Tullamore set for GloHealth All Ireland Schools celebration

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GloHealth All Ireland Schools Track & Field Championships

The GloHealth All Ireland Schools Track and Field Championships in Tullamore this Saturday (June 4th) is set to be one to remember as the Irish Schools Athletics Association celebrates its 100th year and will be live streamed on the day.

The championships’ are rich in history and has seen many sporting and social figures competing in the championships down through the years. As well as stars such as Sonia O’Sullivan and David Gillick, it has seen the likes of Cian Healy and Ruairi Quinn win All Ireland titles.

Jim Dowdall, CEO of GloHealth said “GloHealth is delighted to continue our sponsorship of Irish Schools’ Athletics and we are honoured to be involved in their 100 year celebrations. We congratulate all of the young athletes who have qualified for the 2016 GloHealth Schools All-Ireland Track & Field Championships in Tullamore. We are acutely aware of the relationship between participation in sport and its impact on a child’s current and future health and our sponsorship is designed to encourage and support children maintain a healthy lifestyle as well as helping to nurture athletic talent at all levels.”

Michael Hunt, President of the Irish Schools’ Athletics Association, was particularly looking forward to the championships which first took place in 1916 in Lansdowne Road. “It promises to be an exciting day of competition this Saturday with the weather gods set to look favourably upon us,” said Hunt. “At the first track and field championships on the 23rd of September 1916 at Lansdowne Road 9 schools competed. This year a total of 300 schools are competing.

“I would like to thank GloHealth for the continued sponsorship of the event and I look forward to seeing a big crowd in Tullamore.”

On hand to launch this year’s GloHealth All Ireland Schools Track & Field Championships in Tullomare was Olympic steeplechase prospect Michelle Finn (Leevale) alongside current schools’ stars Laura Whitelaw (Loreto Mullingar), Jordan Hoang (Colaiste Choilm) and Anu Awonusi (Kilkenny College).

Finn never got as far as the All Ireland’s such is the depth of competition.

“I don't think I ever got to compete at the Irish schools in Tullamore, but I always had a great time at South Munster and Munster schools competitions,” said Finn on her school’s career. “I always associate schools with sunny days at the track, and I met lots of the friends I have today at schools competitions. Many of them still think of it as the best day of athletics in Ireland every year.

“When I compete in senior international meets I still go through the same process as I used to go through in schools competitions - checking in, warming up, wondering who will show up to compete against me. I'm hoping that if I get selected for the Europeans or for Rio that all the years of experiences like this will stand to me.”

Three of the current stars will be looking to draw from this inspiration with Laura Whitelaw (Loreto Mullingar) looking to add All Ireland gold to the senior girls’ Leinster title she won to round out her schools’ career.

Anu Awonusi (Kilkenny College) won the senior boys’ shot put at the Leinster schools with 16.27m and was second in the discus with 45.10m. Awonusi has been playing number 8 for Kilkenny College but is now focusing solely on his athletics. Ireland rugby international Cian Healy won All Ireland schools titles in the shot and discus for Belvedere College.

Jordan Hoang (Colaiste Choilm) will be aiming to go one better in the senior boys’ triple jump having won silver in the Leinsters. He has been struggling with injury but is the national junior record holder.

The Championships are always a day to savour and you can find out more about the rich tapestry of the event in the statistics compiled by Pierce O’Callaghan and the Athletics Ireland Technical Committee HERE.

For the timetable of events click HERE

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