Sunny Santry delivers top class performances
A sun-laden Morton Stadium saw plenty of star bright performances on Day 1 of the Irish Life Health Leinster Schools Track and Field Championships today (May 16).
The meet got underway early doors from 8:30am for warm-up for the throws and some of the early medallists included Amy Callaghan (Greenhills) Drogheda) in the junior girls’ shot put with 10.76m, Niamh Quinn (Sacred Heart, Drogheda) with 29.31m in the junior discus and Kerri Noonan (Fingal CC) with 42.70m in the intermediate girls’ hammer.
Belvedere College scored well in the field once more while the junior 1200m walks got the track programme underway with Leah Murphy (St Wolstan’s) winning in 6:33.79 and St Finian’s of Mullingar’s Andrew Glennon winning in 6:37.84 to book their places for the Irish Life Health All Ireland Schools in Tullamore on June 2nd with a top three placing.
The sprint events sees tougher qualification for a coveted trip to the Tullamore Harriers stadium in June with only two to advance.
There was a good race in the senior boys 110m hurdles with Valentinos Goularas (Marino College) edging Alex Clerkin (Castleknock CC) by one hundredth of a second in 14.25 to 14.26. David Slupko (Castleknock College) was third in 15.23.
Ruby Millet (Kilkenny College) won a good battle in the senior girls 100m hurdles in 14.38 from Alison Burke (St Dominic's College) in second in 14.59.
The steeplechase saw some good front-running performances with Roisin Tracey (St Gerard’s) winning the intermediate girls’ 1500m Steeplechase in 5:10.30 just outside the record (5:09.50).
Aoibhinn McGoldrick (HF Clontarf) was rewarded with for her front of house tactics in the senior girls with a new record of 5:14.09 – bettering the old record of 5:18.25 by four seconds.
John Fanning (Belvedere College) followed the path of the girls by leading from the off and he won the intermediate boys 1500m steeplechase in 4:43.56. James Hyland (St Fintan's Sutton) was second in 4:48.76 with Alex Murray (St Aidan’s) third in 4:54.39.
There was a close finish in the senior boys 2,000m steeplechase with Aaron Donnelly (St Gerard’s) winning in 6:17.73 from Eoghan Keaney (Terenure College) in 6:19.30.
Shane Gevero (CBC Monkstown) recovered from a slow start in the junior boys 100m to win on the line in 11.41 from Nkemjika Onwumereb (St Declan’s Cabra) in 11.42.
Jack McGlone (Willow Park) had a busy day winning the minor boys 100m in 12.21 and then finishing second in the 800m in 2:16.69, behind Kyle Witter (Ratoath) in 2:15.24, and finally anchoring his school to gold in the 4x100m relay in 50.13.
Sally Sumola (Loreto Swords) won the minor girls’ 100m in 12.60 and finished second in the long jump in 4.98m behind winner Hannah Moriarty (King’s Hospital) who had a best of 5.04m.
Helen Ikpotokin (Colaiste Iosagain Portarlington) won the junior girls’ 200m from Grainne Lalor (Mountmellick) who had earlier won the 100m in 12.80.
Sophie Quinn (Mount Sackville) led out the minor girls’ 800m but had to settle for third in 2:24.48 behind winner Kayla Ryan (St Peter’s Dunboyne) in 2:22.55 and second placed Louise O’Riordan (St Gerard’s) in 2:23.77. Abdel Laadjel (Kishoge) won the junior boys’ 800m in 2:05.02.
Ava O'Connor (Scoil Chroist Ri) dominated the junior girls’ 1500m in 4:44.33 and Scott Fagan (Luttrellstown CC) came out on top in the junior boys’ 1500m in 4:26.83.
Holly Brennan (Sacred Heart, Drogheda) had a come-from-behind victory in the U16 girls’ mile in 5:25.97 with Sean Donohue (St Declan's CBS) a classy winner in the U16 boys’ mile in 4:37.65.
The minor boys’ shot put saw a record for St Fintan’s High School schoolboy Jonas Norvaisas with a best of 14.45m.
Jack Walshe (Castleknock College) won the junior boys’ high jump with 1.70m while in the junior boys’ pole vault Adam Nolan (Scoil Chonglais) cleared 2.80m for gold.
Dami Adesina (St Leo’s Carlow) won the junior girls’ high jump with 1.56m while Eimear Halpin (Loreto Wexford) won the minor girls discus with 25.22m.