The Aviva Tailteann Games takes place this Saturday, 21st of June in Morton Stadium, Santry. The very best U17 schools’ athletes from each of the four provinces will battle it out with many of the winners from the recent Aviva All Ireland Schools Track and Field Championships gunning for another top performance this Saturday.
Return of the European Youth Olympic Team
An added spice to this year’s event sees the return of many of the team that were representing Ireland at the European Youth Olympic Trials (EYOT) in Baku which took place on the same weekend as the All-Ireland Schools (31st May)
On Track
- 2014 100m and 200m Schools Intermediate Champion Gina Akpe Moses (St Vincent’s Dundalk) clashes with EYOT representative Phoebe Murphy (Loreto Clonmel) in the girl’s sprint events.
- Sean Lawlor (Kylemore College) also did the sprint double at the All-Irelands and will target similar success at the Tailteann Games.
- Outstanding youth athletes Elizabeth Morland (Dunshaughlin C.C) and Molly Scott (Scoil Conglais) go head to head in the 80m hurdles
- Brian Masterson (Blackrock College) is one to watch in the boy’s 400m
- Kevin Mulcaire (St Flannan’s Ennis) dominated the 3,000m at the All Ireland schools starts as the firm favourite in that event on Saturday
- Mustafa Nasir (HF C.S Rathcoole), Carla Sweeney and Nadia Power both of St MacDara’s should all go well in their respective 800m and 1,500m events
In The Field
- EYOT representative Michaela Walsh (SM&P Swinford) who excelled in Baku is the likely favourite in the girl’s Shot Putt and Hammer events.
- Eoin Sheridan (St Finian’s Mullingar) placed sixth at the EYOT’s in the Discus and will start as the clear favourite for this event in Santry
- Morland will be hoping for the double as along with the 80m hurdles she will contest the long jump event.
- Keith Marks (Ashbourne C.S) has been consistently over 2m this year in the high jump, he is likely to replicate this form at the Tailteann Games
The Tailteann Games programme begins in the field with the hammer events at 11.30am on the track with the 3,000m Walk at 12pm
Full timetable available: Here
Schools International
The event also acts as a trial for the upcoming Schools Track and Field International taking place in Cardiff, Wales on the 19th of July. The results from the Tailteann Games along with previous known performances will form the criteria for selection for the International.
