The Aviva All Ireland schools track and field championships provided a feast of underage athletics in the magnificent Tullamore Harriers stadium today, Saturday, June 2nd. The first event started at 9am and carried through to the last event at 6pm.
The championships had hardly begun before the first record was set in the girls intermediate hammer. Rachel Akers (Scariff CC) had a throw of 47.04m in the fourth round before improving significantly to 48.22m in the last round. Her throw improves on the record of 47.59m achieved by her sister Rachel in 2001.
Another record went in the inter girls discus which was won by Hannah O’Sullivan (Boherbue Comp School) with a throw of 43.04m, to improve on the record of Clare Fitzgerald who threw 41.92m in 2008.
Nessa Cooper Millet (Kilkenny College) equalled the senior girls 400m hurdles record when she won in a time of 60.63, ahead of Clar Ni Murchu (Gael cholaiste Cheatharlach) in 61.00.
In the sprints Zak Irwin (Sligo Grammar) recorded an impressive double when he won the inter boys 100m in 10.92 and the 200m in 22.31.
Marcus Lawlor (CBS Carlow) was equally impressive when completing the same double at senior level, the 100m in 10.72 and the 200m in 21.64.
Roisin Harrison (Villiers School) was another to impress with an intermediate sprint double, winning the 100m in 12.20 and the 200m in 25.01.
The junior boys 200m produced a new record for Sean Lawlor (Kylemore College) who won in a time of 23.16 to better the record of Colman O’Flaherty who clocked 23.2 in 1976.
The senior girls sprints were shared by Phil Healy (Colaiste na Toirbhirte Bandon) who won the 100m from Cliodhna Manning (Loreto Kilkenny), while the placings were reversed for the 200m.
Rachel O’Shea (Beara CS) won her first ever schools title when she won the Munster schools title two weeks ago and today followed up with her first ever All Ireland title when she cruised to victory in the senior girls 800m in a time of 2:10.9. She was content to stay off the pace for most of the race and only took over the lead in the last 200m, stretching away from Amy O’Donoghue (Villiers School Limerick) who was second in 2:12.9.
Siofra Cleirigh Buttner (Colaiste Iosagain) was an easy winner of the inter 800m in 2:10.27 to better Amy O’Donoghue’s 2:10.80 from 2010. She later completed a double when she won the 1,500m.
Karl Griffin (Abbey Vocational Donegal) put in a classy performance to win the senior 800m in 1:52.95 from David Harper (Rice College Westport) in 1:55.03.
Kate Veale (St. Augustine’s Dungarvan) added another walks title when she won the senior 3,000m walk in 13:01.15, while Lucas O’hIci (Colaiste Chriost Ri) won the senior boys 3,000m in 12:49.27.
Noelle Morrissey’s 1983 100m hurdles record of 14.1 was well broken by Sarah Lavin (Castleroy College) who won with plenty to spare in a time of 13.73, an A standard for the World juniors, earning her the Athlete of the Meet award.
Sean Tobin (Clonmel HS) tried to make all the running in the senior 1,500m but was overtaken by Shane Fitzsimons (Mullingar CBS) who was fastest of all on the last lap to win in 3:54.1 from Tobin in 3:55.6 and Patrick Monaghan (St. Colman’s Newry) in 3:57.7.
Emma Kelso (BRAI) equalled the record when she won the intermediate pole vault with a clearance of 2.90m.
The first ever girls intermediate steeplechase was won by Jessica Coyne (Crescent CC) in a time of 5:16.55.
The inter boys steeplechase was won impressively by Kyle Larkin (Ard Scoil Ris Limerick) in 4:26.61, while Michael Carey (High School Clonmel) was equally impressive when winning the senior title in 6:08.78.
Ben Kiely (Tramore CBS) won the senior 400m hurdles in 54.72, and then had to fight hard in the 400m to win in time of 49.72 in a closely fought finish from Jonny Browning (Antrim GS) in 49.85, and Darragh McNamara (Tullamore College) in 49.91.