Sligo Athletic Club: News Update

Mystery Turkey trot in Calry is cancelled due to the worsening weather conditions and icy conditions which would prove too hazardous to ask athletes to run .We hope to reschedule in the early New Year as a Trolley dash.
Sligo AC''s Annual Club Run over 2 miles takes place at 12 noon on St Stephens Day in Hazelwood. If athletes want a longer run come earlier but we encourage all to join the group for a casual jog at 12 noon .This is also an opportunity to fill your registration for 2011 and , if possible get a few euro for sponsorship. The club registration at 30 euro is one of the lowest in the Country and most of it goes to Athletics Ireland for membership and Insurance. Thus the club also needs some sponsorship to survive and prosper. The Club had over 260 registered members in 2010 and we assisted both young athletes and Seniors with entry to Connacht and National events along with a small contribution to travel to these events. Thus by joining the Club you help ensure the future for our young Athletes. See you on Stephens morning and have a happy and peaceful Christmas. Don't run over 100 miles a week during the festive Season! Finally best of luck to our Competitors in National Cross Country next Sunday.
The following Indoor Competitions takes place in the New Year. Please let any club Coach know if you wish to be entered and note closing Dates. Sat 15 Jan 2011: Junior Indoors closes 7 Jan. Sun 16th Jan AAI Indoors closes 7th jan. Sat 22th Jan Combined Events Senior/Junior/Masters closes 14th Jan. Sun 23rd Jan Masters Indoor closes 14 Jan. All above in Nenagh. Sat 19th and Sun 20th February Senior Indoors in Belfast closes 23rd January.
Fit4Life top 16 athletes from the Autumn series are as follows. Well done to all!
1. Clarke, Corina
2. Beatty, Hubert
3. Sweeney, Trevor
4. Parkinson, Tony
5. Janyst, Pawel
6. Sullivan, James
7. Mcglone, Kevin
8. Hosey, Lorraine
9. Kennedy, Linda
10. Teape, Bernadine
11. Martin, Louise
12. Whelan, John
13. Deering, Keenan
14. Gilroy, John
15. Keane, Ronan
16. Filan, Finbar

Sligo AC Athletics Update

Fit4Life: Race 5. On a day when many of the participants found it almost as difficult to negotiate a safe route to the start of the 2 mile run in Hazelwood as to do the run itself, a field of 43 eventually took to the line in what proved an enjoyable days sport. Two youngsters led the field home with Keenan Deering holding off Riona Connor for first with a slightly older trio of Bernie Flynn, Barbara Curran and Linda Kennedy filling third to fifth. Seamus Somers with 10 mins 46 secs was fastest home while Roseanne Mitchell was fastest woman in 13 mins 12 secs. Top ten finishers of Race 5 as follows;
1st. deering, keenan 14.50
2nd. connor, riona 15.57
3rd. flynn, bernie 15.12
4th. curran, barbara 16.51
5th. kennedy, linda 16.04
6th. henry, monica 15.41
7th. gilroy, john 14.54
8th. sweeney, trevor 13.28
9th. clarke, corina 14.49
10th. whelan, enda 14.00
Next Saturday at 12 noon the final leg of the League takes place over the same 2 mile circuit.
Presentation of prizes will be in the Southern Hotel at 6pm with light refreshments and the top 15 finishers overall will receive a prize.All are welcome as well as friends and partners.
Glasses missing from Race Course, Cleveragh on Saturday 4th December at approx 1pm. If anyone mistakingly picked them up please contact club officials at sligoac@gmail.com

Sligo AC News: Athletics update

National Cross Country Championships. Despite the Arctic conditions Sligo Athletics were well represented in the various under age, Junior and Senior Races on Sunday. First into action at under 12 level was Leo Doherty, Connacht under 11 Champion , who acquitted himself well to finish in 26th place in a field of over 100 runners. From this achievement he will look forward to the under 11 Nationals in Tullamore where a top 10 place would be a realistic target. The girls under 14 race saw Caeloinn Mc Gonigle and Laura Joyce fly the flag as they finished in the top half of a quality field. Claire Conlon and Orla Mulvihill represented the club at under 16 level and again did well in the difficult underfoot conditions. Ashan Patil in 47th place was closely followed by Gavin Foyle in the under 16 boys race and while Shane Kilcawley was 4oth in the boys under 18 event. Sharon Hodgins in 12th showed huge improvement in the girls under 18 race while in the the Junior events for under 20s Anna Reddin in 9th and Tommy Casey in 11th produced the best performances of the day. Seamus Somers and Tommy Carroll were the County representatives in the Senior Mens race (won by Dublin's Joe Sweeney - pictured) and Somers did well in his first Seniors to finish 87th while Carroll had to pull out with injury. Well done to all who competed from all at the club!
National Novice Cross Country will be on the 19th December in Tullamore, Co.Offaly. Sligo AC women and mens teams athletes for the above please contact Terry Hayes in the next few days for confirmation of entry. Closing date 2nd December 2010.
‘Do a LAP for the Outdoor Gym’ at the Mitchell Curley Park, Kevinsfort on Sunday December 5th.The fundraising project committee are asking the local community to take part in walking or jogging around the park on December 5th and over the months of December and January and to pledge €1 or raise sponsorship of €1 per 1km lap. The community fundraising target is €12,000 or 12,000km.We would be delighted if you could attend on the day. The launch begins at 2.30pm with speeches and the completion of laps. Santa will be there to meet the children and complete the first lap! Local celebrities have been invited too. Pledge cards are available now from any of the committee members and at the launch on Sunday December 5th.
Regional Development Squads. Please see details at this link for upcoming Regional Development Squads - http://www.athleticsireland.ie/content/?p=16037 . Please encourage athletes in your club named on the squad list and their coaches to attend. Full details in the enclosed link.
The Connacht branch/IRFU are delighted to inform you that there will be a fitness workshop for all coaches in Sligo, Monday the 29th of November. The workshop will focus on fitness and conditioning for young players to adult beginners at strength training . This workshop will be based on the newly updated fitness and conditioning content in the Mini and foundation coaching courses. The focus of this workshop is physical activity and movement skill development. The evening will concentrate on stages 1 and 2 of the Long Term Development Pathway, Title - “Fitness for young players and adults beginners at strength training” Presenter - Antoine Mobian ( Connacht academy fitness coach) & Des Ryan (I.R.F.U. Fitness Education manager) Date – 29/11/10 Time – 7.30pm to 9pm Venue – Sligo Grammar school , Sligo Cost - €5 Registration - Coaches must register with Eamonn Molloy or Jimmy Duffy on 091 561 568

Sligo AC News: Running Shoes

The first and probably the most important cross country race of the winter will take place in Derry on Sunday next. It’s the AAI inter county National Championships for senior men and women and the juvenile championships are also held in conjunction. The road to Derry from Sligo will be busy on Sunday morning as we have athletes competing in all grades. Few will forget 2009 when our senior mens team brought home bronze medals for the first time in the history of the event. The chance to equal that or even build on it probably is beyond the team this year. The absence of David Kelly unavailable due to work commitments, Emmett Dunleavy injured, Martin Conroy who is in Australia and Paddy Brennan who has flown the nest to Donegal is a huge blow. However the addition of Thomas McBride, Seamus Somers and new recruit John Hennigan is positive for the team. Tommy Carroll is a much stronger athlete than last year so it’s not all doom and gloom around our senior mens team. Last year we also celebrated a stunning victory by Mary Cullen in the senior women’s race and unfortunately injury has ruled her out of this years race but Sligo AC athlete Eimear O’Brien makes her debut in this race and does hold an outside chance of making the team for the European cross country. Another man with serious ambitions of making that team is Tommy Casey who lines out in the junior mens race with high hopes. Anna Reddin is a starter in the ladies equivalent and will harbour similar ambitions to Tommy. Sligo juvenile athletes have been in flying form in the Connaught championships and travel to Derry in confident form. The North Sligo duo of William Crowe and Cian McBride always seem to peek in All Ireland championships and I expect it will be no different on Sunday next. Sligo AC athletes Leo Doherty, Caolinn McGonagle and Sarah McGeogh are class athletes and are expected to run well. Both Sligo clubs will also have teams in some of the age groups while a number of county teams will also declare in the juvenile section. So a fascinating day lies in store on Sunday next where teams for the European championships will be announced after the event. Let’s hope that we have a Sligo representative on one team at least.
Two interesting road races with a distinctly Christmas flavour should now go into all readers diaries. The first is the Calry Athletic club “Turkey Trot” which will take place in Calry on Saturday December 18th starting from the Marian Hall Calry. The second is “The great Sligo Santa dash” which will start from Sligo southern hotel on Wednesday December 22nd at 7pm. This promises to be a great occasion with a massive Christmas party taking place after the race with music, food and craic.

Open letter from Sligo AC's Secretary to Sligo Champion

Dear Editor,
Next Sunday the National Inter Counties Cross Country takes place in Derry ,one of the biggest events on the Athletics Calendar and won last year by Sligo native Mary Cullen. I understand Michael Carney (Nth Sligo AC) sent in information about this event but whether he did or not i would have assumed the event would have received some coverage. As such I looked forward to reading my Champion this week.
Page 91 recorded Junior Soccer victory v Roscommon and contract talks with Richie Ryan reported by M.Moran. Page 92 Article by Tommy Brehony re burnout and GAA Minor Board appointment reported by Leo Gray. Pages 93 and 94 GAA Notes. Page 95 Swimming, Boxing and Martial Arts. Page 96 Badminton, Handball and Gymnastics. Page 97 Rugby. Page 98 Golf. Page 99 and 100 Soccer and Junior/ Youth Soccer. Page 101 Article re Bit O Red by M.Moran. Page 102 Match Gavin Dykes selection v Sligo Rovers reported by M.Moran. Page 103 Sligo Rovers Triumph reported by Jim Gray. Page 104 Sligo Rovers sign new players reported by M.Moran.
It gives me no pleasure to keep highlighting your poor coverage of Athletics but i feel you have a responsibility to give equal coverage to all Sports. This email is going to almost 300 Athletics associates and let them decide if they wish to read the Champion. Yours in sport, Secretary Sligo AC.

Sligo AC News Update: Fit4Life League

Four highly competitive races gone and two to go in this years Autumn Fit4Life League and Corina Clarke continues to hold a commanding lead from Hubert Beatty who is just ahead of Janyst Pawel and Tony Parkinson. From previous years we all know that the final shakeup can change totally even over a single race! The final two races are over two miles in Hazelwood Forest, Calry, on Saturday 4th and 11th December starting at 12 noon.
On December 11th at 7pm the presentation of prizes to the top fifteen in the League will take place in the Southern Hotel at 7pm with some finger food and an opportunity for all club members to have a Christmas drink. Top ten athletes so far as follows;
clarke, corina 10pts
beatty, hubert 64pts
janyst, pawel 66pts
parkinson, tony 70pts
teape, bernadine 87pts
sweeney, trevor 96pts
whelan, john 102pts
hosey, lorraine 105pts
sullivan, james 109pts
martin, louise 133pts

Sligo AC News: Athletics update

Sligo AC Mini League
Sligo AC 9 to 12 got under way on Monday night at Sligo IT. Four teams in this category were the Rovers, Ozzies, Flyers and Gladiators. The first competition was the hurdle shuttle run with a tie at top place between the Rovers and the Ozzies with the Gladiators coming a close second.
Rovers 10 pts
Ozzies 10 pts
Gladiators 8pts
Flyers 6 pts
Next week sees the league take on speed bounce and standing long jump and this could see the tables change.
Fit4Life News
Race number 4 of this Autumns Fit4Life Series is a 2.5k race next tuesday 16th November at the same venue as last week (Cleveragh). All participating athletes have been sent an email with position and instructions by Club Secretary Terry Hayes. The time is the gap you start behind the first runner eg 5.40 means you start 5mins and 40 secs behind the first runner / walker.
The group letter is to indicate when you start. A followed by B,C etc and makes it easy to get people off at the correct time. All you need to remember is your number and group. On the right is an alphabetical list of your name , number and group to make it easy to find. At registration next tuesday just call out your number and group and pay 2 euro. please ensure that you doublecheck your number as we had to change a couple from last week due to duplications
Inter County Cross Country Championships 2010
The cross country season is now in full swing and on Sunday Nov. 28th we have the National Inter County senior championship in Derry. Few will forget that in 2009 the Sligo County team won bronze medals in the senior men's race for the first time ever. The following team has been selected for the 2010 renewal.
SEAMUS SOMERS
EMMETT DUNLEAVEY
TOMMIE KELLY
ULTAN MC NASSER
TOMMIE CARROLL
TRISTEN DRUIT
JOHN HENNIGAN
THOMAS MC BRIDE
DERMOT MC DERMOTT

Sligo AC News Update: Hollymount 10k & Fit4Life

The Hollymount International Road Races took place today, November 7th, in the village of Hollymount, Co. Mayo. Hollymount is situated west of Claremorris and these races have been running continously since 1967. Its always been highly recommended for both the serious and fun runner in the West of Ireland and beyond. Due to the untimely death of a respected athletics figure in the area, Mayo AC Secretary Padraic Cullina, the 8k Fit4Life was postponed but the other three events took place as planned. Sligo AC once again had a sizable contingent present & would untertake to retain the senior team trophy narrowly won from Mayo AC and GCH in 2009. The 3k Junior Boys'/Girls' Race took place at 1pm with the 3k Senior Ladies Race following soon after at 1.30pm. At 2pm the 10k Senior Men's International Race kicked off with Sligo athletes such as Emmett Dunleavy (pictured), Danny Hannon, Seamus Somers, Michael Clancy, Vincent Flannery, Paul Deering, Enda Whelan, Declan Byrne and Fintan Whelan toeing the line. Some high calibre athletes worked hard at the top with Sean Connolly finishing in 30.36 closely followed by Brian maher (30.39), with evergreen Gerry Ryan coming home third in 31.40. 4th place went to Sligoman, Emmett Dunleavy, who on his return to competition after a long injury layoff finished in a time of 32.50. A special mention goes to Fintan Whelan who recorded a personal best of 41.49 whilst Sligo AC Team A came 2nd overall with the club's Team B coming 8th out of 15 teams. Well done to all who competed. Full results to follow...

Meanwhile the 3rd race in this seasons Autumn Fit4Life took place on Tuesday 2nd November. Over 130 athletes showed up in blustery conditions to participate in the 2.5k course along Sligo's riverside. Some impressive times were recorded on this undulating course especially considering the wintery conditions. The next Fit4Life race will be vital for the competitors at the top end of the table as they try to stretch their lead from their nearest rivals. Top ten athletes in the 3rd race are as follows;

1st: hardiman, james 9.55

2nd: clarke, corina 11.58

3rd: gallagher, philip 9.03

4th: teape, bernadine 12.42

5th: mcglone, kevin 9.07

6th: hayes, aideen 14.17

7th: whelan, john 9.01

8th: curran, barbara 13.18

9th: kelly, greg 10.02

10th: pintha, cathenide 13.19

Sligo AC News update: Cross Country & Fit4Life

The 3rd race (2k) in the autumn Fit4Life series takes place this evening, Tuesday 2nd November. Athletes are to meet at the green area (playground) across from Smyths Toys. Start is scheduled for 6.30pm but please register at 6pm to avoid delays. As it is a short race we will run letters A to Z as one race and then from letters AA when the first group finishes.
The second race should start at 6.45 approx so plenty of time for a good warm up. The course will start at the beginning of the walking / cycling track at Doorly Park and head in the direction of the Sports Complex for 1k, staying on the cycling path. The turn around point is 100ms past the boat house ,(where club members usually start our hill sessions/runs) and turn and come back to the start. Good luck to all who take part tonight!
The conditions last weekend in Ballina for the Connacht Cross Country under 12 to under 18, Masters and Intermediate were ideal but a stiff hill and an increase in distances meant that there was a premium on stamina for the hardy participants. As with many Sligo AC teams , the absence of some key runners deprived teams of medal chances but all who did compete qualified for the Nationals in Derry at the end of November.
Girls under 12 were first up and Ellen Mc Geough with a top 12 finish led the team to a close fourth. Leo Doherty at under 12 lifted a bronze medal and here the team exceeded all expectations to finish fourth as they were badly weakened by absentees. Caeloinn Mc Gonigle in 8th place led the under 14 girls home while Philip Hunter and Keenan Deering won team gold for the County. The under 16 girls led by Sara Mc Geough who was just edged out of bronze medal position won team gold while Gavin Foye and Thomas Delahunt at under 16 and Shane Kilcawley under 18 were the clubs top finishers. The Intermediate for women was won by Eimear O Brien while John and Fintan Whelan were well up in the mens race. The Ladies Masters led by Roseanne Mitchell and supported by Cindy Mc Carthy, Aisling Cawley and Deirdre Deering took silver medals. Rory Connor led Trevor Hunter ,Eamon Reddan, Declan Byrne, Paul Deering , Enda Whelan and Terry Hayes to a close fourth in the Masters Men. Well done to all who competed from all at the club.

Dublin Marathon 2010

A record number of athletes, over 13,000, turned out for the 2010 Dublin City Marathon on Monday last. With such a huge number taking part it was only reasonable to assume that a large amount of athletes from County Sligo would also be undertaking the challenge. For some it was simply their maiden voyage in the hope that they would get around the challenging distance, for other more experienced athletes the challenge was to better their previous attempts. In order to check on your own times or simply to see how a colleague or friend fared out please click here to be directed to the official marathon website. The club would like to congratulate all participants who undertook this challenge and hope that all gained the reward that they hoped and deserved with all the training that was undertaken. A specific mention goes to Sligo AC athlete Martin Conroy (pictured), who attempted his 1st marathon and finished in a very respectable time of 2:35:48. This finishing time helped the Sligo AC team move up the pecking order in the National Marathon Championships which was run in conjunction with the Dublin Marathon. Conroy was hoping to achieve a time of 2:30 minutes but suffered cramp in the latter stages of the race. Regardless he placed 43rd overall out of over 13,000 competitors thus it can be regarded as a very successful achievement.

Sligo AC News; Running Shoes

We know that we are about to embark on long winter nights when we realise it’s Dublin City Marathon time again. Yes, many Sligo, Leitrim and Mayo athletes will make the annual pilgrimage to the capital city next weekend for this annual race which incorporates the A.A.I. national marathon. While a lot of people making the journey will be very experienced athletes with very little to learn, a certain percentage will be first time marathon runners. I always say that running the actual marathon is the easy bit. It’s the training for the marathon that’s the difficult part. The last six days leading into the race, however, can be very crucial. While carbo loading and hydration are very important, it is also important to keep running every day and while the volume of running would be much less than the previous weeks it’s not to stop altogether. This was brought home to me during the European Championships in Barcelona during the summer. Rob Heffernan raced the 20kms very hard and was unlucky not to win a medal; eventually finishing 4th. Three days later he was due to race the 50kms which is some five miles longer than a marathon. He trained in the days between the races. Less than 24 hours before the 50kms he went to the track and did 5 x 200 metres fast. I would advise intending marathon runners to do something similar on Sunday next. A session such as this will stimulate muscles and wake the body up for the gruelling race that lies ahead. It also gets the mind ready because running a marathon is almost as much about the state of your mind as the well being of your body. As I mentioned, this is the A.A.I national marathon and individual and team prizes are on offer. Sligo Athletic Club will have a senior team lining up at the start. Martin Conroy, who is better known as a track runner, will attempt his first marathon. Having run a 72 minute half marathon a couple of weeks ago, he will be well prepared. Seamus Somers likewise makes his marathon debut. Those two along with experienced marathon runners like Mel Casserly and Trevor Hunter will spearhead a strong team. Good luck to them and all North West athletes who take part.
The Gerry Farnon cross country races in the Phoenix Park, Dublin usually tick off the cross country season on the national stage. It was heartening then to see three young Sligo runners on the starting line last Sunday afternoon. North Sligo athlete Thomas McBride is working his way back to top class competitive action and can be happy with this outing. Tommy Casey paid the price for an ultra fast first mile but this race will bring him on a lot for the tough tests that lie ahead in the coming months. The revelation of the race was the other Sligo A.C. athlete Alberto Gomez who finished 7th overall.
Congratulations to Sligo A.C. athlete Eimear O’Brien who led home 140 women in the Sligo 5k women’s only race. This was another very successful Sligo Athletic Club promotion which was held in conjunction with Sligo Sports partnership. Finally this week, well done to all the Sligo juvenile athletes who turned out on last Saturday morning for the Sligo County A.A.I cross country championships.

Sligo AC Fit4Life: Race two

Race two of the autumn fit4Life league took place yesterday evening in the Racecourse, Cleveragh. Although the weather was very unpredictable, with showers of rain and a cold wind, a large number of athletes, 139 in total, showed up to test themselves on this undulating course. As usual the entrants set off on a handicapped basis & already some athletes are showing signs of improvement from Race one of this autumns league series. Seamus Somers recorded the fastest time of the evening, finishing 10th overall at the finish. Seamus will be competing in his first Dublin Marathon next monday and on the evidence of the current shape he's in should fare particularly well. Other Sligo AC athletes such as Martin Conroy, Mel Casserly, Mark Burns, Eamonn Dunbar, Damian Kennedy, Steven Finnegan, Enda Dineen, Paul Deering, Declan Foley & Trevor Hunter are also geared up for the event thus the Club will be well represented. Good luck to all Sligo AC Athletes, both male and female, competing. Top ten results for Fit4Life Race two are as follows;
Teape,Bernadine: 1st 16.50
Clarke, Corina: 2nd 17.01
Unregistered athlete 3rd 40.00
Tivnan, Pj: 4th 20.59
Keane, Ronan: 5th 15.36
Johnson, Kimberely: 6th 18.45
Hayes, Sara: 7th 25.37
Hayes, Evelyn: 8th 25.39
Kelly, Greg: 9th 12.56
Somers, Seamus: 10th 10.21

Sligo AC Womens 5k Road Race & Running School workshop

The Sligo Womens 5k took place on Sunday 17th October over a demanding course starting at the entrance to Mitchell Curley Park, taking in Strandhill Road , Barnasraghy Woodville and finishing in the Park itself with victory going to Sligo AC's Eimear O Brien. O'Brien lead from the off and had built up a substantial lead by the time she broke the tape at the finish, completing the course in 18.30. Sligo AC's Cindy McCarthy was next home in a time of 20.31 altough the pressure was on with North Sligo's Aishling van Rensburg following closely taking third place in a time of 20.44. 137 female athletes took part in this challenge with many following on from their continued involvement in the successful Fit4Life Series. The latest round of this series has already begun with Race 2 (2 miles) scheduled for Tues 19th Oct at 6.15pm in the Racecourse, Cleveragh. Registration , presentation and refreshments took place in St Marys Clubhouse, ballydoogan and thanks to the club for providing the facilities and also the Gardai who assisted and all the Club members who marshalled and compiled results.
A new Running School has recently opened up in Castlebar. As such they are having a free workshop in Sligo I.T.on Friday 29th of October at 7pm and would like to invite club athletes to the event. They will be looking at improving running technique so that athletes can reduce injury and improve speed in both sprint and endurance disciplines. This event is for elite and recreational athletes alike and cater for both senior and junior grades. The main presenter on the night will be Martin Mc Intyre (MSc Sports Injury (Medicine), MSc Gaelic football, BSc (Hons) Sports Science and a H. Dip Science and football). He has 10 years experience in the field and with Kerry at Seniors/ U-21 and minor levels. He also worked with the Roscommon minor team (2006-2008) and is currently working with the Roscommon senior team. The Running School are offering free Biomechanical Analysis (BMA`s) worth 175 euro. If 20/30 club members are in attendance at the workshop we would then be able to avail of free BMA`s. This maybe worth quite a bit to the club. More info can be seen at http://www.sism.ie/ and http://www.runningschool.co.uk/. Any other enquires you can call 086 8139266.

Sligo Athletic Club: Running Shoes

Research carried out by the E.R.S.I in 2005 showed that less than 1 in 5 women in Ireland spent the recommended 30 minutes of exercise daily. While some three quarters of women at that time did some physical activity it was done with insufficient regularity or intensity of effort to meet the minimum standard. That 2005 report stung people into action and bodies such as the Irish Sports Council have put a lot of planning and resources into the Women in Sport Initiative. The objective of the Women in Sport programme has been to raise the overall physical activity levels and to support women’s roles within sporting organisations. Sligo sports partnership have been very active in promoting the Women in Sport programme and recently over 80 cyclists completed the 40k tour of Lough Gill. Next Sunday runners get in on the act with Sligo Athletic Club promoting the women’s only 5k road race. Over 100 nubile women are expected to line out at the starting line in Ballydoogan. The race will take a route around that area. Local Sligo lady Eimear O’Brien, who has returned from her 3 year scholarship in the USA, is one of the leading contenders to lead the women home. These are awards in all categories including the walking section. Entries will be taken in St. Mary’s GAA clubhouse from 11am. People who have entered online can also collect their numbers in the same venue.
A lot of the participants in Sunday’s race will have gotten a chance to limber up in Tuesday's first leg of the Fit 4 Life road league. The venue was Mitchell Curley Park and the distance 2 miles. This autumn league will continue every two weeks and will conclude in Early December.
Over 750 primary school children recently competed in a very successful relay competition at the athletics track at Sligo I.T. Most of the schools Sligo County had teams which is very encouraging for our sport. Well done to Sligo A.A.I. County board officials who turned out to organise the event which was held in conjunction with Sligo sports partnership.
A lot of the same children turned out last Saturday for the Sligo County cross country and race walking primary schools races. Held in balmy weather conditions on a splendid cross country course in Calry, there was some great competition and some very impressive performances. The leaking teams and individuals have now qualified for the Connaught finals which will be held in the same venue.
At a very enjoyable function in Sligo Southern hotel on Saturday evening last. Sligo Athletic Club honoured all national medal winners in the 13 people in juveniles. Seniors and Masters brought home national medals in a year. This is a wonderful achievement and is testimony to the good coaches at the club. It is hoped to make this an annual event and let’s hope that we have as many or maybe more recipients in a year’s time.

Sligo AC Awards Night!

Athletes, parents and coaches enjoyed a social gathering on Saturday evening last at the Best Western Sligo Southern Hotel to celebrate our club doing very well over the track season most especially our juvenile athletes. A special momento was presented to all National Competition medal winners in recognition of their achievements. A total of 20 national medals (5 gold; 8 Silver; 7 Bronze) were won by 13 athletes across juvenile, senior and master categories. Club Chairman Ray Flynn congratulated all of our athletes and highlighted their wonderful achievements and outstanding performances as testimony to the dedicated coaches at the club. It is hoped to make this an annual event and let’s look towards having as many – or maybe even more – recipients in a year’s time. Many thanks to Sligo Credit Union for their sponsorship towards the evening.
Juveniles
Caeloinn McGonigle; Silver – u13 600m National Indoors, Nenagh and Gold – u13 Cross Country Community Games. Stacey Kerr; Bronze – u14 100m Community Games. Dylan Carty; Silver – u15 1000m Walk National Indoors, Nenagh, Gold – u15 2000m Walk, National T& F, Tullamore & Silver - Junior Boys 1200m Walk, Schools T&F. Nicola McGoldrick; Bronze – u15 1500m Cross Country, Boyle. Annia Bednorz; Silver – Intermediate Girls Triple Jump, Schools T&F. James McGeogh; Gold – u16 1500m National T&F, Tullamore. Anna Reddin; Silver - Junior Womens 1500m National Indoors, Nenagh & Gold – u19 3000m National T&F, Tullamore. Tommy Casey; Gold – Senior Boys 1500m Schools T& F
Senior
Emmet Dunleavy; Bronze – Senior Mens 3000m Irish Indoors, Belfast & Bronze – Senior Mens 3000m Steeplechase National T&F Santry.
Masters
Kevin McGloin; Bronze – Mens 60m Masters Indoors, Nenagh & Bronze – Mens 400m Masters Indoors, Nenagh. Lucy Brennan; Silver – Womens 4000m Masters Cross Country, Boyle. Caroline Carty; Silver – Womens 100m Masters T&F, Tullamore & Silver – Womens 200m Masters T&F, Tullamore. Stephen Reynolds; Bronze – Mens Hammer Masters T& F, Tullamore.

Sligo AC News: Running Shoes

Robert Horman of Australia and Helen Klein of the USA are two names from the athletics world that probably don’t jump off the page at anyone in terms of being household names. However they are two very formidable people in their own right. Robert Horman holds the world best time for a marathon in the over 80 category. His time of 3hrs39min18secs would do justice to a man half his age or indeed would not disgrace anyone who attempts to run this classic distance. Similarly the 4hrs31mins42secs run by Helen Klein also an over 80 competitor would constitute a good time for any lady who would just want top go out and complete a marathon. I mention those two special people as we just have celebrated active ageing week in this country. The running boom in this country right now is populated by many people who are the wrong side of 40. Athletics is one of the few sports who actively cater for people in this age bracket. One of my favourite events that I officiate at is the AAI master track and field championships both outdoors and indoors. The enthusiasm and energy expended at those championships needs to be seen to be believed. Patrick Naughton a sprightly man who is over 75 had just finished 3rd in the 100mts last August in Tullamore. He came to me at the finishing line and proclaimed that he had just won his 200th masters medal. His time of 17.74secs would give most young fellows who play our so called national game a run for their money. Padraig Maye is a south Sligo man on the wrong side of 70 and he won the gold medal in his age category in 15.80secs. And what about John Ryan a sprightly 82year old man from Derry who ran the 200mts in an incredible 29.28secs. The many road races now taking place in our region all have generous prize structures who cater for people of all ages. I will just cling to the dream of being the first one hundred year old to complete a marathon.
The Sligo fit4life series of races which has been so successful in the last few years kicks off again soon. The Autumn races will start on Tuesday evening October 12th at 6.15pm. The first venue is the Mitchell Curley Park and is held over a distance of two miles.
Where better to kick off the cross country season that in the home of athletics in Sligo, namely Calry. This is exactly what is happening this weekend with the staging of the Sligo primary schools cross country and race walking championships. Hazelwood is the venue and the race walking will take place on the track while the cross country action will be in the adjoining fields. The action starts at 1pm on Saturday and schools are asked to get there early to collect numbers.

Sligo AC News: Fit4Life league resumes!

The first race in the Autumn Fit4Life League kicks off on Tues 12th october at 6.15pm in Mitchell Curley Park. All participating athletes have been sent emails showing handicaps and group letters. If you are on the list please remember your number, start time and group letter. If you are a new participant please come along and you can be added on the day. As this is the first event please register before 6pm at the Park in Kevinsfort which can be accessed from the Strandhill road and also up from St Marys GAA pitch, Ballydoogan. Please be aware that the main gates close at 6pm so dont park your car inside the gates. Access is by two pedestrian entrances. The first event is two miles approx , three circuits of the outer pathway in the park.
Venue:
Tues 12th Oct: 6.15pm. 2 mls. Mitchell curley park
Tues 19th Oct: 6.15pm 2 mls. Racecourse
Tues 2nd Nov: 6.30pm 2 kms. Smyths Toys
Tues 16Nov: 6.30pm 2 kms. Smyths Toys
Sat 4th Dec: 12 noon 2mls. Hazelwood forest
Sat 11th Dec: 12 noon 2 mls. Hazelwood forest
Presentation and light refreshments at 7pm Sat 11th dec at a venue to be announced.

Sligo AC News: Running Shoes

September is a funny old month in the athletics world. The track season comes to an end in August and the cross country season doesn’t begin until well into October. Most top class athletes take a couple of weeks off this time of year to re charge their batteries and to help heal any lingering injuries they may have. It is also a time to plan for the long winter that lies ahead. Athletes at this time of year should be sitting down with their coaches and planning exactly which races they are going to take part in and the races they plan to peak for. Of course the national championships in cross country should be the priority for our distance athletes this winter. The national inter counties is the most important of these championships as it serves as a trial for the European cross country which will take place this year in Portugal on Sunday December 12th. Mary Cullen will be running the trial which will be in Derry on November 27th. Eimear O’Brien who is now back in Sligo after her three year athletic scholarship in the USA will also be running this and may have an outside chance of making the team. Eimear made the under 23 team two years ago in Belgium. Tommy Casey who had such a wonderful track season will be aiming to make the mens junior team and Anna Reddin will also be hoping to be competitive in the trial for the junior ladies team. The National novice cross country will also be a big attraction for a lot of our athletes and a strong Sligo team will travel to the Tullamore venue for this event. Sligo master athletes will have no excuse not to participate in their national cross country championships this year as it will be held in Sligo race course in early February. The AAI intermediate championships are also on in this venue and again strong teams in ladies and men’s races from Sligo are expected to breast the tape. Of course a lot of our road runners are busy pounding the highways and byways in preparation for the forthcoming AAI national marathon which is held in conjunction with the Dublin City Marathon. An ideal road race to test where they are at in their preparations is the Grange 10k which will take place next Sunday. This is always a well-organised race with a good prize structure. A team race is held as well and with teams such as Mayo AC, Letterkenny AC, the host club North Sligo AC and Sligo AC all fielding teams a close race is expected to ensue. The battle for individual honours should be no less exciting so expect plenty of excitement on Sunday at the North Sligo venue.

Dromahair 4 Mile Race Report

The annual Dromahair Road Race took place on Sunday afternoon last, 19th September, at 3pm. As per usual the junior race got proceedings underway beforehand. As the rain closed in over 130 competitors jossled for position at the start line. One of the organisers, Danny Hannon, had a few quick words and then the field took off. Almost from the start a breakaway bunch of three pulled away from the rest of the pack; North Leitrims Liam Feely, Leitrim Native Derek Croal (Bohermeen AC) and North Sligo's Thomas McBride. Indeed this was the way it would remain for the entire race with these three athletes finishing as stated. Feely broke the course record with a super time of 20.54, Croal came in at 21.35 with McBride 22.41. Other strong runs from Sligo AC athletes Seamus Somers (4th) Tom Meehan (5th) Neil Higgins (6th) Mel Casserly (7th) and Sligo Tri-Clubs Conal Sexton (8th) made the top of the field a competitive one. Sligo AC's Cindy McCarthy ran a fine race to take the womens section in a time of 27.42 with fellow clubmate Roseanne Mitchell battling for second (28.06) with Ann Hunter third (28.08). North Sligo's Aishling van Rensburg also ran strongly finishing in 4th position. The organisation, stewarding and post race refreshments were of the highest order, which is now the norm for this popular race on the local racing calendar. With proceeds going to the charity S.T.O.P it was a very worthwhile and enjoyable day for all.

Cross Country Fixture List 2010/2011

1st Oct Co Sligo Primary Schools Relays. Sligo IT, Sligo
9th Oct Co Sligo Primary Schools CC. Calry, Co.Sligo
16th Oct Co. Sligo CC U11 – U19. Racecourse, Cleveragh, Sligo
17th Oct Sligo AC Womens 5K.
23rd Oct Connaught Primary Schools CC. Sligo 1.00 p.m
Entries from Counties before 20th Oct ; €10 per team €3 per individual
31st Oct Connaught Even Ages and Intermediate/Masters. Ballina 1.00 p.m.
Entries to Marian Mattimoe closing date 24th Oct €3 individual €10 per team €15 Co.team
14th Nov Connaught Uneven ages and Novice. Roscommon 1.00 p.m.
Closing date 7th Nov €3 individual €10 per team €15 Co Team
28th Nov National Even ages Cork CIT
19th Dec National Uneven ages and Novice Tullamore, Co.Offaly
9th Jan '11 Connaught Senior/Junior CC Ballina, Co.Mayo
Closing date 2nd Jan €3 individual €10 per team
6th Feb National Intermediate & Masters & Juvenile ‘B’ Racecourse, Cleveragh, Sligo
5/6th Mar Connaught Indoors U11 – U19 Nenagh, Co.Tipperary

Sligo AC: News Update

As we embark on another cross country season its an opportune time to reflect on the achievements of our club members over the past year. A total of 13 national individual medals have been won by 11 of our athletes over the last 12 months. This includes Juveniles, Seniors and Masters. To celebrate this a small party has been organised in Sligo Southern Hotel on Saturday evening Oct 9th at 7pm. It is hoped that all our Juveniles and Parents as well as our Seniors, Masters, Coaches,and Officials will attend. Finger food will be provided. It is proposed that a small memento be presented to each of our medal winners to mark their achievement. We may be able to get a high profile athlete such as Paul Hession, Rob Heffernan or Mary Cullen to make the presentation and speak to our Juveniles. A sponsor may be got to help defray the cost of the evening.
Regards
Ray Flynn, Chairman Sligo A.C.

Sligo AC Update: Running Shoes!

A captivating European athletics track and field championships ended in Barcelona last week. Attending those championships as chairman of the Irish athletics federation high performance committee brought its own pressures and expectations with a large team of 34 athletes, team leaders and coaches. The target set by us was to win 2 medals and six top twelve placings. A brilliant silver medal win by Derval O’Rourke was our only medal win but we had a total of 11 top 12 finishes and in the process some outstanding performances. Throw in the fact that we had 6 Irish records and it will give some idea of the success of the championships from an Irish perspective. Brilliant and all as the medal win was you have to look at what Robert Heffernan achieved in Barcelona to get an idea of what real commitment and dedication to your sport means. He competed in two of the most gruelling events in the championships namely the 20k and 50k racewalks. Very unlucky to finish 4th in the 20klms he came out just 3 days later to claim 4th place in the 50klms. Rob epitomised the spirit of our team in Barcelona. Despite what criticism the media might have given athletes like David Gillick and Paul Hession, I still think they performed admirably. Ten years ago if someone said we would have three athletes in sprint finals at a European final they would have been laughed at. The fact that we were disappointed at a 5th and 6th place tells its own story. Altogether it was a very successful championships and gives us a great foundation as we head to the world championships next year and London in 2012. It was good to meet so many athletic fans from Sligo in Barcelona and in particular some young athletes. Let’s hope they were inspired by the Irish performances.
Next Saturday our county track and field team head to Tullamore for the National League Final. The target is promotion from the first division to the premier. With teams of the calibre of Ferrybank from Waterford, Tallagh from Dublin and Limerick county all vying from promotion places this will be no easy task. However with experience athletes such as David Kelly, Emmett Dunleavey and Martin Conroy coupled with the youthful enthusiasm of Tommy Carroll, Tommy Casey and David Burke we have every chance. Our field athletes will be crucial for picking up vital points and Aaron Murtagh and Alan Reynolds will hope to be in top form. It will take a supreme effort from all the team to gain promotion but I’m confident the team is up to the task.
Finally this week well done to Sligo AC athlete Emmett Dunleavy who ran a personal best time of 14mins36secs for 5000mts on route to victory in a race in Brussels on Saturday evening.

Dunleavy smashes club record!

Sligo AC athlete Emmett Dunleavy smashed the club record for 1500 metres at a race meet in London earlier in the week. The previous record of 3.48.34 which Dunleavy set in Birmingham in 2006 was lowered to 3.47.89, a fantastic achievement for the Dromore West native. That Dunleavy was in great shape was never in any doubt after he lowered his pb for 5000 metres in Brussels the previous week to 14 minutes 36 seconds. This kind of form augers well for the Sligo Athletics team entered in the final of the National League which takes place this Sunday, 15th August, in Tullamore, Co.Offaly.

A growing Sligo team has already excelled in rounds one and two of the national league; with a good showing at the weekend they may gain promotion. Athletes such as Kevin McGlynn, Aaron Murtagh, Dermot McDermott, David Kelly, Tommy Casey, Martin Conroy, Ryan Monaghan Gary Hynes, Stephen Reynolds, Conal Boal, Ciaran Collins and David Heath have all performed to a very high standard in their respective events. Once again with athletes the calibre of Emmet Dunleavy & Tommy Carroll joining in this will no doubt help push this growing Sligo team to the summit of team athletics in Ireland. We wish them all the very best of luck.

Faulkner wins Mullaghmore 3 miler!

The annual Mullaghmore hospice 3 mile walk/run took place as usual on Sunday evening last with possibly the largest field ever for this event. Event director, Tir Connaill athlete Pat McManus and his team were delighted with the turn out and thanked everyone for making the effort and for their contributions on the day. Letterkennys Neil Faulkner (pictured) lead the pace from the off with Sligo AC's trio of Seamus Somers, Danny Hannon and Mel Casserly in hot pursuit. Indeed this was the way the top four crossed the finising line after keeping a relentless pace over the undulating course. This is an unusual event in that there are no prizes or spot prizes and all the funds donated go directly to the North West Hospice, a cause close to many hearts in the area. A large number of local athletes from South Donegal and North Sligo from juveniles to senior, turn out in large numbers to support this event. Several athletes had also competed on the Friday evening, just up the road at the Gleniff Horseshoe 10k while some more ran the Danny McDaid 15k earlier that morning. Well done to all athletes who took part.

Kearins wins inaugural Horseshoe 10k!

Well done to all 160 athletes who competed in the inaugural Horseshoe 10k in Ballintrilick yesterday. Sligo AC and North Sligo were well represented with both male and female local athletes toeing the line on this testing course. Alan Kearins (Sligo AC) posted a great victory, powering through the field and in the closing stages of the race pulled away from his nearest rivals with 500 metres to go. Eamonn McAndrew took second spot with North Sligo's Thomas Kelly in third position. Top 6 as follows; 1. Alan Kearins 37.09. 2. Eamonn McAndrew 37.18. 3. Thomas Kelly 37.19. 4. Seamus Somers 38.04. 5. Danny Hannon 3820. 6. Tom Meehan 38.42. We'll endeavour to have full results as quickly as possible. Please forward full listings to sligoac@gmail.com if you have already got them and we'll forward them from here.

Countdown on for the 2010 Dromahair 4 mile run and walk.

The annual Dromahair four mile run and walk takes place at 3pm on Sunday 22nd August, with proceeds in aid of S.T.O.P. The event is once again being organised by local running enthusiasts, in association with North Leitrim Athletics Club. The race starts and finishes on Main Street in the beautiful north Leitrim village. Registration will take place in the function room in The Blue Devon from 1pm on the day, with a €10 entry fee. Once again, the organisers are hoping for a large turnout for this event which continues to grow in reputation each year. Walkers and runners of all abilities are encouraged to participate. As usual, there will be lots of trophies to be won in a wide selection of categories. As well as the main four mile race, there will also be the usual children’s races, which start at the earlier time of 2pm. The entry fee for the children’s races is €3, and every child that takes part will be given a medal.Refreshments and prize giving will take place after the main race, in the function room in The Blue Devon. For further information, contact Tom or Violet Cullen on 071 9134697.Proceeds are in aid of an extremely worthy charity, S.T.O.P. (Suicide,Teach,Organise,Prevent). S.T.O.P. offer assistance and support to people who are feeling suicidal or are in distress. They also support those who have been bereaved by suicide. (http://www.stopsuicide.ie/ )

Sligo Athletic Club: Running Shoes

In this beautiful county of ours winning two Gaelic football matches generates much celebration among the natives. You can imagine the feeling of celebration and pride those of us from Sligo who travelled to Tullamore last Saturday felt as William Crowe strode home to win the All Ireland under 14 1500mts title. On his heels strode his North Sligo team mate Cian McBride to finish in second in the All Ireland championship. Another North Sligo athlete Sinead Keogh finished 3rd in the All Ireland girls under 14 2000mts. Sligo celebrations for this trio had hardly abated when Dylan Carty the young Sligo Athletic Club race walker crossed the line to win the All Ireland 2000mts title. In winning he mangled the championship record taking a full 25seconds off the record winning in 9mins51secs. Sligo Athletic Club had also two near misses when Anna Reddin finished a heroic 4th place in the girls under 19 1500mts. Stacey Kerr the young Calry girl was the third fastest qualifier in the heats of the girls under 14, she was drawn in lane 7 in the final which did her no favours but she ran brilliantly to finish 4th in a blanket finish in 26.3secs. And so the curtain came down on a brilliant track season for our juvenile athletes. A season where County and Connaught titles were not celebrated. The focus was on the big prize and boy did our athletes once again do the business. All Ireland winners, All Ireland medals… Let the real celebrations begin!
The much anticipated European Athletics Championships kick off in Barcelona today Tuesday. I accompany the largest ever Irish team (34) at those championships. It is with great hope and expectation that we embark on this journey. It is a great time for Irish athletics. We have a great blend of youth and experience in the squad. I hear much talk about how many medals we are going to win but we need to be realistic. In the history of this championship we have only won a total of five medals. However we have athletes of the calibre of Derval O’Rourke, David Gillick, Olive Loughnane, Paul Hession, Robert Heffernan and Alistair Cragg who on their day are all capable of winning a medal of some colour. Young athletes like Jason Smyth, Steven Colvert and Kelly Proper who if they don’t win medals will gain invaluable experience in a major championship atmosphere. I’m really excited by the week ahead and congratulations to my good friend Robert Heffernan (pictured) who finished a very creditable fourth place in the 20k walk, agonisingly missing out on bronze by a few seconds.

Sligo AC update: Coolaney 8k & Bogtrotters!

A busy weekend of action took place for local sligo athletes with both the Coolaney 8k road race and the Bogtrotters Marathon being held. All the usual suspects toed the line in Coolaney where the undulating course was sure to test the field. Sligo AC athletes were prominent with Alan Kearins (pictured) pushing the pace from the off making sure that the race would be a competitive one. However with Emmet Dunleavy(Sligo AC) in the leading group it was only a matter of time before he pulled away to record 1st place in 27.40. The battle for 2nd and 3rd came right down to the wire with Kearins and Seamus Somers pushing hard for local bragging rights. On this occasion Somers just shaded it crossing the line in 28.34 with Kearins a fraction behind in 28.36. In the womens section, Cindy McCarthy (Sligo AC) took top honours with clubmate Roseanne Mitchell taking second spot. Meanwhile in the Bogtrotters Marathon, which took place in Strokestown, Co. Roscommon, Sligo AC's Lucy Brennan (pictured) won the womens section outright and came 3rd overall in a time of 3:11:20. This was achieved whilst also running an extra two miles over the statutory 26.2 due to a wrong turn! Well done to all athletes who competed over the weekend from all at the club.

Sligo AC members old spikes!

For any club member who has old spikes that they wish to get rid of for a variety of reasons (too worn, too small –even if torn on top) please do not throw out. Instead please make contact with club officials and we'll arrange to collect as they are useful for children who are just starting and could be used for cross country until they get their own proper ones. you can email us at sligoac@gmail.com or ring at 0872274622

Sligo Athletic Club: Running Shoes

A podium finish for Sligo AC athlete Emmett Dunleavy at the Woodies DIY AAI National championships was the highlight for Sligo athletic fans at Santry Stadium at the weekend. A very credible fifth place in the final of a very competitive 800mts by North Sligo AC athlete Tommy Carroll was also noteworthy. Throw in the fact that Rachel Flynn collected the bronze medal in the ladies 5000mts walk wearing the colours of Tuam AC and Paddy Brennan made the final of the 1500mts in the Letterkenny colours all adds up to a good weekend for Sligo athletes. The men’s steeplechase was one of the races of the day and had its fair share of drama. With 400mts remaining Emmett Dunleavy had worked his way through the field to be in 3rd place. He was still some 70mts behind Paul Rupprect of Leevale AC and eventual race winner Rory Chesser of Ennis track club. However Dunleavy unleashed a tremendous sprint down the back straight and was gaining on the leaders with every stride. However disaster struck as he cleared the second last barrier with just 100mts remaining. He tripped and fell into the water. His chance of gold or silver had gone and the chasing pack were closing in fast. This West Sligo athlete is made of stern stuff however. He picked himself up and held on to claim a well deserved and hard earned bronze medal. Tommy Carroll’s 5th place finish in the 800mts was the highest place by a Sligo athlete since Roddy Gaynor claimed the title in the late seventies. A fast first lap of 53secs took the sting out of his usual finishing kick but in a season where he has improved so much he can be very happy with his run. Another Sligo athlete Ciaran Collins just failed to make a high-class 400mts final but he can be happy with his time of 50.02sesc. It was certainly a wonderful championships and a 30 strong team will be heading for Barcelona in the next ten days. Great times indeed for Irish athletics.
Next weekend we have the second round of the AAI National league. Athlone IT track is the venue and Sligo travel with another strong squad. It is now all about making the final in four weeks time in Tullamore and this Sligo squad with its blend of youth and experience should be well capable of achieving that target. The team is strengthened by the return of Emmett Dunleavy and Tommy Carroll and those two lads should be able to garner maximum points in their middle distance events. A bus will travel on Sunday morning and supporters are most welcome. They can contact Dermot McDermott on 0863593482.

Sligo AC News: What a weekend for Sligo athletes!

The 2 gold medals from James Mcgeough and Anna Reddin in their respective races were the highlight of a very successful weekend for young Sligo athletes. The weekend got off to a great start with David lynch running a fine race in the u-15 hurdles to finish 5th in his heat, Conal Boal finished 5th in the u-19 boys javelin final, throwing short of his best which would have grabbed him a silver if produced. Both Kerrs, Graham and Stacey cruised through their 80m heats in fine style with victories but later in the day they both had to settle for 4th place finishes, Graham missing out on bronze by 100th of a second but both athletes can be proud of their achievemnets as a sprint final is so hard to make. Graham went onto finish 12th in the long jump the next day and Stacey now focuses on the 200m in 2 week's time where she has already had the benefit of training sessions with Paul Hession. There was also an excellent performance by Rianne McHugh in the girls u-19 400m final where she finished 7th. Onto the Sunday and the turn of the distance athletes. Caelinn McGonigle stepped up first in the u-13 girls 600m where she ran a blinder to finish 4th place in the final and will learn a lot from this, next came Claire Conlon who ran her heart out in the u-15 girls 800m final as did Shane Kilcawley in the u-17 boys 800m final where he finished a very credible 8th place and not far off the winner at all. Colm Bourke did really well finishing 9th in the triple jump after contesting the long jump the day before. Now onto the 3,000m races where in the u-16 boys we had 2 of the most up and coming distance runners in Sligo lining out in James McGeough and Aisham Patil. After 1 false start they got on their way with a bit of a pile up at the start. James avoided all but Aisham took a spike, a push and ended up hurdling 2 lads. After lap 1 James was settled nicely in 2nd with Aisham cutting through the field onto his heels in 4th. As the race progressed McGeough made a decisive move at 1,500m to take up the running and moved well away from the field, never to be caught and record his first All Ireland title with Aisham finishing a very credible 4th place. Next up showed a real return to form from Anna Reddin, an injury packed preparation for the schools track and field showed Anna finishing 5th that day in a time of 11min 12 seconds less than 1 month later she comes out to win the u-19 girls 3000m in a time of 10min 44 seconds at her ease. This was down to her true determination and drive to succeed as not many 17 year old girls would get up at 7am and head to the pool to aqua jog for 3 months every second morning through their easter holidays. Well done to all athletes at the weekend and the best of luck to all athletes making the trip to the 2nd weekend of Nationals in under 3 weeks where we can look forward to Dylan Carty in the walk, Stacey Kerr in the 200m and Anna Reddin & Aisham Patil in the 1,500m. On the senior front, Sligo AC's Emmett Dunleavy had a fine race in Belgium over 3000m, finishing 4th in 8:16.26 a PB by 2 seconds. This sets him up nicely for the 3000m steeplechase which he will be competing in this weekend. The best of luck to him in his endeavours from all at the club.

Sligo AC News: Juvenile athletes at National Team Event & Seniors in Belgium!

Sligo AC U9 teams travelled to Templemore, Co.Tipperary at the weekend to compete in the All Ireland Team Competition. Shane McGlone and Sean Kerrigan performed well in their 60m to finish 4th and 2nd in their heat to place 6th team overall. Sean Kerrigan and Eoin Carty ran the 300m and finished 5th and 6th in their heats. Next up was the relay team of Shane, Sean, Eoin and Richard Hunter to finish 4th in their heat. This was a very good performance from these young athletes in their first competition to qualify firstly from Co Sligo and then from Connaught competition to reach and compete in this National competition and are looking forward to 2011 already. Well done to these athletes from all at the club! Photograph shows Eoin Carty, Shane McGlone, Sean Kerrigan and Richard Hunter in good form just before their relay.
Meanwhile Sligo AC athlete Emmett Dunleavy travelled to Nivelles in Belgium for a 1500 metre track event. His time of 3:49.46 was the second fastest of his athletics career and with a closing lap of 58 seconds it suggests that this athlete is on top form at the moment. With another race in Belgium this weekend, this time a 3k in the city of Oordegem, we wish him the best of luck and hopefully a new club record for the distance.

Sligo AC News: Running school workshop tomorrow!

Running technique increasing performance, developing speed and reducing injuires.
Former Chelsea FC speed coach, Mike Antionades has opened the RUNNING SCHOOL & SPORTS INJURIES AND SPORTS MEDICINE CLNIC in Castlebar, Co Mayo. In conjunction with this the school is offering a free workshop to Sligo AC Athletes. If interested please contact Club Secretary Terry Hayes on 0872274622 asap. A small fee/charge may be required if a bus is hired to transport all interested athletes.
Workshop : Running technique increasing performance, developing speed reducing injuries.
Presenters :Mike Antionades and Martin Mc Intyre.
Time and Date : Tuesday 29th of June from 7-9
Venue : The Running School at the Sports Injuries and Sports Medicine Clinic, Unit 5c, N5 Business Park, Castlebar, Co. Mayo.
Price : Free

Sligo AC News: Ransboro 10k

Over 150 runners and walkers took part in the Ransboro 10k yesterday evening in what could be best described as balmy conditions. From the off a small group of runners broke free of the chasing pack with Letterkenny's Neil Faulkner pushing from the front. Faulkner kept the pace fast forcing Dunboyne AC's Derek Croal and Sligo AC's Ultan McNasser to work hard in order to close the gap. Sligo AC's Alan Kearins, Seamus Somers and Neil Walton followed closely. By the 5k mark Croal had taken the lead with McNasser moving into 2nd place where he remained until 9k until a determined Faulkner once again made a successful move for second. Croal had the win wrapped up at this stage having made a good gap between himself and his two pursuers, crossing the line in just over 35 minutes. 2nd and 3rd place came right down to the wire with McNasser forcing Faulkner into a sprint finish where the letterkenny athlete just held onto his place. Sligo AC's Lucy Brennan (pictured) ran a steady race throughout and was the leading lady once again, taking first with confident ease. With all proceeds going to the charity Aquired Brain Injury Ireland it was a very successful and well run event. Well done to all involved in the organising and all who competed! For full results, please email sligoac@gmail.com and we'll try and have them out to you asap.

Sligo AC Update: Sligo Athletes shine at graded meet!

Five Sligo athletes took part in graded meet number 5 in Irishtown, Dublin last night. There were 4 excellent pb's set by the up and coming youth of Sligo athletics. First up Connell Boal in the senior mens Javelin, picking up tips and advice from his competitors he threw an amazing 43.6m bettering his previous best by nearly a full metre. Next up, Ania Bednorz (pictured) in the senior ladys triple jump. She opened with a jump of 11m 20cm which was a new PB but still unsatisfied with that she went even further on her next jump although jumping well before the board. PB number 2 for the night 11m 36cm and this moves Sligo's 14yr old up to number 8 on the senior ranks and even closer to the European Youth Olympic standard of 12m, she still has 2 years to achieve this. Onto the 1,500m where Aisham Patil lined up in the B grade and All Ireland Schools champion Tommy Casey in the A grade. Aisham ran a super race to finish in a time of 4min 26.12 a huge new PB for this up and coming 14 year old taking nearly 7 seconds off his previous best. This time would have given him a bronze medal at the recent All Ireland schools. Up last for the juveniles stepped Tommy Casey (pictured), lining up against a very strong field. Casey bossed his way to the front in the opening 150m and just dropped himself in as the opeing lap unfolded. A group of 3 athletes had a gap back to Tommy at 800m of around 4 or 5 metres but Tommy was still going very well in himself. At 1,200m the gap had dwindled and he was now ready to pounce moving down the backstraight for the final time, he moved into second onto the shoulder of Eoin Flynn of Rathfarnham, rounding the top bend with 200m to go both athletes were pushing for the lead, into the home straight Casey edged clear but just a couple of strides from the line Raheny Shamrocks Richie Corceran just pipped Tommy for the victory. Never the less Casey went away smiling with a huge new PB of 3min 54.88sec nearly some 5 seconds of his previous best. Martin Conroy capped off the night in the grade A 5,000m with a solid performance, running 15min 32sec, this is nearly a full minute outside his personal best so just an off night for Martin. We definitely have a lot to look forward to this summer and for many years with this up and coming bunch of stars. Well done from all at the club!

Sligo AC News: Medal haul for club's athletes!

Sligo athletes made the trip to Galway to contest the Connaught Track & Field in Dangan. Within an hour of our arrival we had 2 gold and 3 silver medals with Stephen Reynolds throwing beyond 40m for the first time in the senior mens hammer to claim gold, Dylan Carty looked incredible, strolling to victory in the u-15 boys walk, Graham Kerr claimed the first of his 3 medals when claiming silver in the u-13 boys long jump, David Lynch claimed a silver in the u-15 boys hurdles and Ania Bernodz took her first of 4 medals when finishing second in the u-16 girls high jump. Up next were the sprints where Sligo claimed 3 titles. In the u-13 boys 80m Keelan Deering, Niall Gray and Lee Roper all ran fine races but it was their Sligo team mate Graham Kerr who stole the show streaking clear at the 40m and winning well to add his second medal of the day, next was his sister Stacey Kerr who, if keeps progressing the way she is, will be an unstoppable force in sprint races for many years to come. Stacey cruised through her heat in the girls u-14 80m but came up against All Ireland champion Laura Ann Costelloe, who boasts an unbeaten record in all Connaught competitions in her short career, with both girls neck and neck all the way Stacey dipped on the line to record an impressive victory in a hugely impressive time of 10.62 seconds. Sligo had yet another sprint title added to their tally with Ania blitzing the field in the u-16 girls 100m and adding another medal to her total. Keely Greene also ran a fine race in the u-13 girls 60m, just missing the final as did Orla Mulvihill (u-16 100m) & Thomas Delahunt in the boys u-15 100m. Dylan Carty got us off to a great start with a silver in the boys u-15, Aisham Patil ran a fine race in the u-16 boys 1,500m running 4.34 to finish 4th and Orla Mulvihill ran well in the u-16 girls equivilant. Next we moved onto the 200m events where after Staceys impressive display in the 80m went in a warm favourite. There were 2 heats with the fastest time from the heats to determine the winner, Stacey from lane 2 had the stagger made up withing 60m and demolished the field to win her heat in 26.7 in the following heat Costelloe of GCH had her own back by winning her heat in a slightly faster time, a mere .1 of a second. Nicola McGoldrick battled well in the girls u-16 200m to finish 4th in her final as did Thomas Delahunt in his 200m. Next up the middle distance where we got off to a sensational start with Caelinn McGonigle showing her true class by beating her All Ireland conquerer by 5 seconds, Caelinn recording a time of 1min 45seconds, solo and the gold medal. in the boys u-13 600m Lee Roper and Keelan Deering ran fine races and will gain a lot of experience from their days work. Onto the 800m, where Clare Conlon got us off to a flyer by finishing runner up to multiple National Champion Alanna Lally. Clare ran the perfect race, sitting in 4th place and kicking with 150m to go, this surprisingly was Clares first individual medal at a connaught event but no doubt she will claim many more over the years. Philip Hunter ran a great race in his u-14 800m, finishing not far outside his pb. Gavin Foye running in his first outdoor Championships ran a super race to finish 5th and running a superb new pb of 2.18 in the u-16 800m. His training partner Shane Kilcawley was next up in the u-17 800m. Shane sat in 4th spot, lurking and waiting to pounce throughout the race, with 200m to go he unleashed a deadly kick to claim 2nd place behind Westports All Ireland 800m Champion from last year Anthony Chambers. Shane not only claimed a silver medal but a huge pb of 2min 10 seconds. Tommy Casey won the u-19 boys 800m as he liked in a time of 1.58, which will set him up nicely for his up and coming races. Rianne McHugh ran two great races to win gold in the U19 400m and silver in 800m, moving up from her sprint events. Conal Boal also won the u-18 boys Javelin throwing 45m for the first time and other notable medallist was Colm Bourke in the u-17 boys triple and long jump. Sligo AC claimed many more medals in the relays at the end of the day. Well done to every athlete who took part in this excellent day for Sligo athletics. And good luck to all who qualified for the National Championships in July where we have a lot of serious medal contenders.

Sligo AC News: Calry 5k

Over sixty athletes turned out for the annual Calry 5k Road Race on friday evening last. This was a good turn-out considering a large amount of local athletes were already focused on the Mullaghmore Triathlon which was to take place the following morning. The evening remained warm as all participants toed the line and a stiff breeze blew against them on the opening kilometre. Runners who were familiar with the course knew that as much ground as possible needed to be made on the 1st half of the race (downhill) as a minute would be lost on the return leg. Sligo AC's Dermot McDermott simply ran away from the chasing pack although winning it in a slow, by his standards, 16 mins 39 seconds. Sligo AC's Ultan McNasser and Alan Kearins came in 2nd and 3rd respectively. All proceeds were destined for the North-West hospice & with over 600 euros collected it was a successful event for all concerned.

Sligo AC Update: Connaught Medals for Team Event athletes

A large number of U9, U10, U11 and U12 Sligo AC athletes travelled to Galway on Saturday last for the Connaught Team Competition and Connaught T & F. For most of these athletes it was their first taste of Connaught competition and all gained invaluable experience for the years ahead. U9 boys faired well with the 60m Team of Shane McGlone and Sean Kerrigan claiming gold, Sean Kerrigan and Eoin Carty took gold in the U9 300m and the Boys U9 relay team of Sean Kerrigan, Eoin Carty, Richard Hunter and Shane McGlone took bronze. This was a great achievement for the U9’s. The U10 boys of Jack Connor and Noel Burke took silver in the U10 500m. The relays in all ages got good experience in their first time out. U12 girls took part in field events Shot, Ball throw and long jump with the boys competing in the sprint and long jump. The boys were unlucky in the relay but put up a big performance.
All Juvenile Athletes travelling to Galway tomorrow (saturday 19th June) by Bus for Connaught Under 13's upwards; please meet at the "fish sculpture" at the main entrance to Sligo I.T at 7.45am.

Sligo AC's league campaign off to a flyer!

A growing Sligo team made the trip to the AAI Club League in Tullamore on Sunday last looking to excel on the heights of their 5th place finish in last years competition. On the evidence shown they will certainly do that and more. Stephen Reynolds got the day off to a flyer with a new Pb in the hammer of 33 metres and claiming gold and more importantly maximum points, this was followed up by Kevin McGlynn braving the high hurdles to claim 4th and Aaron Murtagh matched that 4th place finish in the long jump, each claiming 5 points a piece. Martin Conroy was next, “fresh” from his race in Watford the night before and spending most of the night flying back to join up with his team mates. Martin did a great job for the team gaining two golds and 18 points in the 3km walk and the 3km steeplechase. Martin had already ran a 14.44 5k at 10pm the night before in the UK, well done Martin. Dermot McDermott got 3rd in the 1,500m as did Tommy Casey in the 800m. Casey ran a new personal best time of 1.55 and finished right on the heels of two of Irelands finest distant athletes.The 4x100m relay ran superbly to finish in 4th place, with Ciaran Collins leading them off, Kevin McGlynn building on a fine start then passing onto Ryan Monaghan who in turn passed onto Gary Hynes. Gary later finished 4th in the 200m as did Stephen Reynolds in his 2nd event, the shot putt. Conal Boal did an exceptional job in the Javelin against some well seasoned senior athletes as he threw just short of a Pb but never the less gaining a valuable 2nd place finish and 7 crucial points as Sligo were fighting it out with Ferrybank and Limerick County to claim top spot after day one. Next up was new boy Ciaran Collins who hasn't raced in over 2 years but has the calibre from all his National success as a juvenile. As 3 athletes swung into the straight to face the breeze, Ciaran being 1 of them, the writing was on the wall that he was going to get up and win and win he did, running a fine seasonal opener of 50.2 for the 400m gaining 9 valuable points for his new County of Sligo. David Heath threw big in the weight for distance and claimed a valuable 3rd place finish and 6 points for the team and Tony Druet ran a fine race in the 5,000m to claim a 2nd place finish and 7 points. Onto the last race of the day, the 4 x 400m where again as it was all day, Sligo, Limerick and Ferrybank were left to fight this out with Ferrybank coming out on top with Limerick 2nd and Sligo back in 3rd. Well done to the whole team who finished the day with 103 points which was well up on last year’s score of 65 points. We look forward to round two on the 18th of July where we welcome back athletes the calibre of Tommy Carroll and Emmet Dunleavy who will no doubt help push this growing Sligo team to the summit of team athletics in Ireland. Sligo also had 2 guests running in the League at the weekend in Anna Reddin in the 1,500m and Reanne McHugh in the 200m & 400m well done to both athletes who ran fine races. Also a big well done to 2 Sligo athletes abroad Sligo AC Martin Conroy showed his return to form finishing 7th in a BMC 5,000m race in Watford in a time of 14min and 44 seconds as did North Sligo's Tommy Carroll he finished a close 7th in the 1,500m at the same meet in a time of 3.49. This is Tommy's 2nd fastest time over the distance but shows great consistency. Tommy now has his eyes set on the AAA's championships this coming weekend before returning home for the National u-23's where he must enter the race as one of the favourites whether it's 800m or 1,500m he participates in.A number of Sligo juveniles will make the trip to Galway this coming Saturday for the Connaught track and field where Sligo will have great winning chances with the likes of Stacey Kerr, William Crowe, Cian McBride, Dylan Carty and Caelinn McGonigle to name a few. A reminder that the Calry 5k is on this coming Friday 18th of June at 7:30pm from Calry/Hazelwood Community playing fields, come early to avoid the rush!

Sligo Athletic Club: News Update

A range of athletic events took place over the weekend, from 10k road races in Eniskillen & Maugherow to National League events in Tullamore with Sligo AC athletes travelling to all. In the Enniskillen Rotary 10k on Saturday Eamon Dunbar crossed the line in 36.10, Damian Kennedy followed in 38.21 with Mark Burns hot on his heels in 38.23. Enda Dineen ran strongly throughout to finish in 39 minutes flat. The following day, Sunday, the Maugherow 10k (pictured) took place where a large number of local athletes toed the line, including a few brave ones that had ran the day before in Enniskillen! North Sligo's Thomas Kelly was the first home over this tough hilly course in just over 36 minutes with Sligo AC's Neil Walton making a return to competitive action taking 2nd place. Round One of the National League also took place on Sunday where a wide variety of disciplines had Sligo AC entries. A full round-up of these results will be posted shortly.

Sligo Athletic Club Update: National League

Sligo start their push for National league success this comming weekend in tullamore: The team is a good mix of both new and old faces and is strong enough to be in a great position for round 2. Stephen reynolds will throw the hammer & 56lbs, he came 2nd in last years final and will aim to go one better this year. Aaron Murtagh will double up in long jump & triple jump in which he will be seeking max points in one or both events. Martin Conroy should also gain max points in both the 3km walk and 3km steeple. We have new recruit Ciaran Collins who was multiple National underage champion over 400m pulling on the Sligo AC vest for the first time, he will run the 400m in which even as his first race in a few years has got be up there challenging. Damien O'Boyle from Calry will double up in Shot Putt & Discus in which, with his juvenile pedigree, he will be a hard man to beat. We have National Senior schools 1,500m champion Tommy Casey running in either the 800m or 1,500m but whatever race he does can be relied on to be challenging for max points. Both relay teams look very strong, with in the 4x100m Gary Hynes, Ciaran Collins, Kevin McGlynn and Ryan Monaghan should be there or there abouts and it will take a good 4x400m team to beat Ciaran Collins, Martin Conroy, Tommy Casey and Dermot McDermott to top spot in that event. Sligo also welcome back Gary Hynes from the states where he is on a soccer scholarship. He will double up in both 100m and 200m where he will get valuble points if he is anywhere near as good a shape as last year. Kenneth Lippset will be there or thereabouts in the high jump as will Conel Boal in the javelin. Ultan McNasser lines out in the 5,000m, his first competitive race on the track over this distance where he will try to achieve a new personal best. The very best of luck to all of the team and with athletes the calibre of Tommy Carroll, David kelly and Emmet Dunleavy to come back into the fold over the league through the summer who would bet against Sligo winning this competition this year?

Sligo AC News Update: U9,U10,U11 Connaught Team Competition

Sligo AC U9, U10, U11 and U12 travel to Galway on Saturday next for the Connaught Team competition for U9, U10 and U11. These athletes qualified from the Co Sligo section of the event in sprint, middle distance, long jump and ball throw earlier and hope to qualify for the All Ireland event in late June. Competing will be Leo Doherty, Conor Melvin, Lillian Casey and Ellen McGeough who all qualified for the All Irelands last year and should be successful in their chosen events. We wish all athletes well in this event. U12 athletes compete also in both boys and girls with many on their first time out in Connaught Track and Field. A bus leaves from Sligo Garda station at 8.00 a.m. for those travelling by bus with competition beginning at 11.00 a.m.

Assistant Coaching Course update!

An ‘Assistant Coach’ coach education course will take place in Screen, Co Sligo on Thursday 24th and Monday 28th June 2010. This is an introductory level course and places are still available. The aim of the assistant coach course is to give basic skills to the beginner coach to help assist a more senior coach in the delivery of coaching sessions to young Athletes. It is an introduction to the coaching of three key events, running (Sprints and Endurance), Jumping (Long Jump) and Throwing (Shot Putt). The course duration runs from 6pm to 9:30pm on both evenings. There is no exam needed to be passed to complete this course, the cost of which is €60. Any club members interested please contact Anne McHugh 087-2355103.

Sligo Athletic Club News: Athletes shine on national stage!

The All-Ireland schools championships were held in Tullamore, Co.Offaly, last weekend where a number of Sligo A.C athletes took part representing their various schools. Perhaps the highest profile victory went to Grammar school student Tommy Casey (centre) who competed in the senior 1500 metres. Eyewitness accounts stated that after the opening three laps, Casey easily distanced himself from the rest of the chasing pack to cross the line in a new personal best of 3.59:11 whilst becoming the 2010 Senior schools champion over 1500m. Dylan Carty, also from Sligo Grammar school, competed in the Junior 1200m walk finishing a brilliant second in a time of 5.45:23 whilst Anna Bednorz (Mercy Convent) jumped a distance of 11.13 metres taking silver in the Intermediate triple jump. Other athletes who took part in various disciplines were Anna Reddin, Rachel Kilgallon, Aisham Patil & James McGeough. Well done to all! Elsewhere Sligo AC's Lucy Brennan once again put our Club on the national stage taking first place in the 2010 Cork City marathon in a time of 2.54.41. This was Lucy's third time to stand on the winners podium in Cork & in her current form she's very likely to add to this victory of the coming summer season. Ballinamore Open Sports events took place over the weekend (bank holiday monday) with Sligo AC's juveniles taking part. Dylan Carty, fresh from his exploits in the national schools, took gold in his walking event, Nadine Deering won gold in the under-10 80 metres whilst also picking up bronze in the 300m whilst her sister Amy won two silver in the under-8 60 and 80 metres, great results for these two young athletes. Closer to home, a small contingent of Sligo AC athletes made the trip northwards to compete in the Donegal town 5k. James McAlister (Belfast) won the race outright in humid conditions in a time of 14.52. Sligo AC athletes fared out as follows; U McNasser (16.40) M Casserly (17.35) R Connor (18.56) D Byrne (19.41) C McCarthy (20.08) E Reddin (20.41) and W Parke (21.08). Well done to all who competed!

Spartan Challenge: Dublin Marathon 2010

Four lucky winners will win a once in a lifetime experience to be trained, advised and kitted out by 'the best of the best' and will become one of our four, official SPARTANS.
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Our SPARTANS can walk, jog or run the marathon. Walking 26 miles is just as big an achievement as jogging or running 26 miles so remember, the SPARTAN challenge welcomes ALL fitness levels.
All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning this amazing opportunity, is create your profile by registering on the website http://spartan.spar.ie/ , and then share your profile with as many people as possible, to get as many votes as you can. The four people with the most votes win!