Action aplenty with Combined Events and AAI Games

AAI Games and Combined Events Preview

It’s set to be a busy weekend in Morton Stadium with the Irish Life Health Combined Events and AAI Games taking place along with the Tailteann Games.

The national combined events will be contested over Saturday and Sunday. The entries can be seen, along with the AAI Games, HERE

Laura Frey (Lagan Valley) has been in good form this season setting individual pbs and will be aiming to capture the senior women’s title with the likes of Karen Dunne (Bohermeen) battling for a podium position.  

Kate O’Connor (St Gerard’s) is on the entry list for the U20 women and will be the hot favourite if she competes. Others to look out for include Lara O’Byrne (Donore Harriers) and Anna McCauley (City of Lisburn).

Ava Rochford (Ennis Track) U15, Laura Frawley (St Mary’s (Limerick) AC) U16 and Niamh McCorry (Annalee) youth are among the younger athletes to keep an eye out for over the weekend.

Ani Rebegea (Metro/St Brigid’s) F45 will be among the masters in pursuit of age group pbs and medal placings.

Shane Aston (Trim) will be looking to retain his senior men’s combined events title but will face stiff competition from Michael Bowler (Enniscorthy). Both athletes have been raising the standards of the men’s decathlon in Ireland in recent years.

The U20 men’s sees an interesting trio of athletes in Troy McConville (North Down), Conor Cusack (Lake District) and David Slupko (Donore Harriers) who will be competing over the weekend. McConville is skilled over a number of events while Cusack is a javelin specialist and Slupko is an expert in the sprint hurdles.

Joe Frey (Lagan Valley) M60 will be hoping he can join his daughter Laura on top of the podium but will have tough competition in the form of Peadar McGing (DSD). Francois Kulik (Sli Cualann) M35 and Trevor McGlynn (Omagh Harriers) M40 will be among a good entry of men in the masters’ section competing for medals.

Finn O’Neill (City of Derry) U15, Conor Hoade (Galway City Harriers) U16 and Bandon pair Dylan Chambers and Diarmuid O’Connor in the youth section are among the younger ones.

Strong sprint entries for AAI Games

The sprinters look like taking the top billing in the AAI Games on Sunday.  Joseph Ojewumi (Tallaght) heads a good list of entries in the men’s 100m while Lauren Roy (City of Lisburn) is one of the leading entries in the women’s 100m.

Marcus Lawler (SLOT) is down for the 200m which also includes Eanna Madden (Carrick on Shannon) on the entries.

The women’s 200m has Elizabeth Morland (Cushinstown) who is also down for the high jump with Cliodhna Manning (Kilkenny City Harriers) down for the half lap and also for the 400m. Sophie Becker (St Joseph’s) and Deirdre Murray (Na Fianna) will also be looking for a strong showing in the 400m.

In the men’s 400m David McDonald (Menapians) and Shane Irwin (Finn Valley) head the list.

Adam McMullen (Crusaders) is on the entries for the men’s long jump and would be a welcome return after a long injury rehab process since rupturing his achilles tendon. There is also good competition with Keith Marks (Clonliffe Harriers) and Sam Healy (Leevale) listed.  

Elsewhere in the field events, Eoin Sheridan (North Westmeath) is in the discus and Matthew Callinan Keenan (SLOT) is in the pole vault.