The top Sli Cualann athlete at Sunday's (September 27) Rathfarnham 5km was Colm O'Heigeartaigh; he finished 98th in a time of 17:58. Terry Kavanagh ran 19:37 to place 164th overall, and 2nd in the M60 category; with Carol Costello just behind him, clocking 19:39 for 166th overall and 25th best woman on her return from a lengthy injury layoff. |
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Sli Cualann's junior girls team performed magnificently at the European Champions Clubs Cup Junior Group B in Leiria, Portugal on September 19 to win the overall team bronze. The team capped the meet with a storming 4x400m relay performance to move them up into a podium position. Performer of the day was Emma O'Brien, who won the 1500m, before putting in a valiant leg on the 4x400m in 30 degree heat at the Estadio Municipal Dr Magalhaes Pessoa.
The journey started out in the early hours of Friday morning. A nearly three hour flight brought the team to Lisbon Airport. The pole vault poles also managed to find their way to Portugal in one piece, eventually appearing at the odd sized baggage section after a nervous wait.
The journey was by no means over as a 2 hour 45 minute bus trip followed, shared with Finnish rivals Tampereen Pyrinto. By the time the bus chugged its way up the final hill to our accommodation, everyone could have done with a good nap, but alas it was straight to the stadium for lunch.
Lunch didn't go down quite so well with the group; and in the following days the restaurant business in Leiria reaped the benefits. The reaction to the track was a stark contrast to that of the lunch. The colourful stadium, of a capacity of nearly 24,000, was basked in sunlight with Leiria Castle providing a stunning backdrop. Everyone was in awe, the tiredness accumulated from all the travel miles swiftly dematerialized.
Once everyone had got a feel for the competition arena and had a bite to eat it was time to get a bus back to our accommodation. Not so easy. The shuttle bus service proved to be more than a tad disorganized and it was a long drawn out wait before we made it back to the Seminario, our Wi-Fi-less humble abode for the two nights. In the evening, the group toured the city centre with good food on their minds. After a short deliberation a restaurant was selected and the team fuelled up ahead of their big day. The restaurant Wi-Fi was under more pressure than the chef in the kitchen as the athletes made up for the Wi-Fi shortage back at the Seminario. The long day ended with an early night.
A 9am bus ferried the team to the stadium on Saturday, competition day. On arrival the teams sat next to each other in the stands, with the clubs trying to out do each other with their chants. It’s fair to say, if this was a competition we would lose horrifically. The first action of the day was the opening parade, in which all the clubs marched around the track with their flags.
First up for Sli Cualann was Rosa Kirwan in the high jump and Amaris Borel in the 400m hurdles. In the stands, the group edged higher and higher up the stadium rows to keep in the shade as the sun rose in the sky. Some of the first athletes could take advantage of the shade, but those competing later felt the full glare of the sun. As did club Chairperson Terry Kavanagh, who took full advantage of the extra tanning opportunity.
Rosa jumped 1.45 for 6th in the high jump, competing on a swollen knee, while Amaris finished 2nd in the 400m hurdles.
Richael Browne held on to the leaders for most of the 800m, just getting outkicked by three athletes in the end to place 4th in 2:21.61. From the two events on the track, Sli Cualann were 2nd in the team standings.
Ara Freeman tore her hamstring in cold conditions at the Celtic Games during the summer, but she had no such problems in the Portugal sun. She opened the day with a 12.86 (0.2) 100m for 3rd place, keeping Sli Cualann in 2nd position based on our track results.
Laoise Cullen was next up in the field in one of her first competitions with the 4kg hammer, a 26.23 effort in the third round secured a new PB and a 5th place finish.
On the track, Alannah O’Carroll ran 62.11 for a third place finish in the 400m and then Amaris Borel made her second appearance of the day, running 15.28 (0.9) for third in the 100m hurdles. Counting all the track events and the high jump, Sli Cualann were now in third position.
After a break for lunch, in which a peculiar dance routine took place on the track. It was go time for Martha Hassett in the pole vault. Then Anne-Marie Torsney took to the discus cage and Amy McTeggart started her long jump. Martha vaulted 2.20 for a 6th place finish, Anne-Marie threw 39.85 for 2nd and Amy jumped 4.71 (2.0) to place 5th.
Emma O’Brien was expected to place highly in the women’s 1500m and she delivered on her promise with a first place finish in a time of 4:57.27, Sli Cualann’s sole winner of the day.
Hamstring still intact, Ara Freeman was back for the 200m. She sped to a 26.86 (0.6) clocking for another 3rd place finish. Sli Cualann were now second, counting all the track events and the high jump, hammer and discus.
Susie McParland, competing in her first ever triple jump competition, got out to 8.94 (1.0) for a 6th place finish. Ailbhe Flynn ran nearly all of the 3000m by herself, finishing in 10:59.91 for 2nd place. Also finishing 2nd was Anne-Marie, who was back in action in the shot, throwing 11.59.
In the steeplechase, Katie Conroy placed 4th, but with one guest finishing ahead of her she was 3rd in team scoring. In the javelin, Amy McTeggart threw 31.23 for a 6th place finish.
Then there were only the relays left. The 4x100m team (Ara, Alannah, Amy Amaris) finished 4th and Sli Cualann were also 4th in the overall team standings. They needed a big run from their 4x400m team, and they got it.
Alannah, Richael, Hana Blake and Emma took to the track for the final event, knowing that with a good performance they could propel the team to a medal winning position. Possibly spurred on from her earlier 1500m win, Emma O’Brien posted the fastest split of the team to anchor them home to a thrilling 2nd place finish, lifting Sli Cualann up to 3rd in the team standings.
Cue the celebrations. As the sun set on the high stands of the stadium and the swallows and bats swooped overhead, the Sli Cualann junior women took to the podium to collect their special trophy. A moment which the club will not be forgetting any time soon.
The journey was not over, as Sunday brought with it a very early flight home to Dublin Airport, where there was cold weather but a warm welcome.
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