Schools stars ready to shine in Tullamore
There is excitement aplenty this week ahead of the 123.ie All-Ireland Schools Track and Field Championships which take place in Tullamore across Friday (May 31st) and Saturday (June 1st).
Over one thousand athletes from 300 schools are expected to descend upon the midlands venue for an action-packed two days of athletics.
Friday’s opening evening session will be live streamed on the Athletics Ireland YouTube channel from 6pm, while Saturday’s action will also be streamed. Both days will be available to watch here.
Track action
Action on the track gets underway at 6pm on Friday evening with the walks leading out a bumper evening session.
Savanagh O’Callaghan (High Cross College Tuam), who recently picked up a famous win at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, is leading favourite to take the Intermediate Girls 2000m walk title. O’Callaghan took the title impressively last year, following in her father Pierce’s footsteps who claimed the Intermediate title in 1992.
Seamus Clarke (St Muredachs College) has been in flying form recent months and looks the one to beat in the Senior Boys race on the back of his superb 44:45 PB in the U20 10km at the World Race Walking Team Championships in Turkey last month.
Others to look out for include Matthew Newell (Colaiste Bhaile Chlair) in the Intermediate race after his impressive gold medal performance last year, while Aisling Lane (Mercy College Ballymahon) returns to competition as she looks to dominate the senior race once more.
Friday’s track action will conclude with an ultra-competitive schedule of steeplechase events. Billy Coogan (CBS Kilkenny) should go well in the senior race, with Caoimhe Flannery (Skibbereen CS) and Eleanor Foot (Loreto Dalkey) sure to be among the medal contenders in their respective senior final.
The Senior Boys 5,000m will round day one at 8.15pm, with Darragh Mulrooney (J+M Enniscrone) coming into the weekend as one of the likely podium contenders.
Saturday morning’s track action begins with the Intermediate and Senior Girls 3000m titles on the line. Emily Bolton (Mount Sackville) will look to double up in the Intermediate Girls 3000m and 1500m, while Clodagh Gill (St Marys Ballina) and Anna Gardiner (Assumption GS) will headline a stacked Senior Girls 3,000m.
The long hurdles are set for a 10.30am start, before Ireland’s fastest schools athletes take to the blocks for the 100m showdowns from 10.55am.
Fatima Amusa (Bishopstown CS) continues to impress year on year and will once again look to complete a national sprint double in the Senior 100 and 200m races.
Sean Aigboboh’s (High School, Rathgar) will be one of the most exciting young stars on show following his superb 3rd place at the national senior indoor championships behind Israel Olatunde in the senior 100m. He will however be pushed all the way to the line by the consistent pair of Jesse Osas (Dunshaughlin CC) and Lemar Lucciano Gabriel (CMMG).
Moving up to the 200s, Ratoath’s Katie Doherty (Ratoath College) will be tough to beat in her specialist event in the Intermediate race, while the Senior Boy’s race promises to be a cracker with Toby Thompson (Campbell Col) and Shane Mulligan (Bailieborough) taking to the line once more.
The 800m races will split the 100m and 200m sprint finals and could provide some of the highlights of the day with the now familiar names of Saoirse Fitzgerald (Luttrellstown CC), Pia Langton (Loreto Kilkenny), and Caolan McFadden (Loreto Milford) all set to go in their respective finals.
The short hurdle finals are set for 1.15pm with the senior girls 100m hurdles seeing the return of Okwu Backari (Ashton Cork) who had enjoyed an excellent indoor season for Leevale.
The one lap wonders are set to take to the track from 2.10pm with the senior races looking particularity exciting. Hollie Kilroe (Convent of Mercy Roscommon) should go well in the girl’s race while Seán Doggett’s (Colaiste an Eachreidh) season has been going from strength to strength and he is sure to be buoyed by his recent relay selection for the upcoming European Championships in Rome.
The 1500m finals will follow and should deliver their usual helping of drama. The girl’s junior race is set for 2.50pm start where Freya and Holly Renton (Sacred Heart Westport) will once again go in search of national honours.
Odhran McBrearty (St Columbas Stranorla) looks a leading contender in the Intermediate 1500 after his Ulster win, while the senior boy’s race should be a cracker if the provincial finals were anything to go by with Cormac Dixon (Holy Family Community School R'coole) and Sean Curran (Colaiste Ghlór Na Mara) both looking hugely impressive.
The Senior Girl’s is also one not to be missed with Nicole Dinan (St Angelas Cork) and Lucy Foster (Down HS Downpatrick) leading the entries.
Relay fever sets in from 3.50pm and there is sure to be no lack of thrills and spills as the 4x100m races get things up and running. The final track action of the day will 4x300m and 4x400m senior races.
Field finals
Several Minor and Junior field events take place on Friday evening before the older age groups kick off on Saturday morning.
The Senior Girls High Jump will be one of the first competitions underway at 9.15am. Ava Rochford (Rice College Ennis), who is also a leading favourite for the Pole Vault, is sure to go well along with the ever-improving Siun Quinn (St. Colmcilles CS).
Michael Kent (Good Counsel, New Ross) will be hoping to continue his good run of form in the Intermediate Boys Long Jump, while the Senior Girls Triple should deliver some excellent competition with Sophie Byrne (Newbridge College) and Leagh Moloney (Gaelcholaiste Luimnigh) set to take to the runway.
The Pole Vault competitions should be another compelling watch with Joshua Fitzgerald (Colaiste Muire Crosshaven) coming into the weekend on the back of a recent 4.31 CBP at Munsters.
National senior indoor champion Kara Morrisey (Presentation Wexford) will be the headline act in the Intermediate Girls Pole Vault having recent secured a 3.20 Leinster schools championship record of her own.
The throws events will welcome a host of Ireland’s most exciting young athletes. Caoimhe Gallen (St Columbas Stranorlar) will hope to take the Intermediate Girls Hammer Throw title, while Cian Crampton (Oaklands CC Edenderry) will take on Liam Shaw (Presentation Athenry) and Finn O’Neill (Limavady GS) in the Senior Boy Discus.
The aforementioned Shaw will also go in the Shot Put where he’ll be joined by national senior indoor champion Andrew Cooper (Kilkenny College) who also holds an entry in the hammer.
In the Intermediate Hammer, Thomas Williams (Colaiste Dun an Ri Kingscourt), who has posted some huge throws in recent weeks, can be expected to challenge the championship record.
- Link to live results Here
- Please note only 5mm pyramid spikes are permitted on the new Mondo surface. Under no circumstances are needle spikes of any length allowed. High Jump competitors only may use 7mm.
- No dogs will be allowed on site at the track in Tullamore.