Donore Harriers
ESTD 1893
Latest News
11.05.08
On the Track with Style
The G. V. Ryan competition incorporating the A.A.I. Games and the National Track relays was a good showcase for early athletes form and Donore had some outstanding performances. Simon Taggart was a convincing winner of the 400m, and Adrienne Jordan picked up where she left off last season with a very solid run in the 1500m and our men picked up 2 national bronze medals in the National 3x800m and 4x400m. The relays were made the more impressive by the fact that 3 of the athletes are still juniors (2 of them complete novices at the respective distances) and all of them under 23. We also had athletes in the men’s 3000m.
First up were the 3 x 800m men. John Travers so promising over the country this year in the juniors was trying the 800m for the first time. He led the team off and showed his growing experience and maturity by calmly staying in fourth place on the first lap, pacing it really with a 59 seconds first lap and then getting us into a medal position with a strong burst with 100m to go coming through in 2mins 1 second. Mark Dooley took on the baton then and after a nice pb 2 weeks ago to win the graded B 800 settled well in a good pace. Mark again never shy of taking on a challenge bravely put us into second place after 350m and continued to pull away and ran an impressive pb coming home with a 2mins 2 secs 800m. Philip Cavanagh fresh from going under 2 minutes had the onerous task of holding on to the silver. He also ran a very solid leg and was the quickest of the team in 2mins flat, only to just be caught on the dip for the line by a genuinely outstanding run from Finn Valley’s third athlete. A great bronze medal for the lads, well done!!!
Up next was Simon Taggart in the 400m individual. Simon’s impressive C.V. is growing after taking the National Universities title in April and breaking 50 seconds already this season indoors. Simon appeared to lead from the gun and although he was pressed in the home straight by a fast finishing Billy Ryan from Ferrybank, Simon’s characteristically strong last 50m meant his win was never in doubt.
Lee Van Haeften and Danny Crean were next up for the club in the 3000m. The field was very tough with the cream of Raheny Shamrocks and Rathfarnham there on the start line. Lee and Danny went off sensibly aim for 9,10 pace. Danny was racing his first track race in a long time and Lee had been coming back from a lay off so it was always going to be tough and they settled with a Rathfarnham athlete with Lee having to do the lion’s share of the work. They ran very solidly if just below their targets finishing with 9min 25secs and 30secs respectively. Definitely more to come from those boys for sure.
Adrienne Jordan was our soul lady’s representative on the night, Adrienne who has made tremendous advances in the last year was on the track for the first time this year racing. She ran a beautifully paced race clocking 75 seconds exactly for her first 3 laps and surging into a clear second with 1300m to go. She was just outpaced on the straight, but she finished with a great early season time of 4min 40seconds. 4min 36 was her pb from last season, which must be under threat now.
The final event as is fitting was the 4x400. Darren Kelly was given the honour or pressure of starting with the blocks and certainly confirmed he could mix it with the sprinters by putting us right in the frame with a 53 second leg. Eric Keogh only 17 and fresh from a double win in the West Leinster schools 800m and 1500m stepped down and showed some real speed and good tactile awareness as he held of crusaders round the top bend forcing his challenger to come around him and then being able to power away from him in the last 50m to come in with 53seconds. Philip Cavanagh despite having already run the 800 was very solid right through his leg, holding his speed and keeping us within sight of the medals in 4th place. He too ran a 53 seconds and showed his improved strength this season being able to put the 2 solid races back to back. The it was left to Simon Taggart finish off the lads’ good work and Simon was able to comfortably pace Navan in the last 50m to give the lads a surprise but thoroughly deserved second national bronze medal of the day!!
We hope the lads can take that form forward to the Leinster schools and the National League next week.
Iain Morrison
