Championship Success

David Harper, Sligo AC - Junior 1500 Champion

Sligo AC was well represented last weekend, with the Masters Championships on Saturday, and, the Under 23 and Junior Championships on Sunday in Athlone IT.

The highlight on Saturday had to be the double gold achieved by John Mc Dermott over 200 and 400 meters. Approaching the over 70 category, John achieved a time of 64.8 seconds for the 400 meters as he won in a canter and he won the 200 meters in similar facile fashion.

Henry Rowan took a high jump gold while Trish Foy 1500 meters, and Kevin Mc Gloin took silver medals over 1500 meters and 800 meters respectively, while Ramsay Slott, a Scottish member of the club was fourth over 60 meters and 3rd over 200 meters. Alan Kearins had a good time in a competitive 1500 meters and will be pleased with his performance.

On Sunday attention turned to Juniors (Under 20) and Under 23s. David Harper produced the outstanding performance by winning the Junior 1500 meters by a wide margin. Emily Burns took a bronze long jump medal, but encouragingly many younger Athletes took the opportunity to get valuable experience at a top level.

Stacey Kerr was rewarded with a qualification for a final over 200 meters, as was Aaron Cadden, as both had done well over 60ms and were running against older competitors.

Similarly Graham Kerr 60 meters and 200 meters, Graham Burke 200 and 400 meters, and Orlaith Delahunt 3k walk were competing against older Athletes but will have learned a lot from the experience.

Orla Mulvihill 1500 meters and Rianne McHugh 800 meters were pitched in against International competition and came away with personal best times well ahead of previous performances.

Zak Irwin won his qualifying 60 meters heat in the fastest time of the day and in a blanket finish in the Final, where the top five Athletes were covered by 5 tenths of a second, he was just denied a podium finish. Such was the competitive nature of the Final that the European Junior Representative in 2013, Marcus Lawlor from Tullamore was relieved to take home a Bronze one tenth of a second ahead of the Sligo Athlete.

Colm Burke, long jump 4th and Triple Jump, was in top form and will look forward to a good season.