Fintan Walsh's weekly article

Olympic Games

As forecast last week Race Walking was Ireland's top athletic
performer at the Olympic Games and Robert Heffernan in particular was
brilliant.. Ninth in the 20 Km early on in the games with a personal
best he then produced a fantastic result on Saturday last in the
gruelling 50 km event eventually finishing 4th of the 63 starters but
again with a personal best beating his old mark by almost 8 minutes
and in the process achieved the best ever performance ever by an Irish
Walker in the Olympics. Heffernan is a four times Olympian but in the
20 km mainly he had very few 50 k races before London, in the same
race Brendan Boyce from Ireland finished 29 th in a personal best
time. Also Saturday two Irish women competed in the 20 Km Walk in a
field of 61 and both were excellent. Olive Loughnane set a seasons
best in finishing 12 th and Laura Reynolds had a big personal best in
finishing 20 th. .   Other Irish athletes to perform reasonably well
at the Olympics included Derval O'Rourke in the 100 Metres Hurdles
reaching the semi final where despite not making the final she had a
seasons best time of 12.91 seconds but some way short of her best.
Fionnula Britton first of all ran in the 10000 Metres final where she
finished 15 th and then ran a personal best time of 15 minutes 12
seconds in finishing 10 th in the 5000 Metres semi final but it was
not enough to get her into the final, Paul Hession in the 200 Metres
heats was drawn in a very hot heat that included the silver medallist
in the 100 Metres Blake and Hession finished 5th in 20.69 seconds
failing to progress, in the 7 th heat the second and third athlete
both clocked 20.72 and made it through. Joanne Cuddihy made it to the
semi final of the 400 Metres but her times were well below her best.
Linda Byrne and Ava Hutchinson in the Marathon both ran times close to
their best but were well down the field while Caitriona Jennings
injured going into the race finished last of the 107 finishers after
hobbling around for most of the event and probably should never have
started  Athletes to disappoint were Tori Pena in Pole Vault, Ciaran
O'Lionard 1500 metres, Deirdre Ryan High Jump, Mark Kenneally in the
Marathon over a terrible winding course, Alastair Cragg 5000 metres in
which he was a finalist in 2004 and 2008  In the 4 x 400 Metres Relay
the Irish women's team which included Jessie Barr from Ferrybank AC
finished 6th in their heat and after a slow first leg were never in
the hunt as much faster times by all would have been required. Jessie
did run a good leg and enjoyed the wonderful experience, she will now
look ahead to more races this season and a the future for her looks
bright..

General Observations

On a personal note the performance of Mo Farah Great Britain in
winning the 5000 and 10000 Metres was the highlight of the Games as it
broke the stranglehold on these events by the Ethiopians and now gives
great hope to all countries for the future. Usain Bolt in the sprints
was again magnificent and others to catch the eye were from David
Rudisha  Kenya setting a new World record in the 800 Metres from the
front but the second athlete home 17 years old Nigel Amos from
Botswania the World Junior Champion was not far behind and was
magnificent as was 34 year old Felix Sanchez from the Dominican
Republic who won the 400 Metres hurdles. Jessica Ennis Great Britan
was supreme in the decathlon and an athlete for the big occasion,
Maria Savinova Russia was superb in the 800 metres as was Russian
walker 20 year old Elena Lashmanova in the 20 Km with a World record,
a magnificent Olympics very well organised by our neighbours and RTE
television and Radio were terrific.The top country in the individual
events was Russia with 8 wins, USA had  7, Great Britain 4. Once again
Europe was the top continent by far winning 21 of the 43 Gold
Individual medals on offer between men and women, they won 12 of the
men's 22  Gold and 9 of the women's 21. The next games are now four
years ahead but in the interim there will be European and World
Championships and for Irish athletes to succeed they will need plenty
of  the right type of competition leading up to all the major
Championships and that means a lot more than competing in National or
British Championships or low grade events on the Continent. Also where
there are qualifying standards there is very little point of sending
athletes who achieved these standards twelve months before the event
and who have never got near it again especially in the weeks before
the actual Championships.On the subject of Standards if very young
athletes go close to the (A) standard and have the (B) Standard
immediately prior to a Championships then they should be sent, three
or four this year were not sent to the Olympics.

Alan Everett Memorial Race

One hundred and fifty competed in the Annual Alan Everett Memorial
Road Race in Woodstown on Saturday last and in a thrilling finish
James Sullivan overtook the long time leader Frank Quinlan close home
to win in a time of 26 minutes 52 seconds, Quinlan was second in 27.03
and Brian O'Sullivan was third in 29.10. Corina Walsh West Waterford
was first lady home in 31.32,  Sylvia Malone was second in 32.50 and
Joan O'Mahony was third in 33.35 both Waterford AC. First man over 40
Darren Ryan, West Waterford o 45  Bill Egan, o 50 Daryl Hale
Waterford, o 55 Larry Leacy St Joseph's, o 60 Con Kelleher Waterford,
Junior Jack Kingston. First lady o 35 Katherine Grant Waterford,o 40
Theresa Cunningham Carrick on Suir o 45, Mary Wadding o.50, Una Ni
Mhuirrithe, o 55  Patricia O'Keeffe Waterford , Junior Kate Nolan
Waterford AC, the proceeds went to the Irish Coastguard.

National league finals and All Ireland Master's Championships.

Two Track and Field fixtures are on this week end in Tullamore. On
Saturday the All Ireland Masters Championships go ahead with a big
Waterford entry. Sunday is the date for the National League Finals and
Ferrybank AC ladies compete in the Premier section. Coming up on the
last week end in August are The Community Games National Athletics
Finals on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th.

Joe at European Masters

This Wednesday August 22 nd Joe Gough West Waterford AC is in Vittau
in Germany competing in the European Masters Championships in the
heats of the 800 Metres o 55, the final is on Friday August 24 th. A
massive entry of 3836 athletes will be competing in the Championships
from all over Europe and Joe faces 36 in his event. Last Saturday in
Cork Joe ran a best time for the season in an 800 Metres of two
minutes 12.42 seconds.

17th Annual An Tobar Bar Ardmore 5 Miles

The final race in the Ger Wyley Sports Summer series, the Ardmore
5miles on  Friday next  August 17 th is a big night as the overall
prizes are also presented for the series. This race is sponsored by An
Tobar Bar in Ardmore and it begins at 7.30 pm. There will be prizes
for men,ladies and individual as well as the 12 Star Sign categories.
Entries will be taken at the Ardmore G.A.A. Club Pavilion from 6.15
pm. On Saturday August 18th next there's a 7 km Race in Kill Co
Waterford at 5 pm.

5KM  Island Run

The Island Run, promoted by Balance Fitness, takes place on Sunday
next August 19th at 1pm at Waterford Castle. 5km race, family fun day,
music and BBQ. Entries at Ardkeen Quality Food Store, race sponsor, or
runireland.com. More details at www.balance. Charity this year
Waterford Branch Irish Red Cross

D.M.P Athletics Club Co Wexford

70th Anniversary Open Sports Wednesday 15th August 2012 Sinnottstown
Lane Drinagh Wexford. Reg 5.30pm Events Start 6pm Sharp Events for
under 8to 16 Senior Men and Women. Contact Dermot 0877412913/ Mick
0876211432