Two days of top class competition at the Woodies underage indoor championships in Nenagh saw some very happy athletes heading home on Sunday afternoon. With a big portion of the events staged on Saturday, the second day proved a much more relaxed one, and the majority of people were delighted at being able to head home early on Sunday afternoon. Hot on the heels of her new Irish record at the junior championships Laura Cogan from Newbridge was back in action in the under 19 shot putt. And her improvement continued this time as she putted out to 13.66m. Last week she threw 13.11m before reaching her new record of 13.25m. This time her sequence opened with a ‘modest’ 11.80m, 13.33m. foul, foul, 13.66m and foul. It’s certainly going to be a good year ahead for Laura Cogan. However, there was one little bit of bad news for Laura, because her under 16 CBP was eclipsed by Claire Fitzgerald from Tralee Harriers, who threw a massive 13.91m to win the under 17 title, beating Laura’s 13.60m. 
Most people had left the arena before two highly entertaining high jump competitions had concluded. Amongst those who witnessed high jumping at it’s best was Sean Kelly, Executive chairman of The Institute of Sport, who was paying his second visit to Nenagh in the space of a week. The under 18 competition saw Barry Pender from St. Abbans and Kouroush Fouroghi from Star of the Sea clear 2.00m, setting up a big showdown at the new height of 2.04. Both knocked the bar with their first two attempts before the 6’3” Pender cleared on his final attempt. All eyes were now on Fouroghi who decided on silence in the arena rather than the clapping both athletes had called upon in earlier attempts. He made a brave attempt but just clipped the bar and down it went. 
Pender, whose previous best was 1.96m, and who had been knocked out by injury for much of last year, decided to settle for 2.04m, bettering the 2.00m set by Adrian O’Dwyer in 2000. Afterwards he said his target for the year was 2.05m, so he has to add just 1cm before he can relax again!! 
The under 18 and 19 girls high jump competitions were held at the same time and resulted in two more exciting competitions, with Grainne Moggan from Brothers Pearse and Pamela Hughes from Westport both winning their respective events, both clearing an impressive 1.75m. On the track Eoin Hannon from Tullamore was in sparkling form with three under 19 wins in the 60m, 60m hurdles and long jump. Niamh Whelan from Ferrybank had a fast double in the under 18 60m and 300m. Clubmate Mairead Murphy went one better with three under 19 wins in the 60m, 60m hurdles and long jump. Cathal Owens from Leevale and Finbar Horgan from Clonmel continued where they left off last week in the juniors when they met in the under 18 400m. And, after two laps of the track, Owens won by the narrowest of margins 51.64 to 51.77. The under 18 1,500m was a cracker with three runners crossing the line together in a blanket finish. Ian Ward won in 4:09.21, with Keith Meagher from Thurles Crokes second in 4:09.50 and Sam Kelly from Fingallians third in 4:09.80. Full marks to all three. 
There was another close finish to the girls under 16 1,500m when Ellie Hartnett from Greystones and District got up practically on the line to overtake long time leader Rachel Shaw from Galway City Harriers in another thrilling finish. 
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Most people had left the arena before two highly entertaining high jump competitions had concluded. Amongst those who witnessed high jumping at it’s best was Sean Kelly, Executive chairman of The Institute of Sport, who was paying his second visit to Nenagh in the space of a week. The under 18 competition saw Barry Pender from St. Abbans and Kouroush Fouroghi from Star of the Sea clear 2.00m, setting up a big showdown at the new height of 2.04. Both knocked the bar with their first two attempts before the 6’3” Pender cleared on his final attempt. All eyes were now on Fouroghi who decided on silence in the arena rather than the clapping both athletes had called upon in earlier attempts. He made a brave attempt but just clipped the bar and down it went. Pender, whose previous best was 1.96m, and who had been knocked out by injury for much of last year, decided to settle for 2.04m, bettering the 2.00m set by Adrian O’Dwyer in 2000. Afterwards he said his target for the year was 2.05m, so he has to add just 1cm before he can relax again!! The under 18 and 19 girls high jump competitions were held at the same time and resulted in two more exciting competitions, with Grainne Moggan from Brothers Pearse and Pamela Hughes from Westport both winning their respective events, both clearing an impressive 1.75m. On the track Eoin Hannon from Tullamore was in sparkling form with three under 19 wins in the 60m, 60m hurdles and long jump. Niamh Whelan from Ferrybank had a fast double in the under 18 60m and 300m. Clubmate Mairead Murphy went one better with three under 19 wins in the 60m, 60m hurdles and long jump. Cathal Owens from Leevale and Finbar Horgan from Clonmel continued where they left off last week in the juniors when they met in the under 18 400m. And, after two laps of the track, Owens won by the narrowest of margins 51.64 to 51.77. The under 18 1,500m was a cracker with three runners crossing the line together in a blanket finish. Ian Ward won in 4:09.21, with Keith Meagher from Thurles Crokes second in 4:09.50 and Sam Kelly from Fingallians third in 4:09.80. Full marks to all three. There was another close finish to the girls under 16 1,500m when Ellie Hartnett from Greystones and District got up practically on the line to overtake long time leader Rachel Shaw from Galway City Harriers in another thrilling finish. <img id="image1294" 
