GCH at the National Junior/U23 Indoor Championship

There were terrific performances from our GCH athletes who competed at the recent National Junior & U23 Indoor Championships in Athlone.

Robert McDonnell recorded a 200m pb of 21.85s when taking National silver in the Junior men’s 200m. Richard Kamsen took silver in the Junior Men’s Triple Jump with a pb of 13.30m. Seren O’Toole finished a strong fourth in the Junior Women’s 400m final in 58.55s. In the competitive 1500m Junior Men’s final, Aaron Brennan took a superb silver in a time of 4:06.46 with Barry Murphy fifth in 4:14.39.

In the U23 competition, Nicole Walsh had a terrific run to claim National 400m gold in a time of 56.25s, while Emily Russell took bronze in the women’s 60m hurdles in a time of 8.74s. Rita Lahue finished fifth in her 60m heat, and raced strongly in her 200m heat. In a very competitive and tactical U23 1500m men’s final, Thomas McStay ran a great race to take National silver in a time of 4:10.45, with his clubmates James Frizzell, Jack Maher, David Carter and Matteo Selleri all running credibly in behind. A good day for Thomas who claimed bronze in the 800m final in a time of 1:54.90. GCH were well represented in the U23 200m sprints with Joseph Doherty and Darren Costello, while Darren also raced in the 60m event.

Well done to all our athletes! 

FINAL CALL OUT FOR INTERMEDIATE AND MASTERS CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS

REMINDER: The National Intermediate & Masters Cross Country Championships takes place on SATURDAY 8th February in Avondale, Rathdrum, Wicklow.

CLOSING date for Club entries is this Sunday  26th January by 1pm .  GCH is hoping to field strong men’s and women’s teams for both events. We have a number of athletes who are always prepared to run in this fantastic event and have already come forward (thank you !),  but additional names would be most welcome so the club can field full teams. A bus will be organised once we have numbers travelling.  Master Team categories for men and women are: Master o35 , Master o50, Master o65. ( all team athletes will also be individually categorised: o35, o40, 045, o50, o55 etc)

Distances: All Master Women and o65 men run 4K. Master Men 35yrs -64yrs run 7k. Intermediate Women run 5k. Intermediate Men 8k.

Ages: Master is anyone aged 35 yrs and over (no age limit !).

Intermediate: Athletes eligible to run Intermediate must be at at least 20 yrs (in year of competition) and older (no upper age limit !)

NB: Athletes who wish to be considered for the GALWAY COUNTY Teams must submit their names no later than Saturday evening 25th  January.

Entries/names to club secretary asap. secretary@galwaycityharriers.com   or  Mags @ 087 9234224

Link to timetable:  https://www.athleticsireland.ie/downloads/events-timetable/Intermediate_Juv_B_Relay_master_XC_Timetable_2020_revised.pdf

Indoors Weekend Information and News

A busy weekend in store for many GCH athletes, young and old !

Celtic Cross Country Championships. Best of luck to Thomas McStay and the Ireland u23 mens team who compete in the cross country international in Stirling, Scotland tomorrow.

The Galway County Indoor Championships takes place Saturday and Sunday (11th & 12th Jan) in the AIT, Athlone. Day 1 will see events for the u8 to u12 age group while on Sunday will see events for u13 to u19 plus Senior and Masters. Events start at 10am sharp on both days.  Athletes are advised to arrive well in advance of teir events. Links to Timetables for both days can view on the links below. Please be advised these timetables are provisional and events could run well ahead of schedule. Good luck to everyone.

http://craughwellac.com/site/images/2020/indoors/galways/GalwayIndoorTrackAndField2020.day1.timetable.pdf
http://craughwellac.com/site/images/2020/indoors/galways/GalwayIndoorTrackAndField2020.day2.timetable.pdf

National Indoor League.  Best of luck to the GCH mens and womens teams who compete in Round 1 of the National Indoor League tomorrow, Saturday at the National Indoor Arena in Abbottstown.

Indoors Weekend and News

A busy weekend in store for many GCH athletes, young and old !

Celtic Cross Country Championships. Best of luck to Thomas McStay and the Ireland u23 mens team who compete in the cross country international in Stirling, Scotland tomorrow.

The Galway County Indoor Championships takes place Saturday and Sunday (11th & 12th Jan) in the AIT, Athlone. Day 1 will see events for the u8 to u12 age group while on Sunday will see events for u13 to u19 plus Senior and Masters. Events start at 10am sharp on both days.  Athletes are advised to arrive well in advance of teir events. Links to Timetables for both days can view on the links below. Please be advised these timetables are provisional and events could run well ahead of schedule. Good luck to everyone.

http://craughwellac.com/site/images/2020/indoors/galways/GalwayIndoorTrackAndField2020.day1.timetable.pdf
http://craughwellac.com/site/images/2020/indoors/galways/GalwayIndoorTrackAndField2020.day1.timetable.pdf

National Indoor League.  Best of luck to the GCH mens and womens teams who compete in Round 1 of the National Indoor League tomorrow, Saturday at the National Indoor Arena in Abbottstown.

Upcoming Adult events and closing dates. Indoor & XC

Following are some dates to note Jan-March 2020. Please note that many AAI National events have a standard closing date eleven days prior to the event. Senior/Master/Junior &u23 –  Contact the club secretary for County, Connaught and National T&F Championships. Please keep an eye on our facebook page for any upcoming local & club road races that are AAI permitted as not all details yet available.

Saturday 11th January: National Indoor League Round 1. Venue: Abbottstown. GCH will field a Womens’ Team and a Mens Team. Athletes please note you must have renewed club  membership in order to compete.

Sunday 12th January: Galway County Indoor Track & Field Championships Day 2. Venue: AIT Athlone. (Senior & master events along with u13-u19). Senior & Master entry  to Mags no later than Sunday 5th January. Please note you must be registered for 2020 before entry can be submitted. Timetable will be made available a few days prior to the event.

Saturday 18th January:  National Indoor Combined Events. Venue: AIT, Athlone. Closing date for entry is Tues. 7th January.

Saturday 25th January: National Indoor Junior & U23 Track & Field Championships. Venue: AIT, Athlone. Closing date for entry Tues 14th January.

Sunday 26th January: National League Round 2. Venue: AIT, Athlone.

Saturday 8th February: National Masters & Intermediate Cross Country Championships (& Juvenile B & Relays). Venue: Avondale, Rathdrum, County Wicklow. Closing date for entry is Tuesday 28th January. The club are aiming to field master teams (v35, v50, v65) and will have specificic cross country training sessions on Saturday mornings. Contact us for more details.

Sunday 9th February: AAi National Indoor Games. Venue: Abbottstown. Closing date: Tuesday 28th January.

Saturday 22nd February: Connaught Senior/Master Indoor Track & Field Championships Day 1.Venue: AIT, Athlone. NB. Senior & Master compete on the evening of day 1 on the 22nd . (AFTER the u12/13 programme). Further information will be available late January/early in February.

Connaught Day 2  Sunday 23rd February. Older juveniles compete on day 2. Venue: AIT, Athlone

Saturday 29th February & Sunday 1st March. National Senior Indoor Track & Field Championships. Venue: Abbottstown. Closing date: Tuesday 18th February.

Sunday 8th March. National Masters Indoor Track & Field Championships. Venue: AIT, Athlone. Closing date: Tuesday 25th March.

Sunday 22nd March. Craughwell AC 10 mile and 10K. For further information contact : secretary@galwaycityharriers.com  or Mags @0879234224

Resolution Run 2020

The 2020 Resolution Run takes place New Year’s Day 1/1/2020 in Galway City at 11am from the Claddagh area over 5km.

This race acts as a fundraiser for athletics in the county and your support is most welcome. Anyone not running who would like to help please let yourselves be known in advance as the organisers can always do with marshals or helpers.

Those wishing to enter the race can use the link below.

https://www.njuko.net/resolution-run/select_competition

Results/News round up

Cross Country: Gold for GCH ladies at Connaught Senior League

The final leg of the 2019 Connacht Senior Cross Country league took place in a cold Belleek, Ballina on Sunday last, 10th November. Congrats to the GCH women’s senior team, finishing first overall after the three Connaught League cross country races.

There were some fine performances all round. John Moroney placed a fine third in the Senior men’s 8k race, a good run out before the upcoming National Senior cross country, with John Moran having his first run in the league this season.

In the women’s 4k, the GCH team packed well with terrific running from Olive Gleeson, Eilis Ni Dhuil, Deirdre McCrae and Ellie Mai Sutton with back up from Cora Grimes, Eileen McCarty and Mags. In the Final League standings after three races Eilis Ni Dhuil took master bronze overall and Cora Grimes novice bronze with the Women’s team finishing first overall ahead of a strong Sligo AC team. Well done also to the juvenile athletes- some terrific running in the uneven age races (check our juvenile section for the uneven race reports/results).

World Para Athletics Championships. It was a fine debut for Alex Lee in his first ever World Championships appearance. Alex became Ireland’s first blade runner competitor and finished fifth in his 200m, and sixth in his 100m. A lot more to come from Alex who started running just over a year and a half ago.

Fit4Life 5k Athenry. Deirdre Moran Smyth of GCH won the annual Fit for Life 5k hosted by Athenry AC on Saturday last. The winner clocked 22.14, for first place ahead of club mates Sarah Johnson in second and Avril Timmins third.

World Mountain Running Championships. Best of luck to Nicola Duncan who competes for Ireland at the World Mountain Long Distance Championships at Villa La Angostura, Argentina this weekend. The senior long distance race is over a 41.5k route, which has 2,184m of ascent.

Upcoming event. Ballinderreen 10k.

South Galway AC hosts the 9th annual Ballinderreen 10k this Sunday, 17th November in Ballinderreen. If you haven’t registered yet you can do so in Ballinderreen Community centre on Sunday from 11 am to 12 noon. Race starts at 12:30 pm. Parking in Ballinderreen GAA grounds. The Juvenile 1km race starts at 12 noon. The race starts at Ballinderreen village (5 mins walk from the community centre).

Race Number pick up for online registration (€20), & Day Registrations (€23), are at Ballinderreen Community Centre. The course is AAI certified measured, and chip timed and on a fast-flat course.

Results catch up 3rd November

Connacht Cross Country League. Leg 2 of the Senior/Master Cross Country League was held on a testing course in scenic Calry, Sligo. There was some fine running from the GCH women’s and men’s teams. In the women’s 4k, Eilis Ni Dhuil, Eleanor Whyte, Deirdre McCrae and Eileen McCarty packed well, with back up from team members Cora Grimes, Barbara Bergin, Majella Ni Chriocháin and Mags. The GCH senior women’s is bidding for a podium finish going into the final leg in Ballina, with Eilis currently holding third master position, and Cora third novice position. The GCH men’s comprising Eanna Folan (great to see Eanna back competing), Naoise O’ Gibne, Brian O’Connor and Kieran Whyte had good strong runs on the day over a daunting eight laps of the course.

The Connaught juvenile even ages and junior races took place prior to the adult League races and there were some fine performances from our younger athletes. Check out our juvenile section for reports on the juvenile and junior races.

Corofin Races. Corofin Athletics Club, held two road races Sunday morning last with good fields in attendance at both the 8km and the 10-mile events. In the 8k Louis Coyne was third home in 29.51, while Barbara Dunne of GCH made a strong return to action winning the Ladies event in 30.56, ahead of clubmates Tara Whyte and Clare Rowe.

In the 10 mile race, Michelle Browne finished second female, with Mary Kealy third master.

Marathon Season Roundup

GCH had numerous members competing over the past two weekends in marathons near and far. Well done to everyone who ran the Dublin City Marathon, Frankfurt Marathon and New York Marathon. There are bound to be some names missing so apologies to anyone not listed. Do let us know if you are running /competing in any event.

Dublin Marathon. Our first three male finishers were Gerard Cuddy 2 hrs 45 mins, Louise Coyne 2:53:49 and Seamus Coyne 3:23:04, while our first three female finishers were Grainne Ui Uallachain 2:57:23, Katie O’Regan 3:14:18, and Christine Kennedy 3:26:25 and 3rd F60. Michael Greene 2nd M70 in 3:50:29.

Big shout out also to Marie Shiel, Larry Kelly, Mirko Warnke, Eamonn Brennan, Richard Simpson, Clare O’Shea, BB, Tom Breen John Moran Sinead Flannery Sandra Glennon,

Bridget Jacobsen, Elaine, Aoife Power, Lorraine Naughton, Mary Kealy Eve Daly, Paul Fallon

Niall Daly, David Niland, Mags, Helena Scannell, Emer O’Byrne, Imelda Ferguson, Mark Flaherty, Martina Acton, Izabela Polchowska, Jayne Killian, Tim Donnellan, Patrick Kenny. Well done everyone.

Frankfurt Marathon. Well done to our group of Frankfurt marathon athletes. Great running all round: Tony O Connor 2:53:03, Culan O Meara 2:57:06, Neasa de Burca 2:59:48, Sinead Foran 3:05:19, Jan Van Der Bergh 3:09:05.

New York Marathon. Congrats to Catherine Keane Murphy, Sinead Kelly and Riona Johnson who completed the New York marathon. Great achievement ladies.

Upcoming Events/News

Sunday 8th December:  European Cross Country Championships. The Very Best of Luck to Thomas McStay and the Irish Junior Mens Team in Lisbon this Sunday.

Sunday 8th December: Claregalway 5k Jingle Bells Fun run/walk @ 11am . Plus Juvenile 1k run for u11s and u14s @12pm. Late registration on the morning 9.30am-10.45am in Coláiste Bhaile Chláir.

https://www.active.com/claregalway-cogalway/running/distance-running/claregalway-5k-christmas-fun-run-walk-08-dec-2pm-2019

Wednesday 11th December: AIT Baseline 2019. Indoor Track & Field Meet, Athlone IT @6.30pm. Closing date 9th Dec.

Sunday 15th December: National Novice Cross Country Championships, Dunboyne. The club are currently putting men’s and women’s teams together. Any more takers – Wednesday 4th December by 10pm is the deadline for team entry. Contact club secretary.

Thursday 26th December: Fields of Athenry 10k.  Start @11am

https://athenryac.wufoo.com/forms/s1guvrzk0n79500/

Wednesday 1st January 2020: Resolution Run 5k. Galway.  Start @11am.

https://www.runireland.com/events/resolution-run/

Recent Nov/Dec results

Well done to our GCH mens senior team that competed at the recent National Senior Cross Country Championships over a tough 10k course. And to our Junior Men’s team led in by bronze medalist Thomas McStay. Check out our Juvenile section for Juvenile and Junior race reports/news.

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