Ciara Neville star of show with hat-trick
The Limerick sprinter won the intermediate girls’ 100m in 12.84 and the 200m in 25.26 – both run into strong headwinds – before anchoring Castletroy College to victory in the 4x100m relay in 50.26.
Sharlene Mawdsley of St. Mary’s, Newport recorded a sprint double at senior level, taking the 100m in 12.87 and 200m in 24.64.
Joe Gibson of Bandon Grammar established himself as Munster’s fastest schoolboy, winning the senior boys’ 100m in 11.82, while team-mate Joey Henchy took 200m gold in 22.92. They teamed up to carry Bandon Grammar to victory in the 4x100m in 43.44.
Avril Deegan of Presentation Thurles scored a middle distance double, taking the senior 1500m in 5:03.37 and 3000m in 10:57.09.
Despite the conditions a slew of records were set: Louis Archer of Bandon Grammar with 5.88m in the minor boys’ long jump, Yuri Kanash of St. Augustine’s, Dungarvan with 4.25m in the senior boys’ pole vault and Mercy Mount Hawk Tralee with 47.14 in the junior boys’ 4x100m.
Orlaith O’Brien of Yeats College Waterford set a record of 43.19m in the senior girls’ javelin, as did Megan Linehan of Hazelwood College, Dromcollogher, who threw 42.97m in the junior girls’ discus.
Ciara Sheehy of St. Mary’s Charleville did likewise with 13.04m in the junior girls’ shot put.
Emma Coffey of St. Angela’s, Cork cleared a record of 3.20m in the intermediate pole vault, while Ciara Kennelly of St. Brigid’s Killarney, soared over 1.65m to win the junior high jump. Laura Nicholson of Bandon Grammar had a solo run to victory in the intermediate 1500m steeplechase in a record-breaking 5:19.11.
Elsewhere Fionnuala McCormack had a strong showing at the Great Manchester Run yesterday, finishing fifth in 32:23. Ciarán Ó Lionáird endured a disappointing start to his outdoor season, finishing last over 1,500m in Los Angeles in 3:53.77. There was better news for Tomás Cotter, who ran a personal best of 8:37.12 for the 3000m steeplechase at the same meeting, a B-standard for July’s European Championships.
At the Leiden Half Marathon, Sergiu Ciobanu made his final case for Olympic marathon selection by finishing third in 1:07:14. North Belfast’s Gladys Ganiel won the women’s race in 1:18:28. Athletics Ireland is due to select the team later today.
Raheny’s Mick Clohisey and Leevale’s Lizzie Lee are both likely to be picked, and they were in action over 10,000m in London on Saturday night. Clohisey finished sixth in the men’s race in 29:24.4, while in her track debut at the distance, Lee was 13 th in 33:32.7. Leevale’s Mark Hanrahan ran 29:40.1 to finish 12th.
Kevin Mulcaire fell short in his bid to break Frank Greally’s national junior 10,000m record of 30:17.
The Ennis athlete passed 5000m in 14:46 but faded badly in the latter half, coming home in 31:12.7.
In Loughborough yesterday, Bandon’s Phil Healy ran a season’s best of 11.53 to win the women’s 100m, with sister Joan fourth in 11.64.
