1.
McBrearty first entered the national roll of under in 1978 when winning the Irish under-13 javelin crown in the colours of St John Bosco. Under-14, under-15 and under-16 titles followed and he was the under-16 combined events gold medalist. A double under-20 and under-23 javelin winner, he became the Irish senior javelin champion in 1983. Operating then with South Donegal Harriers, McBrearty threw out to 58.08m to claim the win. Herron created a slice of history at Belfield in 1984 when she became the first Donegal woman ever to win an Irish senior individual gold medal. Herron still holds the Finn Valley AC records for heptathlon, 100m hurdles and javelin while her teams hold the club 4x100m relay, 4x400m relay records. In 1985, Herron retained the Irish heptathlon title and she later became the first Donegal woman to represent Ireland in a senior track and field international competition, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Denise Lewis, who went on to win Olympic, European and Commonwealth Gold medals.
2.
Rosses AC athletes Also on Friday night, European 800m bronze medalist Mark English was named as the Donegal athlete of the year. English, now coached by Feidhlim Kelly, ran 1:45.19 in Munich to win bronze. At this summer’s World Championships in Oregon he was just 0.05 seconds off his 1:45.71 Irish record, set last summer. English was the senior male athlete of the year, while Ann-Marie McGlynn of Letterkenny AC was the senior female athlete of the year. McGlynn finished 29th in the women’s marathon at the European Athletics Championships in Munich.
3.
Tir Chonaill AC award winners Tir Chonaill AC pair Lucy McGlynn and Fintan Dewhirst won the junior female and junior male athletes of the year. Dewhirst won a silver medal in the 400m hurdles at the European Under-18 Championships in Jerusalem. In clocking 51.65 seconds, Dewhirst took a new Irish Under-18 record. His clubmate McGlynn set a new Donegal record at the World Under-20 Athletics Championships in Colombia. McGlynn finished her 100m hurdles heat at Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero in 13.92 seconds. World Masters silver medalist Ciara Kearns of Finn Valley AC was named as female masters athlete of the year and Milford AC’s Martin Kerr was named as the male masters athlete of the year. Young athletes from Donegal clubs were acknowledged for their achievements over the last three years.
4.
Award winners from Letterkenny AC