Track and field wasn’t designed for the sort of weather we have been enduring for the past few weeks. The Lee Strand Riocht international in Castleisland on Monday evening was staged in wet, windy and cold weather, with athletes, officials and spectators all feeling the effects. Fair play to An Riocht for staging this important competition – they really did a huge amount of work to put the programme together, and did not deserve the weather conditions. Irish record holder in the hammer Eileen O’Keeffe was well down on her best when winning with a throw of 67.44m, but said afterwards that she was not going to risk injury in the conditions. Injury prevention is high amongst her concerns these days and she added that if the day is wet for nationals she might not compete there as the circle in Santry is lethal when wet. Brian Murphy ran one of his most competitive 400n races to finish third behind Americans Mitch Potter and Greg Nixon, but said he has not as yet decided on which event he will concentrate on for the remainder of the season. Brian Doyle in fourth is at a loss to understand why he is not running faster as he is a lot stronger than this time last year, while John Laffey in sixth (just behind Tyree Washington) felt he just had not recovered enough from his race in Belgium on Saturday. 
Emily Maher, running her first race in a year dead heated for third with Joanne Cuddihy in the 100m behind Geraldine Pillay from South Africa. Cuddihy was second in the 200m behind Allain Pompey from Guyana, saying afterwards that her coach had told her not to overdo things in the adverse weather conditions. 
Ricardo Williams gave an exhibition of sprinting in the 200m to win easily, with Carl McNamara fifth in 21.48, one place ahead of Brian Doyle in 21.77. The wind reading for this race was +0.5. 
Orla Drumm clocked a new PB in the 800m to finish third in 2:08.53, one place ahead of Maura Prenderville in 2:09.44. Prenderville is back running this year after a three year lay-off. Rory Chesser won the 5,000m in the worst of the weather (distance runners are much tougher!!). He led for most of the race and his winning time of 14:50.25 was some fifteen seconds better than he has run before. 
Joe Warne did an excellent job pacemaking the mile, with Laban Rotich and Max Smith cruising behind. Rotich pulled away on the last lap and just missed out on clocking the first sub four in Kerry with 4:01.49. He would have achieved that goal in better weather conditions and a more competitive field. Full marks to Brian Maguire on PA who got the crowd behind Rotich and gave every encouragement to the athletes throughout the meet. 
Men 100m:(+2.9) 1, D. Balynton (USA) 10.18; 2, R. Williams (Jamaica) 10.23; 3, J. Woods (USA) 10.27. 100m Development: 1, B. McGilton (Tralee Harriers) 11.16; 3, C. McCabe (An Riocht) 11.22. 200m:(+0.5) 1, R. Williams (Jamaica) 20.73; 2, C. Johnson (USA) 21.06; 3, J. Woods (USA) 21.10. 400m: 1, M. Potter (USA) 47.58; 2, G. Nixon (USA) 47.98; 3, B. Murphy (Ireland) 48.03. Denis Twomey Mile: 1, L. Rotich (Kenya) 4:01.49; 2, M. Smith (New Zealand) 4:04.79; 3, W. Atkins (Ireland) 4:13.09. Development 5,000m: 1, R. Chesser (Ennis Track) 14:20.26; 2, J. McCarthy (East Cork) 15:0051; 3, R. Zakis (West Waterford) 15:04.29. Long Jump: 1, B. Ramzy (USA) 7.74; 2, S. Fleming (Ireland) 7.43; 3, C. Kirk (England) 7.34. Discus: 1, A. Krawczk (Poland) 61.12m; 2, E. Cadee (The |Netherlands) 59.55; 3, E. Udechuki (England) 58.92. Women 100m:(+2.7) 1, G. Pillay (South Africa) 11.45; 2, J. Adams (USA) 11.53; 3 tie, E. Maher (Ireland) and J. Cuddihy (Ireland) 11.59. 200m:(+1.1) 1, A. Pompey (Guyana) 23.70; 2, J. Cuddihy 23.80; 3, G. Pillay 24.05. 800m: 1, C. Wurth-Thomas (USA) 2:06.15; 2, O. Tyruina (Russia) 2:07.08; 3, O. Drumm (Ireland) 2:08.53. High Jump: 1, M. Mataoanu (Romania) 1.85m; 2, A. Smit (South Africa) 1.80; 3, T. Grigoryeva (Russia) 1.80. Hammer: 1, E. O’Keeffe (Ireland) 67.44m; 2, A. Bunjes (Germany) 65.57; 3, K. O’Shea (Farranfore/Maine Valley) 45.80.
Emily Maher, running her first race in a year dead heated for third with Joanne Cuddihy in the 100m behind Geraldine Pillay from South Africa. Cuddihy was second in the 200m behind Allain Pompey from Guyana, saying afterwards that her coach had told her not to overdo things in the adverse weather conditions. Ricardo Williams gave an exhibition of sprinting in the 200m to win easily, with Carl McNamara fifth in 21.48, one place ahead of Brian Doyle in 21.77. The wind reading for this race was +0.5. Orla Drumm clocked a new PB in the 800m to finish third in 2:08.53, one place ahead of Maura Prenderville in 2:09.44. Prenderville is back running this year after a three year lay-off. Rory Chesser won the 5,000m in the worst of the weather (distance runners are much tougher!!). He led for most of the race and his winning time of 14:50.25 was some fifteen seconds better than he has run before. Joe Warne did an excellent job pacemaking the mile, with Laban Rotich and Max Smith cruising behind. Rotich pulled away on the last lap and just missed out on clocking the first sub four in Kerry with 4:01.49. He would have achieved that goal in better weather conditions and a more competitive field. Full marks to Brian Maguire on PA who got the crowd behind Rotich and gave every encouragement to the athletes throughout the meet. Men 100m:(+2.9) 1, D. Balynton (USA) 10.18; 2, R. Williams (Jamaica) 10.23; 3, J. Woods (USA) 10.27. 100m Development: 1, B. McGilton (Tralee Harriers) 11.16; 3, C. McCabe (An Riocht) 11.22. 200m:(+0.5) 1, R. Williams (Jamaica) 20.73; 2, C. Johnson (USA) 21.06; 3, J. Woods (USA) 21.10. 400m: 1, M. Potter (USA) 47.58; 2, G. Nixon (USA) 47.98; 3, B. Murphy (Ireland) 48.03. Denis Twomey Mile: 1, L. Rotich (Kenya) 4:01.49; 2, M. Smith (New Zealand) 4:04.79; 3, W. Atkins (Ireland) 4:13.09. Development 5,000m: 1, R. Chesser (Ennis Track) 14:20.26; 2, J. McCarthy (East Cork) 15:0051; 3, R. Zakis (West Waterford) 15:04.29. Long Jump: 1, B. Ramzy (USA) 7.74; 2, S. Fleming (Ireland) 7.43; 3, C. Kirk (England) 7.34. Discus: 1, A. Krawczk (Poland) 61.12m; 2, E. Cadee (The |Netherlands) 59.55; 3, E. Udechuki (England) 58.92. Women 100m:(+2.7) 1, G. Pillay (South Africa) 11.45; 2, J. Adams (USA) 11.53; 3 tie, E. Maher (Ireland) and J. Cuddihy (Ireland) 11.59. 200m:(+1.1) 1, A. Pompey (Guyana) 23.70; 2, J. Cuddihy 23.80; 3, G. Pillay 24.05. 800m: 1, C. Wurth-Thomas (USA) 2:06.15; 2, O. Tyruina (Russia) 2:07.08; 3, O. Drumm (Ireland) 2:08.53. High Jump: 1, M. Mataoanu (Romania) 1.85m; 2, A. Smit (South Africa) 1.80; 3, T. Grigoryeva (Russia) 1.80. Hammer: 1, E. O’Keeffe (Ireland) 67.44m; 2, A. Bunjes (Germany) 65.57; 3, K. O’Shea (Farranfore/Maine Valley) 45.80. 
