Fintan Walsh's weekly blog

Scottish Indoor titles won by two



A group of athletes from Ferrybank AC travelled to Glasgow on Saturday
last to compete in the Scottish Indoor Championships in the under 18
and under 20 grades and they had a very successful day coming home
with two gold two silver and a bronze medal.  The Murphy sister's
Sorcha and Neasa made it a one two in the High Jump under 18 with the
same height 1.65 metres with Sorcha getting the verdict on fewer
faults. Paul Murphy no relation to the girl's had a fine win in the
400 metres u 18 in a championship best time of 49.85 seconds. Ben
Kiely in the under 20 age group finished second in the 400 metres in
50.20 and Sean Whittle was third in the High Jump u 18 . Another
athlete from this area running as an an individual Niamh Mc Nicol
formerly with Tramore was second in the 60 metres and third in the 200
metres u 18.

European Indoors

Ireland sent a team of eleven athletes to Gothenburg last week end for
the European Indoor Championships and they came home with two bronze
medals and a fourth placing and also a number of other young athletes
had excellent performances  reaching finals while the big medal hope
Brian Gregan in the 400 metres who won his heat fell in his semi final
and his fall came about by crossing in too soon after one lap of his
race and being clipped by the athlete behind him. The two bronze medal
winners came in the men's and women's 3000 metres races. Ciaran O'
Lionard who had a nightmare in the Olympics last year and who very
nearly gave up the sport had a fantastic championships winning his
3000 metres heat very impressively and while he was never going to
beat Ibrahimov from Azerbaijan in the final he ran a most intelligent
race that almost got him the silver medal being  passed close to the
finish line by the very experienced Spaniard Juan Carlos Higuero
European Indoor 1500 metres of the past but a bronze medal was a great
performance by the Cork athlete. Fionnula Britton twice European cross
country champion showed what a talented athlete she is by making the
3000 metres final in her first major indoor championships. Again she
ran a fine race in the final and despite looking out of it with one
lap to go she called on all her experience to put in a storming last
lap that saw her most unlucky not to take the silver medal losing our
by four hundreds of a second but the bronze medal placing was
brilliant. Derval O'Rourke made it through to the 60 metres hurdles
final proving once again that she is a great championship athlete but
unfortunately for her she lost out on a bronze medal by just one
hundred of a second. Two young 800 metres athletes Ciara Everard and
Rose Ann Galligan also excelled in their first taste of competition at
this level, both winning their heats to make it into the semi finals
and Everard from Kilkenny made it to the final where she finished 6 th
just outside her best time but was not by any means outclassed after
three tough races in three days.In the 60 metres Amy Foster made it to
the semi finals again a great display and equalled her personal best
on the way. Overall a very successful championships for Ireland
finishing 13 th in the medal table out of 27 countries.


All Ireland Fixtures

The All Ireland Schools Cross Country Championships and the Irish
University Championships are in the University of Ulster's grounds in
Jordanstown on Saturday next and a number of athletes from schools in
Waterford will be competing there in different grades in the Schools
events and also WIT will be represented in the Inter Varsity
section,the first event is at 12 noon.  In Nenagh on Saturday the
Munster Juvenile relays and Combined Event's will be held with the
Combined Event's under way at 10 am and Relays at 11.15 am.

Munster Road Race Fixture

The Munster Novice and Senior road race championships are in County
Cork on Sunday next and some athletes from Waterford clubs will
participate. The venue is adjacent to  Newtownshandrum GAA Grounds and
first race at 1 pm.

Mt Sion GAA 5 Miles on Sunday

Here in the city on Sunday next at 11 am there will be a 5 miles road
race in aid of Mt Sion GAA Juvenile club and entries will be taken at
Mt Sion GAA Centre from 9.30 am. The race starts and finishes in Mt
Sion GAA Club Grounds where entry is from the Ozanam Street side.

British Masters

A number of athletes from Waterford will be in London this week end
for the British Masters Indoors.Joe Gough West Waterford is in the 800
metres o 60,Tom O'Brien is in the high and long jump over 45 , Brendan
Leahy  goes in the 60 metres o 35 and Diane Behan is in the 3000
metres o 40, all three from Waterford AC.Two Carrick on Suir athletes
also travel Martina O'Dwyer and Pat Roche both in 3000 metres o 35.
The USA Collegiate Championships finals are in Arkansas this week end.

Road Races coming up.

Sunday 24 th March 1pm in Moyglass, Co. Tipperary Munster Masters Road
Championships Sunday March 31 st 5 Miles in Waterford City 11 am in
aid of Cancer Society, registration at Kingfisher Club Tramore Road.
The 3rd annual Wit AC/Waterford AC 5K run/jog at WIT Sports Campus on
Friday April 5th at 7pm.

Transfers

The first transfer window for athletes wishing to change club will
open on 1 st April 2013.The Transfer Form is available for download in
the “Registrations” section of the Athletic Ireland website. All rules
relating to the Transfer Procedure are listed on the form.Completed
forms must be forwarded to the relevant County Board 7 days prior to
the beginning of the transfer month. In this case forms must be with
the relevant County Board Secretary prior to 25 th March 2013
.Completed forms are forwarded to Athletics Ireland by the County
Board when they have been reviewed/approved by the April meeting.The
transfer date applicable in this case is 1st May 2013.Transferring
athletes are not eligible to compete for their new club until 1st May
2013. There will be no backdating of transfers and here in Waterford
the County Secretary will not sign forms unless they are properly
executed.