Glenmore AC rack up impressive medal tally at Louth Track & Field Championships

It was a busy two days for Glenmore's juvenile athletes who were out in force with the return of the Louth Championships at the Bush track. The green vests of Glenmore claimed numerous podium positions across the two days in a variety of events. From hurdles to sprints, distance running to field events.

Day 1 got off to a flying start for the older athletes with Molly Anne Moore first on the podium to take gold in the tightly contested U15 80M hurdles. Katie McCourt followed up with another gold for the club in the U16 80M hurdles. Jonah Moore was unlucky to miss out on a medal in the boys U13 race, finishing just outside the medals in 4th place. 

The 200M sprints were next up on the track, with Zoe White putting in an impressive performance to win her heat.  She put in another great showing in the final to claim a top podium position and her first medal of the championships.

In the U14 boys, Sean Duffy ran the race of his life to claim a 3rd place bronze medal. Marc Byrne also put in a strong run in the U16 200M to claim a silver medal, with Daniel Connolly making a welcome return to the track with a bronze medal in the U17 boys 200M final.  

Sean Duffy finished the track events for the day to compete in the boys U14 1500m race. This was his first time to compete in this distance. He led from the gun, slowly growing his lead on the rest of the field to claim top position and his second medal of the day.

Over in the long jump pit, Jonah Moore fought a tightly contested battle to claim a well deserved 3rd place in the boys U13 competition.  In the U16 competition, Katie Mc Court also secured herself a bronze medal, her second of the day. Marc Byrne dominated the boys U16 event. 

Although not reaching his Personal Best, he secured top place on the podium, and his second medal of the day. Daniel Connolly also added to his medal tally, with a 2nd place finish in the U17 long jump. 

Molly Anne Moore closed out the day for Glenmore AC in the U15 girls high jump. A tightly fought battle, Molly Anne bowed out with a new PB of 1.35m and a silver medal for her troubles. Two out of two for this talented athlete.

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Day 2 of the championships brought the buzz of the younger athletes, and with them came the sun, making it a very pleasant experience for athletes and spectators alike.

The U15 girls got the day's proceedings underway at the long jump pit with a tightly contested competition. Molly Anne Moore was in the mix from her first jump, jumping a PB of 4.44m, which was enough to claim her a bronze medal. 

Zoe White followed this up with another PB of 4.24m in the U14 long jump competition, also claiming a 3rd place on the podium. Oscar Connolly put in six consistent jumps in the boys U15 long jump competition, to take a silver medal. 

Aaron Kane claimed his first championship medal in the boys U14 competition with a PB and a well deserved 3rd place. The younger athletes took to the long jump pit later in the day.  Ethan Kane showed what a talented young athlete he is, claiming a silver medal amongst a large field of athletes in the boys U10 long jump competition.  

All eyes were back on the track mid-morning for the sprint heats and finals. Ethan Kane added to his long jump medal to claim the first track medal of the day for Glenmore, winning the U10 60m sprints. 

Luke Ryan and Owen McGrath sailed through their heats in the U11 sprints, with Luke eventually taking the silver medal and Owen finishing a very credible 4th place. 

Harry McArdle fought his way through some tough competition in the U12 boys 60m race, showing what a power house he is to claim a 3rd place finish in the final. 

Zoe White and Gillian Tuohy stormed their way into the 100M U14 final, but it was Zoe who topped the podium to claim a second sprint gold and her 3rd medal of the championships. Gillian ran a great race but was unfortunate to finish outside the medals in 4th place.

Oscar Connolly also claimed his 3rd medal of the championships with a superb run in the boys U15 sprint to claim 3rd place. James Mayne closed off the sprint medals for Glenmore AC, powering down the 100M straight to claim silver in a very competitive U16 boys competition.

It was back to the field events for Glenmore athletes, with a large number of athletes competing across shot putt, turbo javelin and high jump. 

In the turbo javelin competition, Ethan Kane made it three medals from three competitions with a super throw to claim another 2nd place finish in the U10 competition, rounding up a very successful competition for this very talented athlete. 

Luke Ryan also collected another silver medal in the U11 boys turbo competition, his second medal of the day. Ethan Nichols claimed the last turbo javelin medal of the day, throwing a PB to claim 2nd place in the U12 turbo javelin competition.

In the shot putt competition it was a 1-2 for the Glenmore U16 girls, with Sophie Caldwell claiming the top spot on the podium with a PB of 5.81M, while Katie McCourt had to settle for silver with a throw of 5.7M and her third medal of the championships. 

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It was also a Glenmore 1-2 in the U16 boys competition, with Marc Byrne claiming his third medal of the championships, a gold with a throw of 10.11M. Craig Tuohy took the silver medal with a throw of 9.37M.

There were five athletes competing in the day 2 high jump competitions. Dylan Murphy set his sights on a medal in the U12 high jump and he wasn’t disappointed, claiming a bronze medal in his first ever outing in this event. 

His brother Calum was rewarded with a silver medal in the U13 boys competition, with fellow clubmate Oisin Gallagher claiming the bronze medal.

It was another Glenmore 1-2 and two PB’s in the U16 boys high jump. Elliott Nichols and Craig Tuohy fought it out to the end.  It was Elliott who took gold with a superb jump and PB of 1.65M, closely followed by Craig with a PB of 1.60M.

The final track events of the day were the much anticipated middle distance races. Conor Finnegan lined up in the U11 600m race as the strong favourite on the back of his win in the Pre-Louth championships three weeks previously.  It was a furious pace from start to finish, with Conor pushing the competition all the way to the line to take silver.

In the U12 boys 600m, it was a clean sweep for Glenmore.  In what was a two heat time trial, Patrick Duffy led home the first heat with Dylan Murphy finishing a close second. Toby Fleming led the second heat home with Darragh Ryan hot on his heels.  In the end it was Patrick who claimed gold, Dylan silver and Toby bronze, with Darragh just missing out on a medal. 

Meabh Walsh was the sole Glenmore athlete in the U13 girls 600m. She did not disappoint her clubmates, who cheered her on from start to finish with a lightening fast race, leaving the competition for dust down the home straight to claim a very well deserved gold medal. 

Calum Murphy came out with a similar performance in the boys U13 race to claim a top podium position and his second medal of the competition. 

Last up on the track was Molly Anne Moore in the U15 girls 800m final. Molly Anne ran a great race, placing herself in 2nd place from the gun. She gained a sizeable gap between herself and the rest of the field to cross the line, taking the silver medal for the race, and her 4th medal of the competition. A fantastic feat by this young athlete.