Highlight – Jack Raftery wins the national senior indoor 400m!

National Senior Indoor Track and field championships

The highlight of the week, already one of the highlights of 2023 and a historic achievement for the club was Jack Raftery winning the national senior indoor men’s 400m championship in the National Indoor Arena.  In a thrilling race, he also got a championship record of 46.37 and is a mere .02 off the qualifying standard for the European Indoor championships in Istanbul.  He had two steps to reach the final first so Jack comfortably qualified in the 400m on day 1 winning his heat – he then went on to dominate his semi final in 48.02 and that was with easing up so as to save energy for the final.  Hotly tipped for the title In the run up to the championship, Jack said in interviews that he was aiming to run his first 200m a little faster.  The qualifying out of the way, there was a hush in the stadium as the final got underway on the Sunday and Jack powered out of the blocks in lane 6.  Although leading pretty much from the get go – Jack didn’t let up for any part of the race – nearest opponent was training partner in his Dublin sprint training group – Ciaran Carthy of DSD.  In the end Jack stormed home in 46.37 more than a second ahead and in a new championship record – to the delight of family, clubmates, coach and training partners present. Men’s track and field captain David Campbell paid tribute to Jack saying “he is one of the hardest working athletes on and off the track and a great role model to younger athletes in our club…I have had some of the best days training alongside and competing with him…today was pretty special to see him win his first national senior title and hopefully will be the first of many to come over the next few years.  The big man has a very bright future and we can’t to hopefully cheer him on next at the Paris Olympics”
That could be a real possibility given his current form and would follow in the footsteps of the late Jimmy Riordan the 440yd/400m champion who competed in the 1948 Olympics.  But hopefully there will be Irish vests first in 2023!

On the two days of competition in the championship, first up was Adam Halpin who went in heat 7 of 7 heats in the men’s 200m finishing 4th in 25.04.  With only the winner of each heat guaranteed entry to the semis, a very tough standard so was not enough to progress on this occasion.
A very competitive women’s 400m featuring the likes of Phil Healy, Sophie Becker and Cliodhna Manning in the heats saw Caoimhe Mackey finishing 5th in the 1st of 4 heats in 61.04 but not enough to reach the semi-final stage.  In the 3000m final on Saturday – there were two races -  Gavin Curtin was in the A race and had a fine run to finish 8th in 8.24.97, unfortunately John Travers was forced to retire from the race but hopefully he will bounce back.. It was won by Darragh McElhinney in a new championship record of 7.49.18 so a fast one.  On day 2, Michael McCarthy competed in the Triple Jump – he admitted to being disappointed with his competition on this occasion because of a run of good form lately -  he finished 8th with a best jump of 11.93.

Cross country
Meet and Train Women’s cross country league round 3 – IrishTown (thanks women’s captain Anne Curley)
The venue was Sandymount and 98 runners took to the line, a small lap in the Clann na Gael pitches and then out by the lovely Shellybanks nature trail, Sandymount. The race was not quite cross country with a small bit of trail and mostly path and it was also a bit over the 2miles… Our women did the business on the day, Amy Moriarty is showing that old magic again coming in a super 5th place and followed by Suzie Henley Willis in a stormer for 10th place, two women in the top ten and coming off a grueller of a session the day where both ran their first ‘race’ of the weekend -  amazing back to back efforts. Like Amy, Suzie has raced consistency this last season and it is paying off dividends.  She is in the top ten club now. Single digits next time and Amy top 3, no pressure alright! Next in was Fiona Barrins in 48th who gave it everything, I well done Fiona, great to see you out there battling in the black and white. Finishing sprint of the day went to Sarah Ni Ruairc 71st who floored a few bodies in her wake like skittles to get to the finish. She got the best cheer of the day too from her teammates. Next in was Larisa Sioneru 84th with Catherine McKeon 86th , hot on her heels, great runs girls, two Meet and Train stalwarts and who brought them home only the legend that is Ann Woodlock. She had a battle with some Waterstown warriors athletes but stayed ahead, finishing to great cheers and yes we were of course the loudest bunch of the day, great fun, there is nothing like the Meet and Trains for the camaraderie, long may they last!

BHAA Central Bank 4 mile
At the BHAA 4 mile cross country race on the grounds of Wesley College Dundrum there was amixed race for men and women.  In a field of 135 runners, Ian Redican was 87th overall, Mary McDermott having a very good cross country season doing lots of racing lately was 90th overall and won her W50 agegroup again.

Cross country races at Bathurst New South Wales Australia

Club stalwart and former President Charlie O’Neill is in Australia at present – his visit coincided with the World Cross country championships, ran in gruelling conditions!  There was also an open race for all runners which Charlie took part in and a world masters cross country event featuring a former member.  Thanks Charlie for the report!
Peter Sweeny formerly of Donore Harriers was only one of two master men representing Ireland in the world Master xc championships  in Bathurst NSW. Running 3 x2km Laps on the championship course he recorded a time of just over 24 minutes and was rightly pleased.  His race included former Australian international Steve Monengetti
Running 10km on the exact World Cross  course was a privilege. I couldn’t wear the Donore singlet as it was over 30 degrees and it would have stuck to me!  The World xc championships were a rare combination of high temperatures and one of the toughest courses ever.  The course, a mixture of sand  and man made mud ( the Billabong) was testing. Shakespeare himself could describe the severity of the hills and uneven ground which made it impossible to get into a comfortable canter.
I did the full course same as the International senior men and women. Just over 50 hardy souls braved the open challenge and I was delighted just to finish  and not like the unfortunate Ethiopian Runner Letsenbet Gidey who collapsed near the finish…
Well done Charlie

Road

Elsewhere we had two podium positions in road races at home and abroad.  Simon O’Toole took the roads of Tralee for his first 10 mile race.  The race was the Tralee Valentines 10 mile race – part of the Tralee marathon race series.  Simon finished 2nd overall in 61.48
In the town of Rhyl in Wales Cormac Brennan competed for the club for the first time.  He ran a half marathon a two lap up and down course along the Welsh sea front and the Irish sea finishing in 2nd place in an impressive 76.54.

Parkrun

Shanganagh – a number of the teenage endurance group ran this one – well done
Liam Morris 1st 16.30
Daire McCarthy 5th 17.07
Eoin Mooney 11th 18.08
Dylan McKenna 14th 18.25
Julie Cleary 15th 1st female 18.26
Eden Brangan 25th 20.14
Laura Nunan 28th 20.33

Malahide
Eilish Joyce 32.21

Porterstown
Caroline McCarthy 1st female 22.08

Clonbur Woods
Mark Devine 7th 23.08

Brickfields
Ciaran McCarthy 66th 30.35

New Ross
Eugene McCurtain 35th 25.43

Con Smith – Cavan Parkrun
1st Niall Lynch 18.28