Sunday, May 20th, 2012 The Woodie’s DIY AAI Games at Morton Stadium today was held in much warmer conditions than yesterday’s bitterly cold weather. There was plenty of cheer for athletes who were searching for new PBs as well as achieving championship standards and Irish records.
The day started well when Marcus Lawlor (St. Laurence O’Toole AC) decimated a good 200m field to win comfortably in a new PB time of 21.42. The time is a new Irish youths record whish he set himself last month at the Leevale Sports. David Hynes (Menapians AC) chased him home in 21.57, with Chris Russell third in 21.64.
Dean Cronin (Blarney Inniscarra AC) took over the lead with a lap to go in the 800m and ran on strongly to win in a time of 1:50.45 which is inside the B standard for the World Junior championships. Shane Fitzsimons (Mullingar Harriers) made a determined effort to catch Cronin in the last 100m and closed significantly but had to settle for second in a time of 1:50.64, a new PB and a B standard for the World Juniors.
Paul Byrne (St. Abban’s AC) edged ahead of John Fagan (Clonliffe Harriers) in the closing stages of the 400m hurdles to win in 53.06 to Fagan’s 53.77.
Irish inter club cross country champion Eddie McGinley (Annadale Striders) won the 3,000m by a wide margin in a time of 8:24.74, with Fionnuala Britton sixth in 8:55.01, well inside her previous best of 9:02.11.
There was a new PB for Catherine McManus (Dublin City Harriers) who won the 100m hurdles in 13.88 from Sarah Lavin (Emerald AC) in 13.97. She made it a double with a clear-cut win in the 100m in a time of 12.00 against a headwind of 2.8.
The headwind was down to 0.7 for the men’s 100m with David Hynes a clear winner in a new PB of 10.64, with Chris Russell second in 10.86.
Another PB was achieved by Simon Taggart (Donore Harriers) who won the 110m hurdles in 14.19.
And Thomas Houlihan (West Waterford AC) had a new PB when winning the pole vault with a clearance of 4.60m.
Day Two: Aviva Leinster Schools’ Track and Field Championships
Day two of the Aviva Leinster Schools’ Track and Field Championships took place in Morton Stadium on Saturday 19th of May. The competition was held in cool and dry conditions with many of Ireland’s top underage talent on display in Santry.
Siofra Cleirigh Buttner (Colaiste Iosagain) was a clear winner of the intermediate girls 800m and 1500m titles. In the 800m Buttner recorded a time of 2.08.84, which was just shy of her own championship record that she set in last year’s event. Kevin Dooney (CBS Monkstown) broke clear on the final lap of the senior boys 5000m (15.52.84), which left him six seconds clear of Ian Guidan (St. Davids) 15.58.24. Mary Mulhare (Gaelcolaiste Ní Portloaise) won the senior girls 3000m with a time of 10.05.44.
Marcus Lawlor (CBS Carlow) and Cliodhana Manning (Loreto Kilkenny) claimed impressive sprint doubles in the senior sprint events. Lawlor recorded times of 10.99 (100m) and 21.77 (200m), while Manning impressed with 12.12 (100m) and 24.41 (200m).
Nessa Cooper-Millet (Kilkeeny College) 58.38 and Daragh McNamara (Tullamore College) 50.57 won the senior girls and boys 400m titles.
In the field events, Sarah Buggy (Castlecomer CS) broke the senior girls Triple Jump record with a winning leap of 11.49m. Rachel Swan (Rathdown) added one centimetre to the senior girls Pole Vault record, clearing 2.66m.
Sinead Burke (Maynooth PP) set a new championships record in the intermediate girls 2,000m Walk, recording a time of 10.02.43
The final event of the day was the senior boys relay, Blackrock College stormed to victory setting a new Leinster schools record 43.23