Fintan Walsh's weekly update

World Junior Championships

Two young 18 year old athletes from Waterford competed in the World
Junior Championships in Barcelona last week and both had good
performances, athletes from 178 countries competed a record for the
event. Ben Kiely from the Dunhill area who runs with Ferrybank AC was
in the 400 Metres Hurdles and in the first round he was competing
against seven athletes with faster personal best times than he had but
running from lane 8 he gave a very brave and plucky performance to
finish fourth in a personal best time of 52.39 seconds. Three in each
of seven heats automatically went through to the semi final plus three
fastest losers overall and Ben got the final place. His semi final was
on the following day and again he faced seven athletes with much
faster times. Again he gave it his all but eventually finished seventh
in 53.06 seconds and was eliminated. Ben can look forward to the next
European Juniors next year in Italy. By Kate Veale's very high
standards she was disappointed with her 18 th placing in the 10000
Metres Walk Final where she was ranked 6th going into the event where
38 competed.  She recorded a time of 48 minutes 50 seconds over two
minutes outside her best, but Kate from Ballinroad who competes with
West Waterford need not be too disappointed as she has had many more
good days than bad ones and like Ben she is eligible again for next
years Europeans and in every sport losses come as well as the wins.
Eight weeks or so prior to these championships Kate competed in a
similar race in Saransk in Russia where she finished  6th against many
of those last week so there may be an answer as to how she fared best
known to herself. The World Final was practically a carbon copy of
that race with five in the first seven home finishing in the first six
in Saransk and Kate is still ranked very high.

Four All Ireland Juvenile titles won.

Last week end was a big one for our juvenile athletes with the first
two day's of the All Ireland u 12 to 19 championships in Tullamore on
Saturday and Sunday. Over the two days Waterford athletes had four
wins and also came home with several silver and bronze medals. For
Ferrybank AC the following were first in their events; Orlaith O'Brien
u 14 Javelin, Tom Gallagher u 12 High Jump and Neasa Murphy u 16 High
Jump,  silver medals went to Tom Gallagher u 12 Long Jump  and Aisling
Quinn u 16 800 Metres and bronze medal winners were Orlaith O'Brien u
14 Discus and Paul Murphy u 17 400 Metres. West Waterford had a win
with Shamie Fennell in Pole Vault u 16, silver medals went to Ciara
Scanlon u 19 Hammer, Kate Hickey u 18 Discus, Sarah Keoghan u 17 Pole
Vault and a bronze to Jamie Mc Kelvie u 15 Discus and for An
Ghaeltacht Ciaran O'Maoileoin was third in the u 14 Hammer. Waterford
AC athlete Kathleen Heery had two good efforts in the u 14 Hammer and
Discus finishing 5 th and 6th respectively

Fast Time for Joe

Fifty nine year old Joe Gough West Waterford AC won a graded 800
Metres race on Cork IT Track on Sunday last in 2 minutes 12.55 seconds
a remarkable time for a man of his age.


Busy Week End

Another hectic week end lies ahead with fixtures at home and abroad.
On Saturday the Schools International is in Kent in England and Sunday
has two fixtures. The second round of the National Senior League is at
two venues Athlone and Santry and both Ferrybank and West Waterford
have teams competing. Coming up on Saturday and Sunday July 28 th and
Jul 29 th AAI Juvenile U12-U19 T&F Championships Second
Section,Tullamore

Cork City Sports

Athletes from the Olympic Teams of USA, Jamaica, Canada, Australia,
New Zealand, Japan and many more will compete at the 61st Cork City
Sports.If you have the slightest interest in athletics or if you
cannot get to London for the Olympics then CIT is the place to be this
Tuesday evening. July 17th Entrance is just €10 per adult (€15 for the
stand) and juveniles are free.Juvenile Gala starts at 5:30pm and the
senior programme starts at 6:30pm

 Friday's Sports

Fanahan McSweeney Carnival Sports this Friday July 20 @ 7 pm Araglin
GAA Pitch. East  Cork Events for boys and girls u 6 to 18 Contact:
Finbarr McCarthy 086.0712403 / Seamus Fox 087.3589734

Kilbarry Nature Park Race on Friday

The new Kilbarry Park sees its first ever Fun Run/Walk and it's in aid
of ZAMDA Charity  this week on Friday July 20th at 7:00pm for walkers
and 8:00pm for the runners - 5Km, €10 entry fee. with just runners to
be worn. Cash prizes and category prizes too. Come along, have some
fun, and support ZAMDA while you're at it. On Friday July 27th Annual
Ballymacarbry 5 Miles Road Race 7.30 pm.

 Jessie an Olympian

 A number of people have enquired where a panel of  6 are chosen for
the 4 x 400 metres relay or indeed any 4x relay for the Olympics but
only four compete are all considered Olympians and the answer is
yes.To clarify this yours truly contacted the Olympic Council of
Ireland who enter the teams and who are affiliated to the
International Olympic Committee but they could not give me an answer
which is hard to credit and referred me to Athletics Ireland who
promptly supplied the information. So Jessie keeps up the great record
of Waterford athletics who have had at least one athlete selected at
all Olympics since 1980. Incidentally Jessie becomes the first athlete
from Ferrybank AC to be an Olympian. The Relay selection  by Athletics
Ireland left a lot to be desired and was done far too soon with lots
of problems..

   Memorial Race

 Eiblis Ni hAodha, ( Liz Hayes ) Memorial  5mile Fun run/walk on Bank
Holiday Monday, 6th August, near Ballyduff Lower Church,
Kilmeaden.Walk starts at 6:30pm, run at7:00pm .Registration from
5:30pm & entry €10, students €5.Prizes first three men/women. Plenty
of spot prizes. Coming up on Saturday August11 th is Alan Everett
Memorial 5 Miles Road Race in Woodstown Co Waterford at 7 pm