A number of GCH senior and master athletes competed at last weekend’s Connacht Indoor Championships in the AIT. There was plenty of competitive action on track and in the field events in this well-attended competition with GCH athletes well placed in many of the events in senior and master age categories. Well done also to all our juvenile athletes who competed last weekend. Check out the GCH Juvenile facebook page for the juvenile reports/results. The attachment just has the senior/master results. Links to all the results are below.

In the senior men sprint races it was a double for Darren Costello who took 60m and 200m gold, with Michael O’Sullivan taking gold in the over 50 60m and 200m. Karel Mampouna, competing in his first Connacht Indoors finished sixth in the senior 60m and fourth in the 200m, while Richard O’Hanlon finished fourth in the over 50 men’s 200m. In the 400m senior men’s competition, Owen Scully and Marcus Quinn placed second and third overall respectively with Joseph Doherty in fourth. Jim Phelan placed second overall in the over 35 men’s category.

In the shot putt event, Brendan Staunton took senior gold, with Richard O’Hanlon taking master 50 gold. Michael O’Sullivan took his third gold of the day in the master 50 Long jump.

In the women’s sprint races Linda Nally and Karen Quirke finished second and third respectively in the 60m, while in the senior women’s 200m Laura Nally took third position with Aoife Sheehy in fourth. In the 200m over 35 category Niamh Hennelly took second with Karen Quirke in third place. In the senior women’s 400m, Kathryn Casserly was third senior lady overall and took second in the senior women’s 800m.

In the 800m ladies over 35 category Jean O’Connor took first place with Niamh Hennelly in second, while it was a master (o35) double for Brian Heavey who took gold in the 800m and 1500m men’s events. Neill Keane took third spot in the senior men’s 800m. In the senior men’s 1500m, Alvaro Gamiz finished fourth overall, while Eamonn Hornibrook finished third in the master 50 category. Jean O’ Connor took gold in the o35 women’s 1500m race. 

In the women’s 3000m, Tara Whyte placed a fine third overall. In a competitive men’s 3000m, David Bohan finished a fine second with David Carter in third position and Matteo Selleri in fourth. Brian O’Connor was fifth in the master 35 category over the 3000m while Gerry Carty finished first in the over 50 category with Tony Fahy in fourth place. Well done all!

The links to all the Connacht Indoor results are below, while the attachment just contains the senior/master results.

http://connaughtathletics.com/2020/connacht/results/indoor/day1/menu.html

http://connaughtathletics.com/2020/connacht/results/indoor/day2/menu.html

http://connaughtathletics.com/2020/connacht/results/indoor/Connacht%20Indoors%20Final%20Results.xlsx

The National Masters Indoor Championships take place on SUNDAY March 8th in Athlone. The CLOSING DATE for Club entries is Wednesday 26th February. NO club entries accepted after this date. Contact club secretary.

Link to timetable below.

Congratulations to our GCH teams on their terrific performances at the recent National Indoor Track and Field League final.

The GCH Ladies team made club history by being the first GCH Ladies team to medal at an Indoor League Final, taking National bronze in an extremely competitive competition with twelve women’s teams, behind Dublin City Harriers and Raheny Shamrocks.

In an equally competitive men’s competition with nine teams competing, the GCH Men’s team took National silver behind Clonliffe Harriers with an impressive team performance.

A fantastic spectator event with some very exciting track races and field events. (thank you to Cliff for some information below).

In the men’s competition, Conor Deane made his debut as a last-minute replacement and ran well to get a second second pb in the 1500m. It was great to have Jack Dempsey back for the relay, where a storming last leg from Robert McDonnell brought the GCH relay team through from 5th to 2nd place and all this after a pb and win in the 400m!

In the women’s competition, the GCH relay team comprising Seren, Laura, Rita and Nicole proved unbeatable, with all four ladies racing strongly and with great determination to seal the bronze. 

Well done to all the athletes, Team managers Cliff Jennings and Majella Loftus and to all the GCH coaches.

MEN Round 2 final.

200m: 5th Jonah Erugo 22.67 secs

400m: 1st Robert McDonnell 48.74 secs

1500m:  5th Conor Deane 4:17.17 secs

4 X 200m relay 3rd : Jack Dempsey, Owen Scully, Darren Costello, Robert McDonnell. 1:32.40 s.

H/jump: 7th Daragh Jennings 1.55m

T/jump: 6th Eoghan Jennings 11.51m

Completing the men’s team with valuable points in Round 1 was Keith Fallon (3rd 800m in round 1) and Brendan Staunton (1st in shot putt).

WOMEN Round 2 final.

200m: 3rd Nicole Walsh 25.33 secs

400m: 3rd Laura Nally 59.44 secs

1500m:  5th Kathryn Casserly 4:52.10

4 X 200m relay 1st: Seren O’Toole/ Laura Nally/ Rita Lahue/ Nicole Walsh 1:43.35 secs

H/jump: 9th Aoife Sheehy 1 35m

T/jump: 4th Aoife Waldron 10.10m

Completing the women’s team and scoring valuable points in Round 1 was Sarah Lanigan (3rd 800m) and Rebecca Lynch.

Open guest races. There was also plenty of GCH action in the open guest races with pbs galore.

Guest Men.

200m: Owen Scully 23.47 secs, Karel Mampouma 26.64 secs

400m: Diego Brule 53.03 secs, Jim Phelan 54.48 secs, Marcus Quinn 54.51 secs

Eoghan Jennings 54.64 secs, Joseph Doherty 56.69 secs

800m: Luca Donatella 2:04.41 secs

Guest Women.

200m: Seren O’Toole 26.23 secs, 800m: Sarah Lanigan 2:15.11 secs, Triple jump: Rebecca Lynch 8.49m