Sunday 31 August 2014

Training resumes at the RSC on Mondays & Wednesdays

Club training will resume at the RSC tomorrow on Mondays & Wednesday at the RSC at 6.15pm. There will be other sessions on Thursdays and at weekends for the various groups.

Tuesday 19 August 2014

Fintan Walsh's weekly blog

European Athletic Championships

Two Ferrybank AC athletes competed in the individual and relay events
at the European Championships in Zurich last week Thomas Barr in the
400 metres hurdles and 4 x 400 metres relay and Kelly Proper in the
200 metres  and 4 x 100 metres  relay.Much was expected of Thomas Barr
in the 400 metres hurdles as he was ranked third in Europe going into
the Championships.after many top class performances during the summer
despite starting his season late being held up in his preparations
with an injury. First into action on Tuesday morning in the heats of
the event he ran from lane 1 and looked very comfortable winning the
race in 49.79 seconds  and easily making the semi finals. In his semi
final on Wednesday afternoon running from lane 5 and starting well he
then seemed to have problems in the third 100 metres of the race but
then got going with two hurdles to clear and as usual finished very
strongly to finish a close third in 49.30 but missing out on automatic
qualification spot by one place -the first two automatically going
through. He then had to wait for the final heat to see if he still
might make it but unfortunately it was the fastest heat and Thomas
lost out. In the post race interview Thomas referred to a back problem
re occurring and that he had a few sessions of physio before the race
.not an ideal preparation. Thomas will be very disappointed with
missing out but at  just 22 years will have lots of time to turn in
top class performances hopefully in major championships in the years
ahead. Its worth pointing out that the winner of the title Hussein
from Switzerland won the semi final that Thomas contested and in the
final had a personal best of 48.96 a time Thomas has run.

Kelly Proper

The championships for Kelly Proper were a success as she came out of
her heat of the 200 metres on Thursday morning in 23.37 an automatic
qualifier in 4 th place for the semi final later that afternoon. In
that semi final against the very best opposition she posted a personal
best time of 23.15 seconds to finish fifth a stride or so behind the
fourth placed athlete but unfortunately only two went through to the
final. Kelly as usual gave it her very best shot and her PB in the
semi final was hihly commendable She was also a member of the Irish 4
x 100 metres relay team  Niamh Whelan was also on the 4 x 100 metres
relay panel but did not get a run.

Relays

Kelly and Thomas were both back in action on Saturday on relay duty.
Running second in the 4 x 100 metres relay semi-final, Kelly ran a
fine leg as the team failed by just one place to make the final, they
did however set a new national record of 43.84 seconds. Thomas was
running the final leg in the sem-final of the 4 x 400 metres relay and
he ran an absolute blinder as Ireland took third spot with the new
national record of 3.03.57 to automatically qualify for Sunday's
final. In that final the team with one change from Saturday, with Mark
English included, they beat their new record with a time of 3.01.67 to
finish fifth overall and again Thomas ran a terrific last leg.

Good Performances

Despite the fact that the Irish team only took home one bronze medal
through Mark English in the 800 metres, there were other good
performances by Paul Robinson, fourth in the 1,500 metres final,
while Fionnula Britton was eighth in the 10,000 metres final and tenth
in her first ever marathon and the two relay teams also did quite
well.


National Community Games Finals

On Saturday and Sunday next the National Community Games Athletic
Finals are in Athlone with the majority of the finals on the Sunday. A
big Waterford contingent will be competing there and we wish all a
very enjoyable and successful week end. the programme begins at 9 am
both days  On Sunday 31 st August  the Munster ( B ) Juvenile
Championships are in  Templemore. and this will wind up the Track and
Field season.

15th Annual Glaxosmithkline 5

The final race in the Ger Wyley Sports/Skins Series is on Friday next
in Dungarvan.Its the15 th Annual Glaxosmithkline 5 miles and entries
will be taken at the Dungarvan United Football club Pavillion,
Kilrush, Dungarvan from 6.15 pm.race starts at 7.30 pm sharp, the
proceeds this year go to Hospice.. The first 250 entrants will receive
a techinical t- shirt.  The overall  prizes for the series will be
presented on the night.

Other Road Races

Friday August  29 th Genzyme 5 miles run and walk starting at Genzyme
Factory Old Kilmeaden Road,  on outskirts of Waterford , walk 6.30 pm
,run 7 pm. in aid of Multiple Sclerosis. Cill Barra/Ballybeg 6 KM run
and walk Saturday September 6 th at 6 pm at Cill/Barra Sports Centre,
Ballybeg .Waterford. Sunday Sept 14 th Annual 5 Miles Hurthill Run
Faithlegg 1 pm.

Ballyduff 5 Miles won by Harty

Philip Harty West Waterford was the very impressive winner of the
Ballyduff Lower 5 miles run on Friday last in excellent weather
conditions. Leading from the gun he was first home in 26 minutes  17
seconds,Trevor Power Waterford AC was second in 26.53 and David Power
Rathfarnham Dublin a native of Tramore was third in 28.14  Sylvia
Malone Waterford AC was first lady home in 31.45,Mary Molloy from the
Clonmel area was second in  33.19 and Joan Mahony Waterford AC third
in  33.27.


 .

Tuesday 5 August 2014

Fintan Walsh's weekly blog

All Ireland Master's in Tullamore

Lots of athletes from Waterford clubs are expected to compete at the
All Ireland Master's Track and Field Championships in Tullamore on
Sunday next in several age groups men and women. First event for a
very long day's competition is at 11 am.

Celtic Games in Dublin

On Saturday next the Annual Celtic Games under age International is in
Santry Stadium in Dublin with Ireland,Scotland and Wales involved with
track and field events for under 16 and under 18 athletes. On the
Irish team are the following Waterford athletes; Aisling Quinn 3000
metres, Ă“rlaith O'Brien Javelin, Neasa Murphy high jump, Ferrybank AC
and Jurig Kanass West Waterford is in the pole vault. The team is
managed by John Mc Grath West Waterford and the coach is David Murphy
Waterford. An Irish development team is also competing  and Stephen
Walsh Ferrybank is on the relay team...First event 12 noon and full
timetable for both events on Athletics Ireland website.

Piltown 10 KM

 184 competed in the final race of the Outfield Sports 3 County
Challenge in Piltown on Friday last the Morris Oil 10 Km and Philip
Harty West Waterford was the easy winner in 32 minutes 11 seconds,
Noel Murphy Waterford AC was second in 33.18 and Danny Smith
Ballynonty  third in 33.28. Siobhan Doherty Borrisokane again easily
won the ladies section in 36.17, Angela Mc Cann Clonmel was second in
38.53 and Dymphna Ryan Dundrum was third in 40.47.The overall winners
of the series were Noel Murphy Waterford and Mary MolloyClonmel

22 nd Annual Marine Climb 6 Mile Road Race'

On Friday next August 8 th another race in the Ger Wyley Sports/Skins
Series will be in the County the 22 nd Annual Marine Climb 6 miles.
Entries for the race for all over 16 yrs will be taken in St. Joseph's
Primary School, Dungarvan. The event starts close-by at 7.30 pm and it
goes out the Cork Road and then left to finish at the Marine Bar in
Pulla, Ring. As this is as an A to B course, starting in Dungarvan and
finishing near Ring you may need to organise a lift to get back to
your car.

Island Run on Sunday

The 6 th Annual Balance Fitness Island Run over 5 Km in the grounds of
Waterford Castle has a 1 pm start on Sunday next. Entries on
runireland or on the day at the venue and competitors are reminded to
arrive early as a ferry operates from the mainland to the island.

Track and Field Fixtures August

 Saturday 9 th  Celtic Games Morton Stadium, Sunday 10 th National
Masters Track & Field Championships Tullamore,12 th to 17 th  European
Championships Track & Field Zurich, Saturday 23 rd Sunday 24 th
Community Games Finals Athlone, 16 th to 28 th  Youth Olympic Games
China, Sunday 31 st Munster ( B ) Juvenile Championships  Templemore.

Road Races August

 Friday next 8 th Marine Climb 6 miles Ger Wyley Sports/Skins Series
Dungarvan 7.30 pm, Sunday next 10 th Island 5 Km Run Waterford Castle
Grounds 1 pm. Friday 15 th  5 miles Road Race, Ballyduff Lower. Co
Waterford near Kilmeaden 7.00 pm ( please note time ), Friday 22 nd
Glaxosmithkline 5 Miles Dungarvan Ger Wyley Sports/Skins Series Friday
29 th Gensyme 5 Miles Old Kilmeaden Road Waterford 7 pm.

European Championships

Next week we will take a look at the European Athletic Championships
which begin in Zurich on Tuesday August 12 th. Last Friday the women's
4 x 100 metres relay panel of six was announced and Kelly Proper and
Niamh Whelan are included,the final four to run will be chosen later.
Thomas Barr will be in action this Tuesday morning in the first round
of the 400 metres hurdles and if he progresses he will be in the semi
final on Wednesday and Kelly Proper will run the 200 metres heats on
Thursday morning.

Monday 4 August 2014

Bronze for Hayley at the World Junior Championships

Huge congrats to Hayley Fitzsimons who has won the bronze medal in the discus at the world junior paralympics championships in the UK today. Hayley will compete in the shot & javelin later in this week. Best of luck Hayley!