Sun shines for first round of Westmeath Cross Country

There was a good turn out for the first round of the Westmeath Cross Country Championships in Belvedere on Sunday.The course looked great and despite the very heavy rain of the afternoon before, the ground was quite firm and with a clear bright morning and only a light breeze, running conditions were ideal.Round One was for boys and girls under 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 years of age. Competitors came from all across the county and included a number of newcomers who had run in the recent Westmeath Schools Cross Country event held at the same Belvedere venue.This was the first time that the new longer cross country race distances introduced by AAI for 2010 were used and the increased distances added to the challenge but most coped very well, especially those who have been training regularly.Belvedere will be the venue for the first Leinster Cross Country Championship, which will be for the juvenile even ages, so last Sunday gave everyone a preview of what to expect on 24th October and they know they need to keep training hard between now and then to be ready for the longer distances.There were some very good individual performances last Sunday but as Championship cross country running is also about team running, Club officials were keeping a close eye on everyone’s performance, particularly the newcomers. The results of Round One and of Round Two this coming Sunday will be used to select teams to represent the Club and Westmeath in the upcoming Leinster Championships and it looks like the county will be fielding strong teams. The results of the Novice and Master men and women races this Sunday will also be used to select Club and County teams for the Leinster Championships.Thanks to all who helped last Sunday recording the results and stewarding on the course and to the many parents who came and supported the competitors.The results of Round 1 were:Under 10 girls 1,000m - 1. Aoife Darby (Killucan), 2. Elysia Greene (Monilea), 3. Amy Maxwell (Ballymore), 4. Victoria Carr (Kilpatrick), 5. Jennifer Fidgeon (Rathconnell), 6. Ciara Smyth, 7. Rachel Darby (Killucan), 8. Rebecca Scully (Kilpatrick), 9. Katie Ennis (Ballymore).Under 12 girls 2,000m - 1. Meabh McNulty (Killucan), 2. Niamh Quinn (Bracklyn), 3. Alanna Bate (Knockdrin), 4. Alisha Martin (Mullingar), 5. Louise Gannon (Mullingar), 6. Daria Fidgeon (Rathconnell), 7. Adeola Ojomo-Amaka (Mullingar), 8. Katie Daly (Mullingar), 9. Caoimhe Gaffney (Delvin), 10. Julie Gannon (Brookfield), 11. Aoife Doherty (Gaybrook), 12. Aisling McLoughlin, 13. Emma Derham (Mullingar), 14. Ailbhe Mulvihill (Rathcoleman).Under 14 girls 3,000m - 1. Aisling Moody (Gaybrook), 2. Claire Fagan (Lynn), 3. Caoimhe Kelly (Streamstown), 4. Laura Whitelaw (Mullingar), 5. Hilary Harris (Rathowen), 6. Faye Walsh (Mullingar), 7. Lauren Doherty (Gaybrook), 8. Lucy Langley (Mullingar).Under 16 girls 4,000m - 1. Ciara Hewson (Maynooth), 2. Linda Conroy (Kilbeggan), 3. Lorraine Daly (Tyrrellspass), 4. Lorna Moody (Gaybrook), 5. Caoimhe Shaw (Lynn), 6. Victoria Harris (Rathowen).Under 18 girls 5,000m - 1. Anna Ryan (Rathconrath).Under 10 boys 1,000m - 1. John Whitelaw (Mullingar), 2. Andrew Daly (Mullingar), 3. Eoghan Quinn (Bracklyn), 4. Charlie Drumm (Collinstown), 5. Enda Gaffney (Delvin), 6. Andrew Shaw (Mullingar), 7. Peter Hynes (Mullingar), 8. Damien Leavy, 9. Michael Doherty (Gaybrook), 10. Rory Fagan, 11. Colin Smyth, 12. Odhran Mulvihill (Rathcoleman), 13. Thomas Kennedy, 14. Paul McCool (Cloghan), 15. Cathal Bracken (Mullingar), 16. Sean Dernan, 17. Donal Mulvihill (Rathcoleman). Under 12 boys 2,000m - 1. Jack Moran (Multyfarnham), 2. James Drumm (Collinstown), 3. Andrew Hogan (Mullingar), 4. Jonah Kelly (Delvin), 5. Mark McCann (Killucan), 6. Joseph Robinson, 7. Eunan Lagan (The Downs), 8. Declan Rodgers, 9. Sean Scanlon, 10. Niall Derham (Mullingar), 11. Eoghan Fagan (Crookedwood), 12. Andrew Finnerty (Multyfarnham), 13. Odhran Hannon, 14. Conor Leavy.Under 14 boys 3,000m - 1. Glen Gaffney (Delvin), 2. Oisín Quinn (Bracklyn), 3. Cormac Dalton (Lynn), 4. Mervyn Harris (Rathowen), 5. Patrick Shaw (Lynn), 6. Declan Brady (Collinstown), 7. Kevin Giles (Kinnegad), 8. Eoghan Gallagher (Milltownpass), 9. Alan Farrell, 10. Niall Brady (Collinstown), 11. Eoghan Sheridan (Irishtown), 12. Leon McGarry.Under 16 boys 4,000m - 1. Thomas Lynn (Ballynacarrigy), 2. Padraig Moran (Multyfarnham), 3. Jack Reid (Rochfortbridge), 4. Ryan Blundell (Gaybrook).Under 18 boys 6,000m - 1. Adam Daly (Mullingar), 2. Robert Yorke (Longford), 3. Stephen Nea (Mullingar), 4. Jonathan Daly (Mullingar), 5. Ian McCormack (Delvin).The second round will be this Sunday (10th Oct) and will be for boys and girls under 9 years to 19 years, and for men and women junior, novice, senior and master.Juvenile Club and County teams for the Leinster Championships will be picked after the second round and will be based on the results from both rounds.The Leinster Championships take place over two Sundays, with two weeks between each, so juvenile athletes can run in their own age-group and can move up an age-group to make up teams, so we expect all juveniles to compete in both rounds of the Westmeath Championships or they might be disappointed not to be selected on teams for the Leinster Championships.A few juveniles were unavoidably missing last Sunday, but that’s okay and they’ll still be considered for team selection.Galway Bay Half MarathonThe official website for the 2010 Galway Bay Half Marathon, which was run last Saturday (2nd Oct) tells us that the route is fast, flat, fun and very scenic and was changed this year to keep the nice bits and eliminate the nasty bits, and consisted of a double circuit that keeps the splendour of Galway Bay in view all of the time.Of course Mullingar was represented to test the veracity of the website publicity!A very large entry as usual, among them our own Martin Lyons and Sinead Roche, started at the Claddagh and the strong wind on the Bay made for testing but manageable running conditions, according to Martin.A short one mile warm-up lap was followed by two long laps of a relatively nice course but with some difficult twists and turns in places to break up the rhythm and stride patterns.Despite picking up a slight upper leg injury that hampered him especially over the final three miles, Martin battled on and finished second in 1:15:51, which is a new personal best for the distance but he was still a bit disappointed because he knew there was more in him and only for the leg problem he would have gone with the eventual race winner at the 4 mile mark and made a good race of it. This was still a very good performance.Sinead meanwhile clearly liked the new course too and was having a really excellent race and was very pleased to finish third lady in 1:32 and claim a prize. Well done to Martin and Sinead.Club vestsRemember, you must wear a Club vest in Championships, so newcomers in particular are encouraged to buy their own vest any night at training.Website GremlinsYou might have noticed that the Club’s website has been “frozen” for over a week and the “latest news” is actually fast going out of date.There is a problem that is challenging the boffins that host the website and so far they haven’t been able to fix it and new results and reports can’t be added, such as the results of the Westmeath schools cross country, among others, but this is outside our control and we hope to have the site back up and running normally very soon.Fixtures10th Westmeath AAI Cross Country (uneven, junior, senior, master) Belvedere 11am17th Gerry Farnan Cross Country & Masters Trials, Phoenix Park24th Leinster Cross Country (even ages, Novice, Master), Belvedere25th Dublin City Marathon, incorporating AAI Marathon ChampionshipsTraining continues each Tuesday and Thursday from the Clubhouse in Grange at 7pm and at Belvedere on Sunday mornings at 11am. For results, news and details of all upcoming fixtures check the Club’s website at www.mullingarharriers.com.Top competitionOver 2,000 athletes, teachers and parents descended on Belvedere last Wednesday for the Westmeath Schools Cross Country, an extremely popular event organised by Mullingar Harriers AC with the assistance of various teachers, and now firmly established in the local sports calendar.Every race was very competitive, and it took some serious running to get among the medals. The standard of competition was excellent and Westmeath can be very proud of the level of fitness on show.John Foley, CEO of Athletics Ireland was on hand to see for himself the phenomenal success that is the Westmeath Schools Cross Country and was very impressed by what he witnessed.The only losers were the Schools that didn’t send pupils to take part. Individual medals aside, competition was very keen among the primary schools in the team event and arrangements will be made to distribute the medals for the first three teams in each race to the schools involved.The course was very well marked out due to the hard work put in by volunteers over several days before the event. Many thanks to everyone who helped on the day supervising the parking of cars and buses, stewarding the course, starting the races, recording the finishers, distributing medals, and all the other tasks required to hold an event like this.Sincere thanks also to Bartle D’Arcy, General Manager of Belvedere and his staff and to Brian Gillen, Civil Defence Officer and his team of volunteers for providing First Aid and ambulance cover.The first three individuals and first three in the Primary School team competition are as follows:Primary Schools ResultsGirls First class: 1. Síofra Ní Léannacháin (Mullingar Educate Together) 2. Caoimhe Brady (Edmonton) 3. Bea Drummond (Ardnagrath). Teams 1. St. Kenny’s, 2. Ardnagrath, 3. Mullingar ETNS.2nd class: 1. Nicola Groenewald (St. Colman’s) 2. Ellie O’Brien (Loughegar) 3. Francesca Walsh (The Downs). Teams 1. Loughegar, 2. St. Kenny’s, 3. St. Colman’s.3rd class: 1. Megan Dowdall (Loughegar) 2. Ciara Faulkner (The Downs) 3. Victoria Carr (Gaelscoil an Mhuillinn). Teams 1. Gaelscoil an Mhuillinn, 2. The Downs, 3. St. Etchen’s.4th class: 1. Aoife Darby (St. Joseph’s Rathwire) 2. Anna Jones (St. Colman’s) 3. Elysia Greene (Gaelscoil an Mhuillinn). Teams 1. Gaelscoil an Mhuillinn, 2. Mullingar Educate Together, 3. Ardnagrath.5th class: 1. Niamh Quinn (St. Ernan’s Delvin) 2. Ellen Cronin (St. Joseph’s Rathwire) 3. Mary Dunne (St. Joseph’s Rathwire). Teams 1. St. Joseph’s Rathwire, 2. Gaelscoil an Mhuillinn, 3. St. Colman’s.6th class: 1. Meabh McNulty (St. Joseph’s Rathwire) 2. Adeola Ojoma-Amaka (Mullingar ETNS) 3. Rachel Glennon (Coralstown). Teams 1. Gainstown, 2. GS an Mhuillinn, 3. St. Joseph’s Rathwire.Boys 1st class: 1. Sammy Clarke (Rathwire) 2. Lorcan Mullen (The Downs) 3. Cian Daly (GS an Mhuillinn). Teams 1. St. Joseph’s Rathwire, 2. St. Tola’s, 3. Loughegar.2nd: 1. Deji (Mullingar ETNS) 2. Sean Gorman (St. Joseph’s Rathwire) 3. Ciaran Looby (St. Coleman’s). Teams 1. The Downs, 2. St. Joseph’s, 3. Mullingar ETNS.3rd: 1. Owen Coakley (Milltown) 2. Andrew Daly (St. Colman’s) 3. Eoin Quinn (St. Kenny’s). Teams 1. St. Etchen’s K’gad, 2. St. Ernan’s Delvin, 3. St. Joseph’s Rathwire.4th class: 1. Jack Moran (Multy) 2. Joseph Cronin (St. Joseph’s Rathwire) 3. John Whitelaw (Gainstown). Teams 1. St. Joseph’s Rathwire, 2. GS an Mhuillinn, 3. Gainstown; 5th class: 1. Andrew Hogan (St. Colman’s) 2. James Drumm (St. Tola’s) 3. Conor Hayden (St. Kenny’s). Teams 1. St. Colman’s, 2. The Downs, 3. GS an Mhuillinn; 6th class: 1. Cormac Dalton (Gainstown) 2. Michael Moran (Multyfarnham) 3. Patrick Shaw (St. Colman’s). Teams 1. St. Cremin’s, 2. St. Colman’s, 3. St. Etchen’s Kinnegad.Secondary SchoolsGirls First Year: 1. Annie Daly (The Bower) 2. Aisling Moody (St. Joseph’s Rochfortbridge) 3. Caoimhe Kelly (Moate Community College)Second year: 1. Nicole Cuskelly (Guest)(Tullamore) 2. Edel Glennon (St. Finian’s Mullingar) 3. Caoimhe Shaw (Loreto Mullingar)3rd & TY: 1. Linda Conroy (Mercy Kilbeggan) 2. Lorraine Daly (Mercy Kilbeggan) 3. Kate Burke (The Bower)5th & 6th year: 1. Sionnan O’Reilly-Collins (Athlone Community Coll) 2. Anna Ryan (Loreto) 3. Catherine Murtagh (Loreto)Boys First Year: 1. Glen Gaffney (CBS Mullingar) 2. Oisin Quinn (CBS Mullingar) 3. Chinnie Izuchkuc (Guest)(Tullamore) Second year: 1. Jack Reid (St. Joseph’s R’bridge) 2. Barry Mooney (Tullamore) 3. Mervyn Harris (Wilson’s Hospital); 3rd & TY: 1. Padraig Moran (CBS Mgar) 2. Ryan Blundell (CBS Mgar) 3. Liam O’Reilly (St. Joseph’s Rochfortbridge); 5th & 6th: 1. Thomas Lynn (St. Finian’s) 2. Thomas Fagan (Moate Community Coll) 3. Stephen Nea (CBS Mgar)