End of Year for LAC Juveniles

Juvenile Athletics

July 2010

This weekend sees the last competitive AAI action for juvenile athletes and once again Letterkenny ac young squad head for Tullamore hoping to add more medals to an already successful season. Saturday sees the action involving 1500 metres and 200 metres and with the ever increasing standards rising, medals will be at a premium, Sunday involves the club and county relays.

Letterkenny middle distance runners have reached international standards with Darren McBrearty (20) already in Canada preparing for this week’s world junior championships and Mark English (17) qualifying for the world youth Olympics in Singapore during august. Mix in Ruari Finnegan (16) representing Irish schools in Scotland last weekend and surely this has been a golden era for the club.

Who knows? This weekend could throw up more starlets who can reach those standards over the next few years.

Saturday sees Ulster champions Natasha Mc Ardle and Peter Gibbons U/14 take on Ireland’s best in the 1500 metres. These two young athletes have been training diligently over the past few weeks and hopefully a visit to the medal rostrum. The more experienced Ruari Finnegan U16 and Adam Friel U19 hold the clubs hopes in the 1500 metres, Luke Bonner U16 returns to Tullamore two weeks after been fifth in the 100 metres final there and now moves up to 200 metres, he too can be well pleased with his first competitive year.

A touch of nostalgia involves Lisa Shiels U19 as this will be her last involvement in juvenile championships. Lisa since U12 age group amassed numerous sprint medals at national level over those years, both indoors and outdoors, not to mention dominating sprints at county and Ulster level. Celtic games competition and Sportshall athletics in Birmingham four times (u13 and U15). This young lady has done the club proud over the years and an appearance in the final of the 200m this weekend would be a fitting finale to a great club athlete.

Lisa`s coach Anthony Ward and club personal would like to thank her for her great contribution to the clubs success and wish her well in her leaving cert results. Hopefully Lisa will move into junior ranks and continue in this great sport.

Sundays relays also involve Lisa who will join up with Catherine Boyle, Monica O`Connor, Rose Boyle and Lauren O`Connell in club and county relays. The U13 boys will hope to emulate their success in the Indoors at Nenagh where these boys took a magnificent gold medal in the 4x100m relays, so good luck to Shane Irwin, Oisin Toal, Darragh Toal Lochlan Purdy and Ciaran Kelly. Needless to say all other clubs in Ireland will be anxious to put one over on the Letterkenny quartet.

Hopefully the boys can hold their nerve for this great challenge.

Following this weekend all juvenile training comes to a halt for a well deserved rest for both athletes and coaches.

Mid September will see a resumption of a new season with cross – country being the focus. Any youngster out there who wishes to emulate McBrearty, English, Finnegan and Shiels should consider this great sport and its rewards. See you in September.