New 100m Club Record for Pauric Feely

The Ulster schools district finals were held in Templemore Sports Complex, Derry last Wednesday with many fine performances from our club athletes.

With such a fine group of young sprinters in the club at the moment it was inevitable that the senior club record of 11.8 seconds held by John Lynch since 1982 was going to be broken, as it happens not only was it broken once but twice in the space of twenty minutes. Joe Mc Ginley competing in the Intermediate boys broke it in the heats with a fine run in a time of 11.60 seconds, a time that he equalled again in the final where he finished 2nd. Pauric Feely was next up in the senior 100m where he broke Joe's new record by 6 hundreds of a second to record a time of 11.54 seconds to finish 3rd. As it was both boys first 100m race of the season we can look forward to this time being reduced again and again. Congratulations and well done to both. Pauric also competed in the triple jump where he took 2nd spot.

Breda McGinty won the junior girls 1500m and finished 3rd in the 200m. Ian Ward was in a class of his own winning the junior boys 1500m. Gavin McCrudden also had an easy victory in the junior boys Javelin with a 34.50m (500grm) throw.

Paul Doherty had a great victory in the junior boys 80m hurdles. Geraldine Kelly won the intermediate girls Long Jump and took 2nd place in the Triple Jump. Michael Reid also had a good day, picking up two medals, a silver in the Javelin and a bronze in the Discus. Brendan Culhane came away with a new P.B. in the intermediate boys Hammer with a throw of 27.70m.

Laura Friel was narrowly beaten into 2nd place in the High Jump on countback. Jackie Gibson took 3rd place in the junior girls 800m. Shauna Guthrie, Mairead McGill and Fionnuala Bruton qualified in the junior girls 1200m Walk. Charlene Kelly qualified in the 2000m Walk.

Nikki Alcorn qualified in both the 3000m and the 2000m Walk. The Ulster Schools finals take place this Friday at the Mary Peters Track in Belfast and on Saturday in Bangor. Good Luck to all.

Academy of Irish Athletics

The academy of Irish athletics was officially launched on Sunday last in ALSAA, Dublin by double World cross country champion and Olympic silver medallist John Treacy, Chairman of the Irish Sports Council. Our athletes who were invited to be members of the academy were Geraldine Kelly, Nikki Alcorn, Maeve Culhane, Pauric Feely, Alan Cavanagh, Mark McGowan, Diarmuid Fullerton, Ciaran McConnell and Matthew Larkin.

It was a very successful day with the athletes getting advice on competition pathways, injury prevention, nutrition and doping control before going to their specific events for coaching followed by a nice meal. They all enjoyed the experience and look forward to the next meeting of the academy in the autumn.

Finn Valley area Schools

The two Finn Valley area qualifiers for the primary school sports were also held last week with many very good performances from our younger athletes. The finals will be held on Wednesday June the 9th at the Finn Valley centre and it would be very much appreciated if as many parents and club athletes as possible turn up to help out on the day.

The Donegal club championships are being held this Sunday at the Finn Valley Centre.

Football

Congratulations to club athletes Ross Wherity and Mark McGowan who scored the winning goal, who were members of Saint Eunan's College soccer team that won the Irish colleges U/16 cup final.

Bernie Alcorn, P.R.O.