Some pictures from recent training sessions in Ardgillan. Also post training ice bath. Hot chocolates a vital part of the programme!
Never mind the Nationals….the most competitive race in the Skerries AC calendar is always the Xmas cake run (for those athletes who train up in Ardgillan). Always hotly contested, with competitors handicapped the idea being all finishing at roughly the same time (Mmmm…)! It was a beautiful day for the run, with everyone in good spirits. Great to see our Chairperson Donna out for her maiden Xmas Cake Run. Conor led the senior athletes home, with Nicole winning the junior race. Mince pies and hot chocolate followed, to round off a great years training. Thanks to Joanne for organising. Enjoy your well deserved break!!!
Well done to all the athletes who competed today at Abbottstown. Daphne got us off to a great start with a strong performance in the girls under 12 race. This was followed by our boys under 14 team, Joshua, Ben, Lorcan, James and Hugh, again producing a fine performance. Next up was the girls under 16 team. Despite racing out of their age, and Lily poorly all week, produced an outstanding performance to secure Bronze in the team event. All their hard consistent work over the winter paid off. Each member of the team battled to the end and fought for every place securing a two point lead over West Waterford. Well done Ruby, Lottie, Lily, Anna and Kerrie. Lottie was also fourth scorer in the Dublin team, who took Gold in the inter county competition. Mairead ran a strong race in the under 18 girls, as did Orla B in the under 23 8k (first time racing over this distance) and Ciara in the senior women. Thanks as always to the parents for their support. Also to the coaches for their hard efforts in preparing the athletes.
Sunday was a historic day for all our athletes as they competed in the very first event ever to be held at the new National Cross Country Course in Abbottstown. It was a blustery day, although fortunately the rain held off.
First Medal of the day was won by Shauna Prior, a brilliant third in the U10 girls. We had two team wins. Firstly U14 Boys took Bronze. They were led by Josh (super run came 6th), followed by James, Lorcan, Hugh and Ben. Then the U16 girls took Silver. They were led by a very strong Lottie who took it out from the start and came 5th, followed by Anna, Lily and Kerrie.
Strong individual performances by Daphne, Oscar and Ella who didn’t have the support of a team, but didn’t let that stop them.
Great runs by Eibhlin and Mairead in the U18 girls, and Conor and Stephen in the U18 boys.
Orla Bollard ran her first senior womens race in the Autumn Open. It was strong field led by Fionnuala McCormack. Orla came an impressive 31st with a time of 24.46
Full credit to all, with many stepping up an age to compete. As ever thanks to the parents who supported, and gave lifts.
3rd Shauna Prior
11th Daphne Ndjatang
34th Oscar McIvor Lynch
31st Ella Kingsnorth
6th Joshua Ericson
13th James Kenny
24th Lorcan Devine
30th Hugh Lawlor
33rd Ben Cohen
5th Lottie Simons
12th Anna Prior
20th Lily Heaney
22nd Kerrie Costello
10th Eibhlin McCarthy
12th Mairead Nichleirigh
15th Conor Tuck
16th Stephen O’Connor
31st Orla Bollard (24.46)
We have a number of athletes competing over the coming weekends in the National Juvenile T&F Championships in Tullamore. It is an incredible achievement to qualify for the Nationals. Good luck, we are so proud of you all (G’wan the goats!).
Day 1 Sunday 10th July
Girls U/12 – Daphne Ndjtang 600m
Girls U/15 – Ruby Pereira – 800m
Boys U/14 – Joshua Ericson – 800m
Boys U/18 – Conor Tuck – 800m
Day 2 Saturday 23rd July
Girls U/17 – Orla Thompson – 400m
Boys U/17 – Stephen O’Connor – 3000m
Day 3 Sunday 24th July
Girls U/15 – Lottie Simons – 1500m
Girls U/15 – Ruby Pereira – 1500m
Girls U/19 – Sive Duncan – 1500m
Boys U/18 – Conor Tuck – 1500m
Congratulations to Eibhlin who is away in Portland at the moment, but still training hard and competing. Eibhlin took women’s silver, 5th finisher, with a pb of 20:26 in Hillsboro 5k 4th July Catwalk roadrace.
Eibhlin’s Grandpa took veterans in 29:20. Obviously running is in the genes. Congratulations to both!
Congratulations to Orla Bolard who competed in the National U23 5000m in Tullamore on Saturday. Orla did Skerries AC proud running a pb and winning bronze.
10th June 2016 Santry & 11th June 2016 Irishtown
The 2016 Dublin Juvenile Track and Field Championships drew to a conclusion on Friday evening June 10th and Saturday morning June 11th. On Friday evening the scene was set yet again for more intense competition to be only cooled somewhat by the rain.
Our club has a strong tradition in middle and endurance events with this tradition coming to the fore again as our athletes competed in the 1500m across a variety of ages on the Friday evening. The standard in all 1500m races was high and all our athletes must be given credit and take pride in the way they competed on the night giving it their all, fighting hard for their club and for themselves. The following athletes managed to medal on the night; Lottie & Ruby getting a silver and bronze medal respectively and running PB’s in what was a very hotly contested girls U/15 1500m race, followed by Sive who got a bronze medal in the u/19 1500m race. All have booked their place for the upcoming nationals when they will take to the track in Tullamore. Another Skerries athlete who booked his place on the night for the nationals was Conor, finishing 4th in the U/18 1500m and running another PB following his success in the 800m the previous week.
Unfinished work
No sooner had Friday’s night events concluded and our athletes were back early morning in Irishtown Track to compete in events over 400m & 200m. Our club may have a strong tradition in endurance, however with our new sprint programme launched this year under the careful guidance of Ailis, our sprint athletes held their own in what were very competitive races. Orla and Kerry toed the line with each of them flying out of the blocks (yes we now know how to use blocks) over 400m and 200m respectively, followed by Josh who made it out of his heat to finish 5th in his 200m final.
This brought the clubs Dublin championship campaign to an end, however the abiding memory is how all our athletes competed, giving it their all, however more importantly how they all supported each other, if they were not competing they were shouting from the side of the track providing encouragement to their team mates. Special thanks must also go to our coaches in preparing all our athletes for the championships and to parents who helped out at each days competition.
It’s not just the Dublin T & F Championships that have been keeping our athletes busy.
Laura Fagan has just competed and won her first park run in Rush. Well done Laura, all that hard work in Ardgillan is paying off.
Orla Bollard competed in the 1500m at the 4th Dublin graded meet. She ran a determined race, winning the race in 4.59.55, setting a new PB.
Also special mention to Keith, who having taken the training session with our Athletes in ALSAA, rushed to Santry to support Orla, and compete in the 1500m finishing 5th in a very competitive field.