News

Katie Bergin (Moyne AC) retained her indoor sprint titles in the 60m and 200m at the 123.ie Junior and U23 Indoor Championships, while several championship records also fell across the busy day’s action at the TUS International Arena in Athlone.

Bergin secured the double gold (U23) in impressive fashion, taking the 60m earlier in the day with a 7.62 PB before going on to claim the 200m title in 24.54.

The men’s U20 1500m was billed as one of the races of the day and it did not disappoint with four athletes running under the championships record.

Jack Fenlon (St. Abbans AC) led home the stacked field in a winning time of 3:51.75 CR. Cian Gorham (St. Peter’s AC) at 3:52.47 and Sean Cronin (Clonliffe Harriers) at 3:53.59 followed Fenlon home in a race that was wide open at the bell.

Tallaght look to have another sprint star in the making in the form of Sean Aigboboh (Tallaght AC) who stormed to gold in the U20 60m race, crossing in a winning time of 6.84 which equalled Israel Olatunde’s 2021 championship record.

Leevale’s Reece Ademola sailed to a superb championship record of 7.17CR in the men’s U23 long jump competition with several of his failed attempts finishing far beyond that mark.

Full results are available HERE.

Championship Summary

Eimear McCarroll (Finn Valley AC U20) picked up the first track medal of the day, running down Donore’s Emily Bolton on the 1500m line to claim gold in a winning time of 4:32.71.

The women’s U23 1500m race turned into a dual between Eimear Maher (Dundrum South Dublin AC) 4:32.11 and Lucy Holmes (West Waterford AC) 4:32.63, with Maher’s turn of foot over the final 400m proving decisive.

Kilkenny’s Cathal O’Reilly (KCH) showed no ill effects from his busy cross country season to dominate the men’s race in a winning time of 3:53.55.

Katie Bergin (Moyne AC) lived up to the favourites tag in the 60m (U23), while Nkemjika Onumereh (Metro/St. Brigids AC) picked up gold in the men’s U23 race in 6.84. Bergin would also go on to take the 200m title in a winning time of 24.54.

The men’s U20 400m had a very Galway flavour to it with the Mannion twins blocking out the top two positions on the podium.

David Mannion (South Galway AC) 48.52 was pushed all the way for gold by brother Stephen (South Galway AC) in 48.74, while Sean Doggett (Athenry AC) rounded out the podium for the West to take bronze in 49.06.

Niamh Murray (Bray Runners AC) very much looked the class of a quality field in the U20 women’s 400m, gliding to gold in a winning time of 54.95.

The stars of Neil Culhane (Ace AC) 1:54.09 and Saoirse Fitzgerald (Lucan Harriers AC) 2:10.73 continue to rise with both athletes taking their respective U20 800m titles with ultra-confident performances.

Matthew Glennon (Mullingar Harriers AC) picked up the men’s U23 3K Walk title in a winning time of 12:09.49 ahead of Moy Valley’s Jake O’Brien in 12:09.99.

There was a superb entry in the women’s U20 3k Walk where Tuam’s Savanagh O’Callaghan walked away to gold with over 14 seconds to spare on her nearest challenger to cross in 14:50.19. Ciara Wilson Bowen (Dundrum South Dublin AC) secured silver in 15:04.80 with Aoife Tuthill (Bandon AC), younger sister to hammer throw star Nicola Tuthill, walking away with bronze in 15:28.07.

There were several outstanding performances in the field events. The high jump competitions provided some of the most compelling competition across today’s action. 15-year-old Conor Penny (Craughwell AC) continues to impress, clearing 1.95m again today for gold having cleared 2.00m for the first-time last weekend. He was pushed all the way by Clane’s Alex Heeney who bowed out at 1.90m.

The U20 women’s competition was just as enthralling with Siun Quinn (Brothers Pearse AC) eventually left out on her own, bowing out on 1.76m which was just .01 off the championship record. Tara O’Connor (Dundalk St. Gerards AC) 1.70m and Ava Rochford (Nenagh Olympic AC) 1.65m completed the podium.

Ciara Sheehy (Emerald AC) smashed her indoor PB to take the U23 shot title with a best throw of 14.40m, while Andrew Cooper (Gowran AC) picked up the U20 gold with a huge 17.54m best which was over two meters further than his nearest competitor.

Cooper would also go on to set a championship record in the WFD event with a best of 8.93 CR, as did Robert Higgins (Na Fianna AC) who threw a 9.35 CR in the U23 competition.

Results can be found HERE.