2015 GloHealth Junior & U23 Champs Preview
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Ireland’s up and coming athletic talent will head to Tullamore for an action packed weekend of track and field action. The GloHealth National Juvenile Championships take place on Saturday, 4th of July with the GloHealth Junior and U23 Championships taking place a day later.
Junior & U23 Championships
2015 is a big year for Ireland’s leading junior and U23 athletes with the European U23 championships taking place in Estonia from the 9th-12th of July followed by the European Junior Championships taking place in Sweden from the 16th-19th of July. While the team has already been selected for the European U23 championships the junior athletes have until Sunday, 5th of July to achieve the qualification standard.
Junior
With the looming deadline in mind an exciting day’s competition is guaranteed in the junior category on Sunday. Irish underage sprinting is on the rise with both the men’s and women’s 4x100m teams having already achieved the qualification standard for the Europeans along with a number of individuals. Athletes to watch out for in Tullamore include the likes of Zak Irwin (Sligo AC), Sean Lawlor (Donore Harriers AC) and Tallaght AC duo Joseph Ojewumi and Eoin Doherty. The junior women are equally as strong with Ciara Neville (Emerald AC), Phoebe Murphy (Ferrybank AC), Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport AC) and Roisin Harrison (Emerald AC) set to star.
Harry Purcell (Trim AC) is one to watch in the 400m after running a season’s best of 47.33 at the Junior Gala event in Mannheim last weekend. Irish junior 5,000m record holder Kevin Mulcaire (Ennis Track AC) hones his speed as he goes in the 1,500m. Nadia Power (Templeogue AC) who had a big break through at the BMC meet in Watford last weekend running a European B standard of 4.24.62 in the 1500m goes in that event in Tullamore.
Sweden on Their Mind
Irish Junior 110m hurdles record holder Matthew Behan (Crusaders AC) is another of those who will have Sweden on their mind having achieved the A standard on numerous occasions this season.
Eoin Sheridan (North Westmeath) in one to watch in the field events after throwing 55.43m in the discus at the Mannheim meeting. Alice Akers (Marian AC) and Michaela Walsh (Swinford AC) are expected to go well in the hammer with Anne-Marie Torsney (Fingallians AC) the likely favourite in the shot putt. John Kelly (Finn Valley AC) has been in fine form this season which includes an 18.61m throw from a meeting in Letterkenny on the 10th of May.
U23
Marcus Lawler (St Laurence O’Toole AC) was recently named in the Irish team for the European U23 championships for the 100m and 200m events. Lawler has been in sparkling form this season recording times of 10.47 (100m) and 20.74 (200m) to top the 2015 Irish rankings. Phil Healy (Bandon AC) and Cliodhna Manning (Kilkenny City Harriers AC) who will join Lawler at the Europeans will go head to head in Tullamore over 100m.
Sarah Lavin (UCD AC) showed a return to form last weekend clocking a season’s best time of 13.45 seconds in the 100m hurdles. Limerick native Lavin is the outstanding favourite to take the national title as she continues her preparations for Estonia.
Sarah McCarthy (Mid-Sutton AC) is another of those enjoying a breakthrough season which has included a 6.23m effort in the long jump to secure qualification for the European U23 Championships. Dempsey McGuigan (Finn Valley AC) has thrown 66.90m in the hammer this year a mark he will seek to surpass on Sunday.
Action gets underway at 10.30am on the track with the 3,000m walk and in the field in the hammer.