Exciting U20 and U23 championships in store in Athlone

Irish Life Health U20 and U23 Championships

The whirlwind season of indoor athletics kicks off in earnest with Ireland’s young stars set to take to the blue boards in Athlone for the Irish Life Health U20 and U23 Indoor Championships on Sunday (January 27).

The Championship will be the first live streamed event of 2019 and there will surely be some new faces to add to those already making their mark. You can get the entries and timetable HERE.

World relay medallists to face-off

World U20 4x100m relay silver medallists Patience Jumbo-Gula (Dundalk St Gerard’s) and Lauren Roy (City of Lisburn AC) are set to face off in the U20 women’s 60m.

Fellow squad members Ciara Neville (Emerald) and Molly Scott (SLOT) step up to the U23 category in what should be another fascinating duel with Scott also entered in the 60m hurdles.  

Laure Roy heads the U20 200m entries with Helen Ikpotokin (St. Michael's AC) among the potential up-and-coming contenders.

Sophie Becker (St Joseph’s) is down to double in the U23 60m and 200m with Aoife Lynch (Donore Harriers) one of her prime competitors in the 200m.

Leevale’s Conor Morey, Colin Doyle and Ryan O’Leary will be looking to have an impact in the U20 men’s 60m and 200m where the likes of Israel Olatunde (Dundealgan) and Nelvin Appiah (Longord), 60m, will be looking to mount a strong challenge. There is a hefty entry in the U20 men’s 60m with a number of entrants bound to be in contention.

The U23 men’s 60m includes Tallaght’s Eoin Doherty and Joseph Ojewumi while an exciting 200m is in prospect with Cillin Greene (Galway City Harriers), David McDonald (Menapians) and Mark Smyth (Raheny Shamrock AC) on the entry list.

Ciara Deely (Kilkenny City Harriers) and Nicole Walsh (Galway City Harriers) head respective U20 and U23 women’s 400m fields.

There are a host of good runners entered in the U20 men’s 400m with Alan Miley (SLOT), Jack Raftery (Donore Harriers), Tony O’Connor (Naas), Ciaran Carthy (DSD) and Christopher Duffy (Tallaght) on the entry list.

The U23 men’s 400m also has competitive entries including Cathal Locke (Dooneen), Craig Newell (Ballymena and Antrim) and Shane Irwin (Finn Valley).

Alison Burke (DCH) heads the women’s U20 60m hurdles entrants while Elizabeth Morland (Cushinstown) faces Molly Scott and Kate Doherty (DSD) in the U23 60m hurdles. Morland, like last year, is also down for the long jump.

Joseph McEvoy (Nenagh Olympic AC) and Shane Monagle (Tramore AC) should be two key contestants in the U20 men’s 60m hurdles.

Middle distance Maestros

Alex O'Neill (St. Cronans A.C.) and Jenna Bromell (Emerald) lead the entries in respective U20 and U23 women’s 800m fields.

The U20 women’s 1500m includes Jodie McCann (DCH), Jo Keane (Ennis Track), who is also entered for the 400m, and Ava O’Connor (Tullamore Harriers).  

In the U20 men’s 800m Mark Milner (Tullamore Harriers) and Cian McPhillips (Longford) are among the entrants with Cian McPhillips the lead entry in the U20 1500m.

Roland Surlis (Annalee) is ever the championship competitor and he goes in the U23 men’s 800m  with the likes of Joseph Lyons (Tallaght) and Robert Hewison (Kildare) among his competitors.

Luke McCann (DCH) will look to defend the U23 1500m crown with Daire Finn (DCH) among those looking to contend. Sorcha McAllister (Westport) will also look to defend her title in the U23 women’s 1500m.

Walsh looks to continue to dominate the throws

Michaela Walsh (Swinford), now Dublin based for college, will be one of the athletes to watch this championship as she goes in the U23 women’s shot put. She will also compete in the 28lbs weight for distance.

In the U20 women’s shot, Ciara Sheehy (Emerald), Lystus Ebosele (DMP) and Anna Ryan (Moycarkey Coolcroo) will be three of the main protagonists.  

In the junior men’s shot Jack Ryan (Moycarkey Coolcroo) will be looking to go far as will a number of a decent sized field. Brow Rangers have a strong trio in the U23 men’s shot.   

Hitting the heights

There are big entries in the U20 men’s high jump and long jump. The high jump looks most mouth-watering with Nelvin Appiah (Longford), Jospeh McEvoy (Nenagh Olympic) and Lucas Moylan (Naas) among the entries.

Ryan Carthy Walshe (Adamstown) U23 men’s high jump Keith Marks (Clonliffe Harriers) U23 long jump Caolan O’Callaghan (Tir Chonaill) U23 triple jump

There is a good entry in the U20 women’s long jump with Adeyemi Talabi (Longford) and Kate Hosey (Corran) two of the key contenders.

Elizabeth Morland (Cushinstown) heads U23 long jump.

Chisom Ugweuru (Ennis Track), Maria Carey (Newport) and Kim O’Hare (Raheny Shamrock) go in the U23 triple jump.

Orla Coffey (Carraig-Na-Bhfear A.C.) and Emma Coffey (Carraig-Na-Bhfear A.C.) are among the U20 women’s pole vault with Muireann McGinley (DCH) in the U23 pole vault.

Matthew Callinan Keenan (SLOT) and Tadgh Murtagh (Kildare) will be among the leading contenders in the U20 men’s pole vault while Yuri Kanash (West Waterford A.C.) should feature in the U23 section.

There is a good entry in the U20 women’s 3,000m race walk including internationals Niamh O'Connor (Celbridge A.C.) and Emily MacHugh (Naas). Rachel Glennon (Mullingar Harriers) is among those in the U23 women’s.

Oisin Lane (Mullingar Harriers A.C.) goes in the U20 men’s 3,000m race walk with Adam Mcinerney (Celbridge AC) and Joseph Mooney (Adamstown AC) among the U23 entries.