Ireland Secures Double Second-Place Finish at SIAB Track & Field International
Ireland’s young athletes produced another outstanding performance at the 2026 Schools’ International Athletic Board (SIAB) Track & Field International in Belfast, with both the Irish boys’ and girls’ teams finishing second overall against England, Scotland and Wales.
The Irish girls delivered an exceptional display to score 186 points, finishing second behind England (241), with Wales third (117) and Scotland fourth (108). The boys also finished second, scoring 174 points, behind England (244), while Wales (114) edged Scotland (110) into third.
Irish Girls Secure Second Overall
The Irish girls produced a series of outstanding performances across both the track and field to claim second place in the team standings.
Leading the way was Pearl Sands (St Joseph’s Castlebar), who produced a commanding victory in the 3000m Walk, crossing the line in 15:06.52 to claim maximum points for Ireland.
Ireland also recorded a number of second-place finishes including Rachel Warde (Clarin College) in the sprint hurdles with 11.57.
The Irish girls were consistently on the podium throughout the afternoon. Arwan Mulligan (St Angela’s Waterford) finished second in the 300m, while Ava Wilson (St Mary’s New Ross) earned second in the high jump. Lelia Cummins (Coláiste na Toirbhirte) was third in the hammer, while Adona Deju Zewdie (Mount Anville) was one of the stand-outs, taking top spot in the discus (43.06).
Ireland’s strength in depth proved decisive. Valuable points across the middle-distance events, hurdles, jumps and throws ensured the girls remained firmly in second place throughout the competition, underlining the quality of this year’s squad.
Irish Boys Finish Second Overall
The Irish boys matched the girls by also finishing second overall after another consistent team performance.
One of the performances of the day came from Ruby Devereaux (Pobalscoil na Tríonóide), who produced a superb victory in the 3000m, winning in 8:26.72.
Ireland also celebrated several second-place finishes. Victor Lamph (Clongowes Wood College) was first in the 400m with 48.32, while Conor Brennan (Moyne Community School) finished second in the 3000m Walk. In the field events, Daniel Murphy (Gonzaga College SJ) claimed second in the hammer.
The Irish boys added numerous third-place finishes throughout the programme. Brendan Ndambrira (St Eunan’s College) took third in the 200m, Whelan (Castletroy College) claimed third in the 1500m, while Theo Duffy (St Paul’s College Raheny) was third in the steeplechase.
The boys also impressed collectively across the programme, consistently adding valuable points in every event to secure second place in the team standings.
The double second-place finish once again highlights the strength and depth of Irish schools athletics. With individual victories, numerous podium finishes and valuable international experience gained against the best young athletes from England, Scotland and Wales, Ireland leaves Belfast with confidence that another exciting generation of athletes is ready to progress to the next level.
Congratulates to all who represented us in Belfast.
