Fintan Walsh's weekly blog

European Youth Olympic Relay Gold for Niamh Mc Nicol.

In Utrecht in Holland last week the 12th European Youth Olympic's
Festival  was held with many sports included including athletics, the
event is for those in the 14 to 18 years age group. Waterford had one
representative on the Irish Athletic team Niamh Mc Nicol from
Ferrybank AC running on the 4 x 100 metres relay team which scored a
spectacular win in Friday's final. On Thursday the team won their semi
final in a time of 46.22 seconds in front of Belgium and Ukraine and
easily went in to Fridays final with the best time of the two semi
finals. In that final they won comfortably in 46.58 from Ukraine timed
at 46.81 with Belgium third on 46.89, Niamh ran the second leg in both
the semi final and final and contributed handsomely to the great team
effort. Niamh a native of Tramore has spent most of her athletic
career with Tramore AC having joined them as a very young girl and was
transferred to Ferrybank earlier this year, recently she won the All
Ireland under 17 100 and 200  metres titles She now becomes the sixth
athlete from Waterford to win a medal at the European Youth Olympics
the others being David Mc Carthy silver 800 metres 2005, Niamh Whelan
bronze 100 metres 2007, Shane Quinn silver 3000 metres 2009, Ben Kiely
gold 400 metres hurdles 2011 his twin sister Megan bronze 400 metres
hurdles 2011

Ben Kiely's great efforts at European Junior Championships.

Last week at the European Junior Championships in Rieti in Italy Ben
Kiely a native of Dunhill and a member of Ferrybank AC put in three
brilliant runs in the 400 metres hurdles on three successive days in
the heat,semi final and final of the 400 metres hurdles.Going into the
Championships Ben had a best seasonal time of 53.35 seconds and this
would not have been sufficient to get him out of the heats. However in
his heat on Friday he ran a super race to finish second in a big
personal best time of 52.10 seconds and easily make Friday's semi
final. Again in the semi final he came up with another huge personal
best of 51.65 in third place and automatically qualified for Sundays
final. In this final he had the joint fourth fastest time from the
semi finals but was drawn in the dreaded lane 8 on the outside. Two
Russians who had run below 50 seconds this year were expected to
dominate the final and so they did Chalvy winning in a time of 49.23
seconds the second fastest time ever by a European junior and
Skorobogatko was second in 50.13 with Jacob Paul Great Britain third
in 50.71 a personal best -Ben had beaten Paul into second place in the
European Youth Olympic final in 2011- Ben's final time was 51.98.
Overall a very good championship for Ben and the future looks bright.

Two wins at Morton Games

On Wednesday evening last at the Morton Games International meeting in
Santry Stadium in Dublin two athletes from Ferrybank AC had excellent
victories. In the 400 metres hurdles Thomas Barr- back in action after
his exploits the previous week at the European Under 23
Championships- won the event in 50.04 seconds his third best time and
Kelly Proper ran her best and fastest race  for some time in winning
the 100 metres in 11.75 seconds not far away from her best ever of
11.60, in that race Niamh Whelan Ferrybank was 6th in 12.14..David Mc
Carthy West Waterford AC was 7 th in the famous Morton Mile in 3
minutes 57.85 seconds, Niall Tuohy Ferrybank AC was 9 th in the 800
metres in a personal best time of 1.49.01 and Barry Upton from
Waterford who runs with Menapian's Wexford was 6 th in the 400 metres
hurdles behind Thomas Barr in 53.35 .

Four All Ireland Juvenile winners.

Ferrybank AC had four winners at the All Ireland Juvenile Track and
Field Championships in Tullamore on Sunday last.These were Neasa
Murphy high jump with a personal best of 1.70 metres, Orlaith O'Brien
in the under 15 javelin with 36.25 metres, Paul Murphy in the 200
metres u 18 in 22.45 seconds and Niamh Mc Nicol back from Holland
after her win with the Irish relay team at the European Youth Olympics
on Friday won the 200 metres u 17 in 25.52 seconds. On Saturday the
All Ireland Juvenile Relays were also in Tullamore and Tramore AC boys
under 14 did best of the Waterford clubs as they finished third the
team being Ian and  Mark Hartery, Shane Monagle and Jamie Stone and
Waterford AC boys under 12 team finished 4 th missing out very
narrowly for the bronze medals.  At the Schools International in
Santry on Saturday last none of the athletes from Waterford schools on
the Irish team got a podium placing, Neasa Murphy Stella Maris in the
high jump and Seamie Fennell St Augustine's in the pole vault were
both fourth.

All Ireland Senior this week end.

   All of Ireland's top athletes will be in action this week end on
Saturday and Sunday at the Woodies DIY All Ireland Senior track and
field championships in Morton Stadium in Santry, Dublin. Four
Ferrybank AC athletes will be defending their titles and these are
Thomas Barr 400 metres hurdles his sister Jessie in the same event
both going for three titles in a row, Cara Kennedy hammer again going
for her third title in a row and Kelly Proper in the long jump seeking
her seventh All Ireland title in that event.Several others will also
be hoping to figure in the honours list and these include Niamh Whelan
sprints, Niamh McNichol do, Sorcha, Murphy, Neasa Murphy and  Shane O'
Dwyer, high jumps  Ben Kiely and Megan Kiely 400 metres hurdles, Sean
Archer triple jump, Andrew Connick 5000 metres, Niall Tuohy 800
metres, Brian Dowling 1500 metres, ladies 4 x 100m relay, men's and
women's  4x 400 metres relay  For West Waterford David Mc Carthy is
entered inn the 1500 and 5000 metres, Kate Hickey discus, Thomas and
Lisa Houlihan pole vaults and Ciara Scanlon Hammer

 National League

After two rounds of the National League Ferrybank women's team in the
premier division are through to the final which is in Tullamore on
Sunday August 18 th, they finished in 4 th spot. On  Saturday August
17th the All Ireland Masters Championships are in Tullamore also and
entries online on Athletics Ireland Website as well as full timetable.

18th Annual Doocey’s Bar Ballymacarbry 5 Miles

The Annual Ballymacarbry 5 miles road race event is on this Friiday
July 26 th at 7.30 pm. It held over a very exciting road and wood mix
course in a scenic part of the County Waterford. The prize categories
include men's, ladies and juniors. Its the second last race in the Ger
Wyley Sports Skins Series  Race entries will be taken at the
Ballymacarbry Community Hall  from 6.15 pm and the entry fee is €5 and
the presentation of prizes will take place at Doocey’s Bar. The venue
is on the main Dungarvan to Clonmel road approx eight miles from
Clonmel

More Road Race Fixtures in Waterford..

 Friday August 9 th Ardmore 5 miles  7.30 pm ( Ger Wyley Sports Series
Final Race )  Sunday August 11 th The Island Run, promoted by Balance
fitness at 1pm at Waterford Castle. 5 km race, family fun day, music
and BBQ. Enter online at runireland.com or at Balancefitness. Friday
August 16 th Second Annual Lis Hayes Memorial  5 miles in Ballyduff
Lower 7 pm, walk at 6.30 pm Friday August 23 rd Annual Alan Everett 5
miles in Woodstown at 7.00 pm again preceded by a walk at 6.30 pm..

Late Joe Grinsell.

All in the road running scene around the South East were shocked and
saddened to hear of the tragic death on Saturday last due  to drowning
while out swimming of Joe Grinsell Clonmel AC. Deceased competed in
races all over Munster including here in Waterford in the masters
class and was most popular, only last Friday evening he ran in the
Clerihan race. Sympathy is extended to his family from all his fellow
athletes all over the South East and indeed from all who promote
races..