Olympic Position for Valley Coach.

The news that club chairman Patsy McGonagle has been appointed Irish
senior team manager until the end of 2008 has been welcomed with great
enthusiasm by local athletic followers.  The schedule of events
includes the Bejing Olympics in 2008, the European Indoors, World
Championships, Osaka, Japan, etc.  This follows the very successful
Europeans in Goteborg.  Patsy has managed previously at World and
European at every major championship level and is Irelands most
experienced team leader. It is an exciting challenge on top of Sydney
2000 and he was manager of the training camp pre Athens 2004. His first
international task was in 1992 in World Juniors in Soeul.  Prior to
Christmas he travels to China to locate a training camp and travels to
the U.S. to visit the team members training at various locations; one
other task he has in what will be a busy period is to source an Irish
training location in a warm location in Europe.  Also travelling with
an Irish squad shortly is Neil Martin who accompanies the national half
marathon squad to Debrechen, Hungary for the world championship.

Good news from England is the 10k. victory at the weekend by John
Creane, 32.40.  The "Back to Basics" workshop held on Friday night last
at the club centre proved successful 30 plus in attendance from various
athletic clubs led by Jim Kilty.

The opening cross-country meetings of the new season is on September
27th with the primary schools involved and secondary schools on the
following day September 28th at Finn Valley.

Any adult club member available to officiate would be really welcome.
1400 competed in these events in 2005.

The club A.G.M. is on October 2nd, all senior members are encouraged to
attend while a reminder goes out the the club membership forms are now
available at reception.

The club extends congratulations to Eamon Harvey Donegal Town recently
appointed development officer by Athletics Ireland.

The Donegal 5K. starts 11.15 on Sunday from the club centre and brings
to a conclusion the Donegal Mizuno Grand Prix.  Kieran McConnell has
just logged in a very encouraging season; Kieran, national Irish junior
champion 2006, has the following throw stats; Shot 6kg. 16.65 Birmingham
July 29th September; shot 7.26kg. 14.29m. Ware August 5th; discus
1.75kg. 46.06 Perivale June 11th; discus 2kg. 40.63 Ware August 5th
2006.  That shot performance is a Finn Valley club and county record. 
The club record was at 12.75m. to Sean Carlin in Strabane 1982 while
the county record stood to John Gallagher, Cruit Island, from 1943 set
in Thornton, Scotland.  John died some years ago in his native west
Donegal.  The county and club record in the discus stands still to Sean
Carlin at 42.62m. from the Army championships in the Curragh, Kildare
1979.