from Jeremy Lyons The Munster Open Championships took place in Cork last Monday. The biggest shock of the day was in the Junior Women’s 100m when Eilish Fitzpatrick from Gneeveguilla beat the Intervarsity Champion Niamh Whelan from Ferrybank and Joan Healy of Bandon. The race showed the strength that is coming through in women’s sprinting with Fitzpatrick clocking 11.89. Clare Fitzgerald of Tralee Harriers won the shot and discus and this was fresh on the back of achieving the European Junior standard for the Shot in the Kerry Championships the previous Friday.
Ferrybank’s Billy Ryan showed he is over his recent injury difficulties with a comfortable 48.97 to win the 400m while Ireland’s answer to Daylon Robles, Edmund O’ Halloran (Leevale), dipped under 15 seconds to win the Junior 110m hurdles in 14.96. The middle distance juniors showed good promise with Liam Markham (Ennis Track) and Shane Quinn (Ferrybank) winning the 1500m (3:58) and 3000m (8:38) respectively. Both these are within the European Youth Olympic standard. Also in the Junior men, Pole Vaulter Thomas Houlihan (West Waterford) set a new championship best with 4.20.
Laura Crowe of An Riocht had a nice 400/800 double in the Senior Women while Rob Heffernan (Togher) warmed up nicely for the season ahead with a 38:48 in the 10,000 walk. Clonliffe’s John Laffey set a new championship record when easily winning the men’s 400 in 48.03 while Mark Hanrahan (Leevale) took the honours in the Senior 1500.
The Dublin Graded was held in blustery conditions on Wednesday night with a strong headwind hindering the sprinters. Intervarsity champion, Claire Bergin (DSD) won the women’s 200m in 25.56 into a -3.5 wind while Niall Dunne (Crusaders) edged out clubmate Steven Colvert in the men’s 200m in a winning time of 22.67 to Colvert’s 22.69.
Becky Woods (Clonliffe) beat training partner Louise Reilly to take the women’s 1500m while Emmet Dunleavy (Sligo) deprived Clonliffe of a 1500m double when beating Conor Healy in 3:54.24.
Finally, fresh off the wires is reports that Ian McDonald has opened his season with a 14.02 over the 110m hurdles in Knoxville, USA. At the same meet Steve Fleming jumped to an Irish lead of 7.09 in the long jump.