold (8.32), Ruth Crowley won silver (8.42) and Aoibhe Quinn was 8th having a PB of 8.62 in the semi-final.
Louie Raggett was the star for the ubder 16s winning silver in the High Jump (1.70) and coming fourth in the 400m(59.16). Ella Wall also scroed in the High Jump to win bronze with 1.49 clearance. Patrick Lacey returned to action and was 4th in the 60m final(7.93). Grace Delahunty clocked 8.56 for 60m and 1.11.37 in the 400. Hannah Quinn had 8.87 for the 60 and 1.07.41 for the 400.
Four medals were won under 17 – Two by Adam Slawinski and one each by Ruairi McEvoy and Alex Cullen. Adam was second in the 60m (7.48) and third in the long jump (5.38). Ales won silver in the Long Jump (5.88) and Ruairi had a great run in the 1500m to take bronze in 4.30.44.
Sunday was another busy day in Athlone and no group busier than our under 12s with eleven competing. Five went in the 600m where Daire O’Flaherty had a PB of 1.55.02. Others doing well were Jason O’Neill, Emma Kelly, Amelia O’Brien, And Hannah Ryan. Alicja Slawinska was 9th in the Long Jump with a fab jump of 3.39. Other great achievers were Fiach Crowley 10th (3.44), Daire O’Flaherty 11th ( 3.44), together with Lola Long and Jason O’Neill. Ria Quinn went in the High Jump and placed 5th (1.15). Lucy Maher, MollieRose Keegan and Fiach Crowley competed in the 60m hurdles. Fiach in fine form qualified for the final where he placed 8th in 13.22 seconds.
The 60m hurdles were the major area of competition for the under13s. Three of the girls Molly Daly, Emily Longand Sinead Cormack qualified for the finals. Molly won gold settinga PB of 10.25. Emily was 5th (10.91) and Sinead 7th(11.54). Ellen Cormack clocked 11.54and Patrick Wall 13.68. Sinead and Ellen also ran the 600m. Sinead made it into the final in 1.56.74.
The under 14s had Tiernan O’Brien and Kyrell Mtinsi in the 800s where Kyrell came very close to qualifying for the final with 2.32.29. Joshua Malone cleared 3.69 in the Long jump. Martha Bergin clocked 14.37 in the huedles.
Molly Daly and Ruth Crowley were the under 15 stars. Molly Daly had her second gold of the weekend with victory in the 60m hurdles (9.82). Ruth Crowley in 9.90 was close on Molly’s heels to takethesilver. Ruth also added a third silver for the weekend with 1.43 in the High Jump.Five of the under 15s competed in the 800m – Aine foley, Evelyn McEvoy, Cormac Holden, Clodagh O’Callaghan and Eimear Cormack. All ran well and the latter two made the finals placing 5th and 11th. Their respective times were 2.30.18 and 2.38.71.
Pia Langton was impressive for the under 16s. Winning her heat of the 800m in 2.25.36 she went on to win the final in 2.18.86. Patrick Lacy made the final of the 200m and in a time of 25.28 he placed third. Another gold was won by Louie Raggett with 5.32 in the long Jump. Ella Wall was 10th in LongJump(4.17) and Grace Delahunty clocked 28.62 in the 200m.
Louise Gilmore posted 2.24.72 to win gold in the 800m under 17. Adam Slawinski picked up his third medal of the weekend – a silver in the 200m (24.31).Alex Cullen also medalled – third in the hurdles (9.27). Blaithin Holden ran the 200m in 28.81.
No medals won in the under 18 on Saturday but still good results – Amelie Foley 4th in 60m; Conor byrne 5th in 60m and Alexia Albertin Molinera 6th in 1500m. Sunday painted a different story with Amelie Foley getting Bronze in the 200m(27.27) and Noah Gilmore winning the Long Jump (5.77). Noah also competed in the 200m(24.37) as did Conor Byrne (24.04).
All in all a great competition with lots of good achievements, especially by the many competing in the indoors for their first time. Well done athletes and thanks to parents, coaches and our volunteer officials.