Top tussles in store in Tullamore
Top tussles in store in Tullamore
An exciting Irish Life Health U20 and U23 Championships takes place in Tullamore Harriers’ stadium on Saturday (July 6).
All the action of the championships will be streamed live on Athletics Ireland’s Facebook page HERE. Live results, entries and timetable are HERE.
U20 preview
Ireland’s underage rising stars will be on show with some looking to seal selection for the European U20 Athletics Championships in Boras, Finland.
The sprints continue to take centre stage with the 100m and 200m promising some exciting battles and fast times in the offing.
Training partners Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght) and Patience Jumbo Gula (St Gerard’s Dundalk) are down for the 100m.
There is a deep field in the men’s 100m headed by none other than Aaron Sexton (North Down). It should prove to be an exciting race. He is also listed in the 200m along with Reality Osouha (Fingallians) and Conor Morey (Leevale).
Davicia Patterson (Beechmount Harriers), Lauren Cadden (Sligo) and multi-event star Kate O’Connor (St Gerard’s Dundalk) are listed in the women’s 200m.
Simone Lalor (SLOT), Rachel McCann (North Down) and Sophie O’Sullivan (Ballymore Cobh) are among those in contention in the 400m.
The men’s 400m has the likes of Tony O’Connor (Naas), Jack Raftery (Donore Harriers) and Jack Mitchell (SLOT).
Sophie O’Sullivan is also listed in the 800m where she might face off with Sarah Healy (Blackrock) and Jo Keane (Ennis Track). Healy has the fastest 800m but it could prove to be an exciting tussle nonetheless.
Ava O’Connor (Tullamore Harriers) and Jodie McCann (DCH) look like they could have a duel in the 1500m.
Equally there should be a good duel in the men’s 800m between Louis O’Loughlin (Donore Harriers) and Mark Milner (Tullamore Harriers). American based Tristan Forsythe (Clonmel) heads the list in the 1500m.
There is a 3,000m instead of a 5,000m this year and Grace Carson (Mid Ulster) will be favoured. Danielle Donegan (Tullamore Harriers) will be one to watch in the 3,000m steeplechase.
The men’s 3,000m has good depth with Shay McEvoy (KCH), Shane Coffey (Naas), Keelan Kilrehill (Moy Valley) and Jamie Battle (Mullingar Harriers) to name but a few.
Jennifer Fidgeon (Mullingar Harriers) will be among those looking to do well in the junior women's 3,000m race walk with Matthew Glennon (Mullingar Harriers) aiming for gold in the men’s 5,000m walk.
Alison Burke (DCH) is one to watch in the 100m hurdles while Miriam Daly (Carrick on Suir), Ciara Deely (KCH) and Deirdre Murray (Na Fianna) could have a cracking battle in the 400m hurdles if they all choose to run.
Joseph McEvoy (Nenagh) is one of the leading entries in the 110m hurdles with Tony O’Connor (Naas) and Jack Mitchell (SLOT) entered in the 400m hurdles.
Aoibhinn McMahon (Blackrock Louth) will be aiming to do well in the javelin, shot put and discus. As will Ciara Sheehy (Emerald) who is listed for the shot, discus and the hammer – her strongest event.
James Kelly (Finn Valley) is a leading entrant in the shot put with Sean Mockler (Moycarkey Coolcroo) in the discus and the hammer. Joseph McEvoy will also look to show his adeptness in the javelin.
World U20 silver medallist Sommer Lecky (Finn Valley) is coming back into form in the high jump which also includes Ciara Kennelly (Killarney Valley) and Kate O’Connor. Nelvin Appiah (Longford) is sure to grab the crowd’s attention in the men’s high jump.
O’Connor is also listed in the long jump that has Ruby Millet (St Abban’s) and Adeyemi Talabi (Longford) among the contenders. Talabi is also down for the 100m. Laura Cunningham (Craughwell) and Gospel Idahor (Longford) will be aiming to do well in the triple jump.
Wymin Sivakumar (Leevale) will look to place well in both the men’s long jump and triple jump.
The pole vault has been improving and Orla Coffey (Carraig na Bhfear) has been in good form. Anna Ryan (Moycarkey Coolcroo) will be among the field looking for new heights. Matthew Rossiter (St Abban’s) is among those in the men’s pole vault.
The day will round out with the weight for distance and the 4x100m and 4x400m relays.
U23 preview
World U20 relay medallists Ciara Neville (Emerald), Gina Akpe Moses (Blackrock Louth) and Molly Scott (SLOT) are among those stepping up to the U23 category with a large number of athletes fine-tuning for the European U23 Athletics Championships in Gavle, Sweden next week. The team selection is HERE.
The 200m includes Sharlene Mawdsley (Newport) and Sophie Becker (St Joseph’s) while in the 400m Nadia Power (Templeogue), Jenna Bromell (Emerald) and Louise Shanahan (Leevale), all 800m specialists, are listed. Shanahan is also down for the 800m.
Carla Sweeney (Rathfarnham) looks the favourite in the 1500m with Claire Fagan (Mullingar Harriers), selected for the 10,000m in the Euro U23s, is also listed.
Fagan is also down for the 3,000m that includes Siobhra O’Flaherty (SLOT).
The women’s 100m hurdles looks enticing with Elizabeth Morland (Cushinstown), Sarah Quinn (St Colman’s South Mayo), Kate Doherty (DSD) and Molly Scott (SLOT) all entered. Niamh Malone (Monaghan Phoenix) will look for gold in the 400m hurdles.
Sinead O’Connor (Celbridge) is another who will be looking for gold in the women’s 3,000m race walk.
Throwing heroine Michaela Walsh (Swinford) could potentially win triple gold in the javelin, hammer and shot put. Noelle Lenihan (North Cork) will look to do well in the discus.
Ellen McCartney (City of Lisburn) recently set a national U23 record in the pole vault and will rightly start as favourite. Elizabeth Morland is the leading entrant in the women’s long jump with Lydia Mills (Ballymena & Antrim) looking to place well in that event and the triple jump.
Joseph Ojewumi (Tallaght) is one of the lead entrants in the men’s 100m with Mark Smyth (Raheny Shamrock) looking for a good run ahead of the 200m in the European U23s next week. Paul McDermott (Donore Harriers) will be among those looking to do well in the 200m which also includes Cillin Greene (Galway City Harriers) and Cathal Crosbie (Ennis Track).
Greene, who ran in the European Indoors, is also down for the 400m that has a good entry list including Craig Newell (Ballymena & Antrim), Jack Manning (KCH), Thomas Piktin (Clonliffe Harriers) and 800m specialist John Fitzsimons (Kildare).
The 800m should see Luke McCann (DCH) as favourite as he sharpens up for the 1500m next week along with Cathal Doyle (Clonliffe Harriers).
McCann is also listed in the 1500m that also has a good entry list including Youghal’s Fearghal Curtin. The men’s 3,000m includes Garry Campbell (Dunleer) who competes in the 10,000m next week.
Cathal Locke (Dooneen) should be the favourite in the 400m hurdles with David Kenny (Farranfore Maine Valley) the favourite in the 5,000m race walk.
Ryan Carthy Walshe (Adamstown) will be favoured in the high jump with Keith Marks (Clonliffe Harriers) aiming for gold in the long jump. Caolan O’Callaghan (Tir Chonaill) should head the triple jump.
Adam Kelly (Brow Rangers) will be among those looking to do well in the shot put with Eoin Sheridan (North Westmeath) favourite in the discus. Owen Russell (St Andrew’s) and Adam King (Iveragh) should have a good battle in the hammer.