To say that the weekend's events were a success would be an understatement. Having a record number, 27 athletes to be precise, taking part in a range of events across all ages, was a great achivement. The medal haul was impressive also with 2 Gold, 1 Silver and 4 Bronze.
The weekend's events started on Friday night. The cold damp evening in Santry was lit up with Rathfarnham's Isobel Mullarney winning the Under 18 Shot Put title.
Saturday's action in Santry started with Jodie Ritchie making her track debut in the Girls Under 9 500m race. The U/10 Girls 500m featured Zoe Ritchie, who won gold in a hard fought race. The 600m Under 12 Girls featured Sophie Fasenfeld, Abbey Kelly, Lucie Ritchie and Elena Cullen. The Girls Under 13 600m were next up. Sophie Ritchie and Fortune Chukwu both qualified from their heats to make the final. Sophie won bronze in the final, and Fortune finished in a brave 6th position. Other Girls in the 600m were Lorna Sheehan, Yamina Latif, Clodagh Cullen and Grace O'Neill. In the Under 14 Girls 800m, Ellie Stapleton finished 7th and Isabelle Doyle also ran. In the U/15 Girls 800m Eilis O'Neill finished 7th. Away from the track, Sophie Ritchie won silver in the U/13 Shot Put. Alannah Fasenfeld came 3rd in the U/13 High Jump, earning herself a bronze medal. In the Under 10 Boys 500m, Dara Mulvihill qualified from his heat and won a bronze. Fionn Kelly and Ryan O'Neill also put in fine performances in their heats. In the Under 12 Boys 600m, Evan Sheehan, Billy Conroy and Cian Mulvihill all ran in the Rathfarnham colours. In the U/18 800m Richard Keogh won gold. In the Long Jump, Ryan O'Neill, Dara Mulvihill, Cillian Mc Cabe, Billy Conroy, Cian Mulvihill and Ian Kirwan all jumped in their respective age groups.
Tallaght AC track was the venue for Sunday's Relay action. The club was well represented with 6 relay teams in total going to competition. In the Boys Under 10 (4x100), Matthew Smyth, Ryan O'Neill, Fionn Kelly,Dara Mulvihill finished 5th in their heat. In the Girls Under 12 (4x100) Lucie Ritchie, Abbey Kelly, Elena Cullen, Sophie Fasenfeld, finished a close 4th to just miss out in a place in the final. In the Under 12 Boys (4x100) Evan Sheehan, Billy Conroy, Cian Mulvihill, Matthew Lydon finished 5th. The Under 13 Girls ( 4x100) Rathfarnham A team, Alannah Fasenfeld, Sophie Ritchie, Clodagh Cullen, Fortune Chukwu, qualified for the final by winning their heat by an impressive margin. In the final the Rathfarnaham quartet finished in 3rd behind Blackrock and Clonliffe Harriers to clam bronze. In the Under 13 (4x100) B team, Ava Doyle, Lorna Sheehan, Jessica Doyle, Yamina Latif put in a brave performance in their heat finishing 8th. In the Under 14 Girls (4x200) Isabelle Doyle, Ellie Stapleton, Aoibheann Mc Dermott, Alannah Cullen finished 5th in their heat.
Well done to all our young athletes who took part over the weekend. Congratulations to those who won medals and qualified for the Nationals in Athlone. Thanks also to parents for their continued support.
Girls Under 13 (4x100) relay team. L to r Fortune Chukwu, Clodagh Cullen, Sophie Ritchie, Alannah Fasenfeld.
