The fine weather may have disappeared but the competition was excellent with some fine races as some new champions were installed and some familiar names retained their titles. Anna Boyle was one of the athletes taking their first title as she held off Derval O’Rourke who earlier in the day had won the 100 hurdles. Anna’s winning time of 11.53 was a new Northern Ireland record .Derval O’Rourke had hurdled very well to record 12.95 but the wind reading was + 4.1. Which as she explained in a trackside interview “ a following wind brings you on to the hurdles quicker and is not an advantage”. Her 11.54 for the 100 metres is indicative of an athlete moving into fine form as the World Championships and World Student Games approach. Gary Ryan brings a wealth of experience to these championships and he won his 9th. Sprint title taking the 100 in 10.69 ahead of Lee vale’s Ger O’Donoghue. The 400 metres lived up to expectations. Paul McKee blazed down the back straight with Robert Daly not too far off and Tomas Coman operating at his usual more conservative pace. Around the turn the defending champion Coman made his move and came down the straight maintaining his form very well to win in 46.48 fine running for a man who has had his injury problems this year. It was Paul McKee’s best run for some time as he held on for second spot in 46.99 with David McCarthy coming through for third in seasons best of 47.26. One of the younger breed of middle distance men Ciaran O’Connell won a good 800 metres race as he overhauled David Campbell who had ensured that it was not a dawdle by taking up the running. Thomas Chamney could never get on terms with O’Connell down the straight. Ciaran had quite a good weekend as he moved his 400 best down to 48.10 in Saturday’s heats. In February Jolene Byrne won the national cross country title in the fields behind the stadium. Well Santry is turning out to be a very happy hunting ground for her as she won a marvellous 1500 metres. On the last lap Maria McCambridge tried to get away only to be overhauled down the straight by Joelene who seemed to lean towards the tape a bit too early and almost lost her footing. But she just held on by one hundredth of a second to win in 4.11.72. Gary Murray also won the cross country title in February and he dominated the men’s 1500 to win in 3.47.57 with Richard Jones from Waterford holding off Annadales Noel Pollock for second. North Sligo’s Mary Cullen had a gun to tape victory in the 5000 and looked to be an athlete with some considerable potential. After his near misses on the medal front in the European under 23’s Martin Fagan had far too much over the latter stages of the men’s 5000 as he won in 14.11.44. It is 1992 since Antoine Burke won his last title the high jump. Operating as a 400 hurdler nowadays he won in 52.41 whilst Peter Coghlan won his ninth 110 Hurdles title in a wind assisted 13.31. When asked which of the titles he remembered best he plumbed for his third spot behind the two trail blazing hurdlers TJ Kearns and Sean Cahill as one of his most satisfying runs. Paul Crowe won the mens shot in very creditable 16.92 with John Leahy second with 16.55. John Menton won another discus title with 52.01 from the 5th. round. Eva Massey won the womens shot with 15.11. Ruairi O'Briain won the pole vault with a new National U23 record of 4.75m, while Anthony McCreery set a new National Junior record of 4.60m for silver. The prestige of the championships being further enhanced with RTE TV’s coverage on the Sunday whilst listeners to BBC Radio Five Live were able to keep in touch with live updates from Santry.
