Two days of the National Indoor Track and Field championships for U12s to U19s took place last weekend. Galway athletes excelled taking home multiple national medals, with notable success in the Race Walking events.
One of Galway’s finest Juvenile athletes, Loughrea star Darragh Fahy, secured a super Triple Jump gold medal, leaping 13 metres 57 to claim U19 gold. That rounds off a superb indoor season for Fahy in the Triple Jump having won the U20 title a few weeks ago and placing fourth in the seniors in February.
Tuam ACs Race Walking squad dominated the All-Ireland Indoor Championships winning five gold medals in total, with medals also for South Galway and CRH.
Emma Howson started proceedings well for Tuam, with a hard-fought victory in the U14 1000m winning her first All-Ireland title by less than half a second over South Galway AC’s Nora Walsh. Next up, Grofu Newell won his first ever All-Ireland title when he took gold in the U14 1000m.
Tuam AC secured gold in the U15 girls where Cuisle O’Callaghan added the U15 title to the U14 title she won last year with a commanding victory in 4.37.65 a new personal best. In the U18 1500m Savanagh O’Callaghan recorded a new personal best of 6.56.69 to win the silver medal.
In the U18 boys, Matthew Newell saved the best for last when he broke the Championship Record with a stunning time of 5.44.91. The day concluded on a high when Ciara Gilmore won her first All-Ireland Indoor title when she recorded a massive personal best of 7.26.16.
South Galway AC secured another medal with silver via Ciarán Kelleher in the U17 Boys event, whilst Clare River Harriers Hazel Dinkin also claimed silver in the U15 event.
Also, for Tuam AC, Aine Maguire made a great breakthrough with a bronze medal winning performance in the U19 400m race, while Rachel Treacy secured the silver medal in the U16 60m Hurdles going sub nine seconds.
Galway City Harriers claimed five medals, with Gold medallist Lucy Hounkponou the standout securing the U18 Hurdles title. The clubs other medal winners were at U12 level, via Maneli Fazaeli, who took bronze over 600m, at U13 Aoibhinn Van De Ven won silver in the Shot Putt, Luke Collins also won silver in the U14 Triple Jump and Kevin Sangodele won silver in the U16 Triple Jump.
West Coast AC continued their track success with gold for Michelle Nnadi, who became U16 National 60m Sprint Champion in a time of 7.74. Angela Cielecka became the U18 National 60m Champion in a fast 7.59s, and also won National Silver in the 200m with a time of 24.87. Lemar Lucciano won the National bronze in the 60m sprint to cap off a great display by the club.
South Galway AC also secured medals via All Ireland Silver for Amelia Henry in the U13 Girls 60m sprint and via Luke Walsh who won bronze in the U17 Boys 1500m.
