Neville and Lavin win gold at National Track and Field Championships
Ciara Neville won her third gold at the 100m and Lavin earned yet another win in the 100m hurdles
IT WAS another extremely busy week of athletics action across the Mid-West.
Run Kilkee
For generations Limerick people have flocked to Kilkee for their summer holidays and no doubt many of the athletes who took part last Saturday held happy memories of such. In wet and windy conditions, which replaced the more Mediterranean ones of late, Kieran O’Brien of Dooneen was first Limerick athlete, coming 9th in 1:21:11 with Joe Laffan next in 12th in 1:22:32. Trevor Doran was 19th for An Brú in 1:24:19 and Aaron Gallagher was 25th for Limerick AC in 1:26:12.
Other times included Daniel Lane 1:30:18 and Jonathan Scanlon 1:41:26, Richard Lenihan 1:56:25, Tara Carr 2:00:19, (all West Limerick), Charlie Goldsmith (Country Club) 1:35:36, Richard Lenihan (West Limerick) 1:56:25. Declan Kennedy (1:29:11), Niall Bennis (1:31:43) and the legendary Eileen Reeves 2:06:51, Fiona Tracey (1:57:55) and Shane Lillis (1:41:46) all represented Dooneen in the Half Marathon. Best Limerick finishers in the 10K were Aidan Hennessey of Dooneen in 45:39 and Austin Barrett of West Limerick in 45:16.
National Track and Field Championships
The 154th edition of the Irish championships took place at the Morton Stadium in Santry and there were plenty of ‘All-Ireland medals’ making their way home to Shannonside.
Highlights included Ciara Neville of Emerald AC who, after returning from injury, won her 3rd National Senior 100m title in-a-row in a time of 11.44. She will now hope for selection for the Irish team for the forthcoming European Championships in Birmingham, either as an individual or as part of the relay team.
Clubmate Sarah Lavin won her 11th National 100m hurdles title in 13.31 secs. Alex O’Neill of Limerick Track, the 2025 800m champion, had to settle for bronze this time in 2:05:50. An Bru’s Niall Shanahan was 4th in the 5000m ‘B’ race in a time of 15:03.45.
In the same race Limerick native, Adam Joachim Shier, son of Dooneen’s John, but representing Crusaders, was 7th in 15:08.14 secs. Sophie Meredith of St Marys Rathkeale was 4th in the Long Jump clearing 6.17m.
For Treaty Track there was also a 4th place finish for Adam O’Connor in the Triple Jump in 13.37m. Emerald were 4th in the Senior 4x400 Relay in and featured Conall Watson, Sean McCarthy, Lorcan O’Connor and Gavin Dillon in a time of 3:33.84.
Around the Country
Congratulations to Val Sheehy of West Limerick who was 3rd female in the Brandon Bay 10k in 46.51, a race which is run entirely on the beach of Brandon Bay between Fahamore to Fermoyle point under Mt Brandon. Well done to all athletes who took part in the Limerick Community Games last weekend. Lauren Smith of KIlmallock who won Gold in the hurdles and qualifies for the September nationals finals in Carlow.
Park Run
Limerick AC starlet Darragh Whelan shredded the field to finish first in a time of 16:47. His mother Susan was first woman in 20:46 with Bilboa’s Pamela Kirby 2nd in 21:37. Volunteers are always required, approximately 10 for every Park Run to happen, so if interested contact Limerick, Mungret or Newcastle West Park Runs via website or Facebook.
Fixtures
The Limerick Half Marathon, now in its second year, takes place this coming Sunday, August 2 at 9am from Technological University of the Shannon, Moylish, finishing at Thomond Park. The Curraghchase 10K Run/Walk returns to the athletics calendar after a two-year absence on Saturday, August 29 at 11am. The Limerick Senior, Intermediate and Juvenile Even Age Cross Country Championships have been provisionally set for the Sunday, September 27 at Bilboa’s ‘Old Quarry’ venue.