THRILLING WEEKEND OF ATHLETICS AT COMBINED EVENTS CHAMPIONSHIPS AND AAI GAMES

123.ie National Combined Events Championships

Jack Forde (St. Killian’s A.C.) and Lara O’Byrne (Donore Harriers A.C.) were crowned national senior combined event champions on Sunday afternoon after a gruelling two days of competition.

Forde, who earlier this year one the indoor heptathlon crown, is now the senior decathlon champion after achieving an impressive fifty-six point personal best (6211pts).

Amongst a string of strong performances Forde cleared a best of 3.70m in the Pole Vault.

O’Byrne retained the title she had claimed in 2022, notching up 4690 points on her way to victory.

Chloe Keenan (Emo Rath A.C.) and Noah Gilmore (Kilkenny City Harriers A.C.) took U20 heptathlon and decathlon gold respectively.

 

AAI Games - Day One

On the opening day of the Games, David McGlynn (Waterford A.C.) and Shona Heaslip (An Riocht A.C.) were crowned national senior 10,000m champions.

Both were comfortable winners in their respective races. McGlynn broke thirty minutes, clocking a time of 29.50.85, to finish over a minute ahead of David Mansfield (Clonmel A.C.) and Conan McCaughey (North Belfast Harriers) who finished second and third.

Heaslip also greatly impressed breaking her five year personal best as she stormed to the finish line in 33.22.65, ahead of Cliona Murphy (Dublin City Harriers A.C.) and Claire Fagan (Mullingar Harriers A.C.).

Dundrum South Dublin A.C. were crowned the inaugural national senior 4x400m mixed relay champions holding off the challenge of Carraig na bhFear A.C. and Crusaders A.C. who settled for the minor medals.

Earlier in the day Kate O’Connor (Dundalk St. Gerald’s A.C.) and Adam Nolan (St. Laurence O’Toole A.C.) won both of their races in the 100m and 110m Hurdles.

National senior indoor record holder Mark Smyth (Raheny Shamrocks A.C.) showed his class to win the Men’s 200m, while Lucy-May Sleeman (Leevale A.C.) defeated 400m specialists Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrocks A.C.) and Roisin Harrison (Emerald A.C.) in the women’s race.

Two-time Olympian Michelle Finn (Leevale A.C.) had to be content with a second place finish in the Women’s 2000m Steeplechase, finishing behind Australian Georgia Winkcup. Finley Daly (Sligo A.C.) continued his excellent run of recent form edging a thrilling men’s race from Jonas Stafford (Ashford A.C.) by less than a second.

In the field, Anna Gavigan (LSA A.C.) was a clear winner of the Women’s Discus throwing 48.36m, while Padraig Hore (D.M.P A.C.) won the men’s competition.

Sean Mockler (Moycarkey Coolcroo A.C.) threw a season’s best of 68.36m to win the Men’s Hammer Throw, while Alina Duran (Tallaght A.C.) won the women’s competition.

 

AAI Games – Day Two

Mollie O’Reilly (Dundrum South Dublin A.C.) and Bori Akinola (U.C.D A.C.) came out on top in both series of the women’s and men’s 100m.

O’Reilly ran a time of 11.48 (+2.2m/s), while Akinola clocked a wind legal 10.51.

Swiss athlete Joceline Ward was a clear winner of the Women’s 1500m, while Cathal O’Reilly (Kilkenny City Harriers A.C.) clocked a big personal best of 3.48.51 to fend off the challenge of clubmate Eoin Everard.

Victoria Amiadamen (Doneen A.C.) broke sixty seconds for the first time to win the Women’s 400m Hurdles in 59.82, while Ciaran Nugent (Carraig na bhFear A.C.) won the men’s race.

Over 3000m Ellen Moran (Galway City Harriers A.C.) and Mark Hanrahan (Ennis Track A.C.) showed their class to win the senior women’s and men’s 3000m races.

Avril Millerick (Youghal A.C.) and Jack Fenlon (St. Abban’s A.C.) won national U20 titles over 3000m in contrasting fashion.

Millerick led the women’s race from gun to tape finishing in 9.57.64, while Fenlon timed his kick to perfection to claim the men’s crown in 8.26.93.

Maeve O’Neill (Doheny A.C.) and Robert Hewison (Kildare A.C.) were strong winners over 800m.

Tokyo Olympian Sophie Becker (Raheny Shamrocks A.C.) continued her return to racing in driving rain, clocking 53.68 to win the Women’s 400m.

Eoin Kenny (Waterford A.C.) was the fastest of the men running a time of 48.01.

In the field, Long Jump victories went to Lucy Hadaway (City of York A.C.) and Dillon Ryan (Moycarkey Coolcroo A.C.).

Saragh Buggy (St. Abban’s A.C.) once again showed her class to take the Women’s Triple Jump, with Michael Alajiki (Dundealgan A.C.) taking the men’s competition.

Daena Kealy (St. Abban’s A.C.) and Andrew King (Omagh Harriers A.C.) were High Jump winners, while Michaela Walsh (Swinford A.C.) threw a new 2023 Irish lead of 15.50m to win the Women’s Shot Put. Callum Keating (North Cork A.C.) was the best male thrower.

Una Brice (Leevale A.C.) and Michael Bowler (Enniscorthy A.C.) came out triumphant in the Pole Vault, while Katie Moynihan (Leevale A.C.) and Aleksandrs Fetisovs (Lake District A.C.) won their respective javelin competitions.

 

• Results are HERE