European Masters Delivers BIGGEST Medal Haul yet!
The European Masters Athletics Championships took place in Braga Portugal on February 20th -27th with over 2000 athletes battling it out from 43 countries, 87 Irish athletes took to the competition from clubs across Ireland.
It was one of the most successful competitions seen by the Irish Masters Team, coming 7th in the medal table after collecting an astounding 59 Medals in total, 24 gold, 18 silver and 17 bronze. This is the largest medal collection by the Irish master’s team.
Among the medal winners was Anne Gilshinan from Slaney Olympic AC who collected 3 Gold medals across the 3000, 1500m and the 800m.
Gilshinan and Annette McQuaid from Leevale AC were the top medal scoring women of the competition with both securing three medals each, alongside their medal wins both had impressive performances.
Michael Kiely (Rising Sun AC) secured a full suite of medals from gold to bronze from his track performances, as John Dwyer (Templemore AC) dominated the field events to secure two gold and one silver medal.
The 4x200m Men’s relay team of Hugh McSweeney (Eagle AC), Mick Priest (Fr. Murphy AC), Michael Kiely (Rising Sun AC) and Matt Slattery (Clonliffe Harriers AC) secured a gold medal as well as setting a new Irish Masters record time of 2:08.76.
Team Ireland also took gold across the relays with the women securing four medals and one silver complemented by the men securing both a gold and a bronze medal.
Team Ireland Masters athletes organised a collection of €2,000 and clothing for the master’s Ukrainian Team. This collection was off the bat of the generosity of the athletes and presented during the competition. Team Ukraine’s athletes are currently still in Portugal safe from the war currently facing their country. We hope they can return home and reunite with their families and loved ones as quick as it is safe to do so.
Athletics Ireland in conjunction with Sanctuary Runners and the Red Cross have organised a “Run for Ukraine” this weekend, for the details on how to support please see here.
Full results: Here
Team Ireland success by Event:
60m Hurdles Women
Vet 40 (Silver) Avril Dillon 8.90
Vet 55 (Bronze) Geraldine Finnegan 10.55
60m Men’s
Vet 50 (Silver) John Corr 07.40
Vet 55 (Gold) David Hayde 07.61
60m Women’s
Vet 40 (Bronze) Avril Dillon 07.88
Vet 55 (Bronze) Moira Groome 08.82
200m Men’s
Vet 50 (Bronze) John Corr 24:25
Vet 55 (Bronze) David Hayde 24:77
200m Women’s
Vet 55 (Bronze) Carol Kearney 29.04
400m Men
Vet 70 (Silver) Matthew Slattery 67.31
Vet 75 (Silver) Hugh McSweeney 72.99
400m Women
VET 40 (Gold) Annette McQuaid 58.39
VET 55 (Silver) Carol Kearney 64.89
800m Men
Vet 65 (Bronze) Joe Gough 02:22.22
Vet 70 (Bronze) Michael Priest 02:37.58
Vet 75 (Silver) Michael Kiely 02:57.36
800m Women
Vet 35 (Gold) Mary Horgan 02:14.19
Vet 40 (Gold) Annette Quaid 02:17.51
Vet 55 (Gold) Anne Gilshinan 02:21.18
1500m Men’s
Vet 65 (Gold) Joe Gough 04:50.84
Vet 75 (Bronze) Michael Kiely 06:02.82
1500m Women’s
Vet 40 (Gold) Denise Toner 04:42.70
Vet 40 (Silver) Annette Quaid 04:39.24
Vet 45 (Silver) Catriona Devine 04:55.72
Vet 55 (Gold) Anne Gilshinan 04:46.94
3000m Men
Vet 35 (Gold) Eoin Everard 08:35.33
3000m Walk Men
Vet 75 (Gold) John McMullin 18:31.88
3000m Walk Women
Vet 50 (Bronze) Sinead McConnell 16.05.81
3000m Women
Vet 40 (Gold) Denise Toner 09:55.99
Vet 55 (Gold) Anne Gilshinan 11:26.37
Vet 60 (Silver) Irene Clements 11:49.99
Vet 75 (Silver) Evelyn McNeils 16:34.08
5KM Walk Men’s
Vet 75 (Gold) John McMullin 31.30
5KM Walk Women’s
Vet 50 (Bronze) Sinead McConnell 27.30
8KM Cross-Country Women
Vet 40 (Gold) Michelle Kenny 00:32.49
Vet 40 (Bronze) Aoife Parrella 00:33.59
6.4km Cross-Country Women
Vet 60 (Silver) Irene Clements 00:29:23
Vet 65 (Silver) Noreen Bonner 00:31:15
Vet 70 (Gold) Eileen Kenny 00:33:41
Vet 75 (Silver) Evelyn McNelis 00:41:06
Long Jump Women’s
Vet 35 (Gold) Ciara Kearns 05.39m
High Jump Men’s
Vet 70 (Bronze) Michael Priest 01.35m
Hammer Throw Men’s
Vet 35 (Gold) John Dwyer 51.78m
Discuss Throw Men’s
Vet 35 (Silver) John Dwyer 41.08m
Discuss Throw Women’s
Vet 60 (Bronze) Mary Barrett 23.63m
Pole Vault Women’s
Vet 55 (Silver) Geraldine Finegan 02.50m
Weight Throw Women
Vet 35 (Silver) Emma Conway 8.34m
Weight Throw Men
Vet 35 (Gold) John Dwyer 16.11m
Javelin Women’s
Vet 55 (Silver) Geraldine Finnegan 26.33m
Pentathlon Women’s
Vet 55 (Bronze) Geraldine Finnegan 4041 points
Team: 4x200m Relay Women’s
Vet 35 Women Silver 1:51.39 - Katherine Markey, Gemma Thompson, Ashling Matthews, Emily Waldron
Vet 40 Women Gold 1:45.43- Avril Dillon, Kathryn McDevitt, Annette Quaid, Sinead O'Regan
Vet 45 Women Gold 1:57.13 - Maggie O'Connor, Annette Durkan, Leanne Wellings, Mary Scanlon
Vet 50 Women Gold 1:58.26 - Moira Groome, Dara Carr, Carol Kearney, Linda Nally
Team: 4x200m Relay Men’s
Vet 45 Men Bronze 1:41.37 John Corr, Martin O'Donnell, David Hayde, Stephen Byrne
Vet 70 Men Gold 2:08.76 - Hugh McSweeney, Mick Priest, Michael Kiely, Matt Slattery
Team: Cross Country
Vet 40 Gold - Michelle Kenny, Aoife Parella, Donna Evans
Vet 65 Gold - Eileen Kenny, Noreen Bonner, Evelyn McNelis
Team: 5KM Road Walk
Vet 50 Bronze – Sinead McConnell, Maggie Helen O'Connor, Anne Gormley