Aug 23/24 -Community Games Athletics

There were many fine performances by Kilkenny athletes at the national Community Games finals held in the Institute of Technology, Athlone at the weekend. Saturday was a busy day with heats and semi-finals being held in most of the track events. And Kilkenny had many qualifiers going through to the finals on Sunday. Glenmore – Tullogher –Rosbercon had an excellent representative in Jack Elliott who made it through to the final of the 100m and also anchored the Under 13 mixed relay team which won silver. Athletes from St Patrick’s parish area were very much to the fore and returned with three medals. The top performer was Hannah Kelly with silver in the under 14 Javelin. Twin sister Rachel won fourth place medal in the Shot and the third medal was won by Caoimhe Moran who came fourth in the girls Long Puck. Other finalists from St Patricks were Daniel Ring 80m under 8, Harry Shine 100m under10, Jennifer Leahy 100m under 12 and Jack Aylmer 200m under 10. St John’s parish provided the girls under 14 relay team which made it as far as the semi-finals. Team member, Ella Richardson, also went in the 800m and came seventh in the final. It was a disappointing competition for Aughavillar’s Adam FitzPatrick. He finished second in the semi-final of the 800m under 14 on Saturday and having made a valiant run in Sunday’s final seemed set for a medal when he took a tumble some thirty meters from the finish line. Another young Aughavillar runner was Louise Gilmore who showed great pace in the 60m under 8. She was second in her heat and second in the semi-final and also ran well in the final. Dicksboro Area also had considerable success but failed to acquire the much coveted medals. Patrick Lacey was one of the early qualifiers in the 60m under 8. Caoimhe Carroll was a worthy and busy athlete at under 10. Busy with four races on Saturday and two on Sunday. Worthy in that she won her 200m heat and qualified through the semi –final for Sunday’s final where she also ran well. She also set a good pace in the first leg for the under 10 mixed relay team which placed second in both heat and semi-final. The other team members were Amy Clifford, Conor Kavanagh and Brian Moore. Other Dicksboro athletes to perform well were Mick Carroll in under10 hurdles and Nobin Rebi in under 14 Javelin. Skeoughvosteen competitors Keelin O’Grady and Ryan Murphy also did the county proud. Keelin it made to the final of the under 14 hurdles with a second place finish in both heat and semi-final while Ryan took the fourth place medal in the boys Long Puck competition. The marathon team of Luke Fitzpatrick, Rory Lodge, Bill Cody and Eamon Fennelly put in a valiant effort over the 7KM course but their points score came up a little short. The team managers thanked all who helped make this year’s community games an enjoyable event with particular thanks to teenage volunteers Craig Byrne and Peter Lynch who assisted the athletes throughout the weekend.

Aug 10 – Gary’s Gold
Gary Halpin followed up last weeks success in the Natioinal League with a first place finish in M3 Hammer at the national Masters Championships in Tullamore today. Paddy Walsh made a welcome return to KCH last Sunday for the Nat League. Today he competed in national M1 and turned in good results – 5th in Long Jump (4.90), 6th in 100m (13.05) and 9th in 200m (26.34).
Aug 9 – Well Done Lauren
The Ireland team were overall champions at today’s Celtic Games held in Santry Stadium. Lauren Gleeson played her part. Jumping 5.43m she took first place in the Long Jump.
Aug 3 – No Promotion for Gallant Men

The Kilkenny City Harriers Men’s team approached the National League final in Tullamore on Sunday with a twofold aim in mind – to get on the podium and to win promotion to the Premier Division. The first objective was achieved as after a gallant effort by all twelve team members and manager John Maye the team garnered 103 points. This placed them in third position behind Nenagh Olympic on 107 points and Donore Harriers on 115. Apart from the rain clouds there was a cloud of a different nature hanging over the team when it became known that star athlete Michael Bowler had to withdraw because of injury. However that particular cloud was lifted early in the competition when Gary Halpin posted 9 points with a 51m plus hammer throw. Eoin Power, guesting from St Joseph’s, quickly tacked on 14 points with second place in 110m and 400m hurdles. Nicholas Dunphy made it another second in the 3K walk and KCH were top scorer after four events. There were ups and downs as the day progressed with points been totted event by event. Paddy Walsh was fifth in the long jump. Craig Byrne was fifth in the high jump and Aaron Barron had another fifth in the 400m. Eoin Muldowney, guesting from Castlecomer AC, got 6 points with third place in the 200m and Peter Lynch clinched another 6 points from a well run 3000m steeplechase. Brendan Hyland with 13 points – 7 from a PB of 11.26m in the Shot and 6 from the javelin – made a major contribution. Eoin Everard added 16 points – 9 from the 800m and 7 from the 1500m. This latter seven could so easily have been a nine as Donore’s John Travers slipped past him on the1500m finish line. Another great performance from Toss Hayes in the 5000 won a further 9 points. The final individual event of the day saw Callan Byrne powering down the 100m straight in 11.41 seconds to add a further 7 points. A weakness in the KCH team is a reliance on a relatively small pool of athletes for a competition involving twentyone events. It would be preferable to be able to draw on fresh legs for the relays especially the 4x400m the last event of the day. And so it was the same four – Aaron Barron, Eoin Power, Callan Byrne and Eoin Power – who were called on to run the 4x100m and 4x400m as well as their own individual events. Twelve months from now with a bit more experience and perhaps with a couple of extra athletes the second objective – promotion to the Premier Division – can be achieved.

Aug 3 – Third CE Silver
Catriona Twomey made it a third combined events silver when she finished second in the Junior Hepthatlon after the second day of the national championships in Tullamore today.
Aug 2 – Combined Silver – On The Double

The Juvenile Track and Field season came to a close with the national combined events finals in a very wet Tullamore today. It was a happy ending for KCH duo Rachel Kelly and Ciara Deely. Rachel, competing in the under 14 Penthatlon, had a particularly rewarding competition as she achieved a PB in each of the five events – High Jump, Long jump, Shot, 75m hurdles and 800m to win All-Ireland Silver. It was silver also for Ciara who went in the under 15 event.

Jul 27 – Day 4 – Another Gold for Sarah Kate

Sarah Kate Lacey closed her track and field season with a fine win in the 200m under 19 at the national juvenile championships in Tullamore today. Her time was an impressive25.41 seconds. In the under 18 High Jump Eimear O’Donoghue won bronze with 1.50m. Callan Byrne, also under 18, came close with 22.79 in the 200m final but had to settle for fourth place. In the 1500m under 16 Annie O’Connor and Luke FitzPatrick ran well in their respective races with Annie finishing in fifth place.

Jul 26 – Day 3 – 3 Golds

Day 3 of the National Juvenile championships brought three gold medal performances from our juveniles. First to score was Ciara Deely. Already with two golds from Day 2 she made it her third today. Having won her heat she was a clear winner in the under 15 hurdles final in 36.76 seconds. The second gold was won by Lauren Gleeson in Long Jump under16. Very consistent jumping all through she won with 5.51m, some 20cm improvement on her Leinster win. The third gold was won by Rachel Kelly in the under 14 Discus. Her winning throw of 32.01m was a personal best and a great personal achievement. Rachel’s twin sister Hannah was in action in the Javelin and with a best throw of 27.24m she won bronze. Rory McGabhann, clearing 1.40m, finished seventh in under 14 High Jump Under 18 athlete, Aaron Barron, had a good run in his 400m heat to qualify for the final but was unable to produce the same form in the final where he finished eight. There were mixed fortunes in the remaining track races. Under 19 girls Anna Sheehan in the 800m and Aoibhe Richardson in the 3000m ran excellent races and each were rewarded with silver medals. Adam FitzPatrick, under 15 and Aoibhe O’Shea, under17 had good runs in their respective 800’s with both placing seventh in their respective finals. Peter Lynch, who has had a really fine season, finished ninth in his 3000m and might feel a little disappointed with his placing but with a new PB of 9 mins 8.68 seconds and some 21 seconds improvement on his Leinster time he should mark this as a successful close to the season.

Jul 23 – Cliodhna Has PB in World Juniors

Cliodhna Manning did us proud when competing in Round 1 of the 200m at the world junior championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA, today. Running a PB of 24.15 seconds she finished fourth in heat 7. Cliodhna was somewhat unlucky in being drawn in this heat which was won in 23.31, the fastest time of all the heats. Her time of 24.15 would have made her the winner of heat 2 and would have been sufficient to qualify her for the semis from any of the first four heats. Well done Cliodhna.

Jul 19/20- National Seniors

For the first time in many years KCH came away from Santry without a medal. It wasn’t that our athletes were not competitive but more that standards were perhaps a bit higher. Eoin Everard came closest to medalling with 5th place in the 1500m. His time of 3.45.65 compares reasonably favourably with his 3.44.58 which won him the gold in 2013. For Louise Holmes in the 400m there was progression on the double. Winning Leinster U23 in June her time was 58.34. Finishing 2nd in this weekends semi-final she clocked 56.80 and pushed on again in the final where she placed 6th in 56.39. Michael Bowler competed in High Jump, Javelin and Long Jump and placed 7th, 9th and 10 respectively. Toss Hayes went in the 5000m and ran 15.06.98.

Jul 19 – Kilkenny Athletes at School(s) in Cardiff

The Irish Schools athletic teams put in fine performances in the international match held in The Cardiff International Athletics Stadium on Saturday. Both girls and boys teams finished in second place behind England. Ciara Deely, Loreto Kilkenny and KCH, did her part with a 1.60m clearance in the high jump – a good result from this promising young athlete who is young enough to compete in this competition for a further two years. Shane Power, Good Counsel and St Joseph’s AC, competing in the Pole Vault, made a marvellous entry to international competition by extending his PB in the event by some 20 cms. Finishing on 3.03 meters he scored in 7th place. Peter Lynch, St Kierans and KCH, had a quality run in the Steeplechase. His was a welcome contribution to the teams efforts as he finished in 5th place with a new PB of 4mins 32secs.

Jul 13 – Deely Double Gold

Under 15 athlete, Ciara Deely, continues to show great form. Following on her recent fine showing in the Leinster Track and Field Championships she was again outstanding with double gold in todays national finals in Tullamore. Her first win came in the high jump where she cleared 1.66m – 3cms up on her Leinster clearance. Her second gold was in the 80m hurdles in 12.19 seconds. Another on-form athlete is Sarah Kate Lacey. Sarah Kate was one of six athletes from the club to qualify for the 100m finals and she, with an improved time of 12.29 seconds, was the winner of the 100m under 19. Her clubmate, Margaret Caldbeck, also had a fine run to finish in fifth place in 12.77 seconds. Lauren Gleeson, running in the under 15 final was fourth. Jack Manning was eight under17. Callan Byrne was sixth under 18 and Eimear McMullan was seventh under18. Rory McGabhann jumped 4.37m in under 14 Long jump to place eight while Sinead Tuohy was seventh in the high jump under 16 with a 1.40m clearance. Well done all.

Jul 11 – Morton Games

Two KCH athletes competed in the Morton Games in Santry on Friday night. Eoin Everard took part in The International Mile finishing 11th in 4.00.07. His 15000m timewas 3.39.64. Anna Sheehan was first in the 800m B. Her time was 2.19.54.

Jul 06 – Cliodhna Manning Oregon Bound

Cliodhna Manning’s return to form, under the guidance of her coach –Peter Lyons-, following injury earlier in the year has been rewarded with selection by Athletics Ireland to be a representative on the Ireland squad at the World Junior T&F Championships. Cliodhna will compete in the 200m at the championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA, later in the month.

Cliodhna took first place in the national junior 200m in Corktoday in 24.21 seconds. At the same championships Sarah Kate Lacey and Margaret Caldbeck both qualified for the 100m final with Sarah Kate winning silver and Margaret finishing eight. Another silver went to under 23 athlete Louise Holmes who had a brilliant run to clock a new PB of 56.83 in the 400m final. Nicholas Dunphy was fourth in the junior walk and Sinead McDonough finished sixth in the the junior 100m hurdles.

Jul 5/6 – Bowler Excels in Madeira

The European Cup Combined Events, held recently in The Madeira Islands, proved an excellent championship for KCH athlete, Michael Bowler. Competing in The Decathlon Michael scored not one but ten PBs to amass an impressive 6,997 points and thereby finish in an overall third place. His achievement in each event was as follows :– 100m – 11.48 seconds; Long jump – 6.93m; Shot – 11.80m; High jump – 2.04m; 400m – 50.59 seconds; 110m hurdles – 15.88 seconds; Discus – 34.84m; Pole Vaulr – 3.90m; Javelin- 53.37m; 1500m – 4 mins 39.06 seconds.

Jul 05 – Under 18 Boys set National Record
Our under 18 boys relay team followed up last weeks win in the Leinster 4x100m Relay Championships with a record breaking 44.03 seconds win in today’s national final in Tullamore. The team was Jack Manning, Aaron Barron, Aidan Tuohy and Callan Byrne. The girls under 15 were sixth in 52.58 seconds. Their panel was Ciara Deely, Leah Raggett, Martyna Balcer, Rebecca Keane and Kate Dempsey.