Fintan Walsh's weekly blog

Four Waterford athletes impress at Major Championships


Last week at the European under 23 Championships in Finland and the
World University Games in Russia.four athletes from Ferrybank AC
competed, two at each fixture and all performed very well. In Tampere
in Finland Shane Quinn and Thomas Barr competed at the European under
23 Championships. Running in the 10000 metres final on Thursday
evening Shane Quinn ran a superb race all through and was always in
the leading pack. At the bell four athletes were in contention
including Shane, the European junior champion of 2011 in both the 5000
and 10000 metres Gabriel Navarro  from Spain then hit the front and
went on to record the victory in 29 minutes 43.22 seconds, Nicole
Soare Roumania was second in 29.43.76 and  Abdi Ulad Denmark was third
in 29.44.78. .Shane who could not respond to the finishing kick of the
others ran on gamely to take fourth place in 29.29.43. This
performance was very positive for Shane despite him losing out on a
medal by just one place and he can look forward in confidence to his
future career.Thomas Barr finished first in his heat of the 400 metres
hurdles on Thursday in 50.11 to easily make Fridays semi final and in
this semi final he had a personal best time of 49.78 seconds in
finishing third and making it to Saturday's final. His time was a new
Irish under 23 record and the fastest time ever run by an Irish born
athlete-the Irish senior record of 49.73 is held by Tom Mc Gurk an
Irish American. Barr was drawn in lane eight for Saturdays final and
despite a battling performance he didn’t quite have it in his legs
after three tough races in three days and finished eighth in 50.41. It
was quite an achievement for Thomas to  make the final when you
consider he has had to deal with injury problems over the last couple
of months. Barr broke new territory at these championships by dipping
under the 50 second barrier for the first time with his 49.78 run in
the semi-final. The future looks bright for Barr as he will surely go
from strength to strength following these championships.

World University Games

At World University Games in Kazan in Russia Jessie Barr and Niamh
Whelan both ran.and again  both impressed in top class competition.
Jessie Barr ran her heat of the 400 metres hurdles from lane 8 on
Monday week in torrential rain as well as thunder and lightning and
she ran a super race to finish a close up second to the reigning
champion from Ukraine who clocked 57.45 while Jessie's time was 57.91.
In the final on Tuesday she was again drawn in lane 8 and was up
against four athletes who had made the semi final in the Olympics in
London. She was fighting an uphill battle from the start and finished
6 th in 57.65  but a final place in such a prestigious competition was
a very good result. On Tuesday in the heats of the 200 metres Niamh
Whelan finished third on 24.15 seconds and so was automatically
through to Wednesdays semi final. In that semi final she ran a
brilliant race from lane seven and finished strongly to take the
fourth place inn 23.68.She lost out on a final place very narrowly as
a time of 23.63 would have seen her through, it was that close.

National League

Ferrybank AC ladies were third in their pool in the Premier Leaguein
Cork on Sunday last and are through to the final in August but their
men's team did not progress.

Course record in Rathgormack

In sweltering conditions on Friday evening  last 100 competed in the
Annual Autopower 5 miles road race in Rathgormack and in keeping with
the conditions Sergei Ciobanu from Clonliffe Hrs burned up the roads
coming home in a record  winning time of 24 minutes 57 seconds, Ravis
Zakis West Waterford was second in 26.07 and Brian Murphy Carrick on
Suir third in 26.43. Angela Mc Cann Clonmel won the ladies section in
31.71, Martina O'Dwyer Carrick on Suir was second in  31.35 and Sally
Forristal St Joseph's third in 34 59.  It was race 4 of the Outfield
Sports Three County Challenge and organised very well  by Carrick on
Suir Road Runners

 Ben Kiely at European Junior Championships.

For  the European Junior Championships in Rieti in Italy from this
Friday July 18 to Sunday July 21 st Ben Kiely Ferrybank is chosen  to
compete for Ireland in the 400 metres hurdles. The first round is
scheduled for Friday morning, semi final is on Saturday and final on
Sunday. Ben won the European Youth Olympic title in the 400 metres
hurdles in 2011. Also on this week are the European Youth Olympics in
Utrecht in Holland and Niamh McNichol Ferrybank is on the Irish Relay
team that competes on Thursday afternoon.

All Ireland Juvenile in Tullamore

Another two sections of the All Ireland Juvenile Track and Field
Championships go ahead in Tullamore on Saturday and Sunday next and
many athletes from Waterford clubs will be competing over the two
days. On Saturday its an all relay meeting inter club and county and
the programme begins both days at 10 am full timetable on Athletic
Ireland wesbsite. On Saturday next July 20 th the AVIVA SIAB Schools
International is in Morton Stadium at 11.30 am On the Irish team are
Seamie Fennell, Juris Kanass, Megan O'Connor and Megan Dunford all
from St Augustine's College in pole vaults, Neasa Murphy Stella Maris
Tramore is in the high jump and Orlaith O'Brien Ursuline in the
javelin.On Saturday and Sunday week July 27 th and 28 th the All
Ireland Senior Championships are in Morton Stadium

Morton Games

The 2013 Morton Games  takes place in the Morton Stadium, Santry,
Dublin on this Wednesday July 17.A whole evening of international
track and field athletics, the 2013 Morton Games highlights include
the classic Morton Mile and a Ladies Mile in a total of 26
events.Waterford athletes will compete at this fixtures.

 More Road Race Fixtures in Waterford..

 Friday August 9 th Ardmore 5 miles  7.30 pm ( Ger Wyley Sports Series
Final Race ) The Island Run, promoted by Balance fitness, takes place
on Sunday, August 11th at 1pm at Waterford Castle. 5km race, family
fun day,music and BBQ. Enter online at runireland.com or at Balance
fitness.  Friday August 16 th Second Annual Lis Hayes Memorial  5
miles in Ballyduff Lower 7 pm, Friday August 23 rd Annual Alan Everett
5 miles in Woodstown at 7.00 pm.