2023 Youth Academy & Speed-Power Academy
27 November 2023
Nurturing Junior Talent, Aspiring to Senior Success
In September 2014 Athletics Northern Ireland launched the Youth Academy to support Northern Ireland’s talented young athletes and their coaches.
“We believe physical & technical preparation and a performance mindset are critical for athlete development and we must create a challenging, supportive, open and professional environment where athletes and coaches can fulfil their potential.”
Athletics Northern Ireland's Academies aim to identify and develop talented junior athletes and raise their potential for senior success. We are focused on improving physical qualities, sporting knowledge, psychological skills and performance behaviours in young athletes whilst educating parents and coaches on what it takes to perform consistently on the international stage as seniors. In doing so we believe Northern Ireland will develop a pipeline of junior athletes who will become successful seniors representing Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games and Great Britain or Ireland at major championships.
Since establishing the Academy in 2014 supported Athletes have achieved Commonwealth Youth Games Medals, European Junior Medals & World Para Medals & made breakthroughs to compete at European Team Championships, Senior Commonwealth Games, European & World Indoors. At the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022 there were five Academy Graduates on the team who achieved 3x top 10 finishes and a silver medal.
Eligibility
- Youth Academy… an athlete must be eligible for NI Commonwealth Games selection by fulfilling one of the below criteria
- Being born in NI
- Having at least 1 parent or grandparent born in NI
- Having 3 years residence in NI.
- Speed - Power Academy… an athlete must be either NI eligible (as above) or Ulster eligible (from one of the additional 3 counties of Ulster.)
Youth Academy
The Athletics Northern Ireland Youth Academy has proven popular and successful and now has bases at Jordanstown and Coleraine. The 2023-2024 recommenced launched in October 2023 supporting 30 athlete-coach pairs.
ATHLETE |
EVENT |
COACH |
Aida Zukauskaite |
Hammer |
Paul Kirkpatrick |
Andrew Greer |
100m WC |
Heather Ardis |
Annabel Morrison |
3000m |
Tommy Farrell |
Aoibheann Dempsey |
400mH |
Ian Neely |
Ashleigh McArdle |
Shot / Multis |
Barry McArdle |
Ava Colgan |
Multis |
Jim O'Neill |
Ava Diver |
800m |
Catherine Diver |
Ben Acheson |
1500m |
Mark Kirk |
Blaine Lynch |
Javelin |
Laura Lewis |
Callum Baird |
400m |
Ian Neely |
Callum Morgan |
5000m |
Mark Kirk |
Charlie Lawden |
Javelin |
Laura Lewis |
Clara Casey |
800m |
Tom Doherty |
Emer McKee |
1500m/3000m |
Lawson Cochrane |
Emily Morris |
1500m/3000m |
Lawson Cochrane |
Emmy Thornton |
800m |
Mark Kirk |
Finn Diver |
1500m |
Catherine Diver |
Finn O'Neill |
Decathlon |
Jim Alexander / Wendy Phillips / Damien Crawford |
Frank Buchanan |
1500m/3000m |
Francis Shaw |
Isa McCarron |
800m |
Jim McKeown |
Jodi Foster |
800m |
Davy Foster |
Kirsti Foster |
1500m |
Davy Foster |
Lucy foster |
1500m |
Davy Foster |
Lughaidh Mallon |
1500m |
Mark Kirk |
Luke Kelly |
3000m/5000m |
Mark Kirk |
Meabh O’Connor |
LJ/Heptathlon |
Michael O'Connor |
Nick Griggs |
1500m/3000m |
Mark Kirk |
Poppy Hastings |
3000m |
Barrie Holmes |
Rebecca Rossiter |
1500m |
Mark Kirk |
Veronica O'Neill |
100mH/400mH |
Jim O'Neill |
In 2023-2024 Academy support will include:
- Weekly speed development and strength and conditioning
- Quarterly strength diagnostics
- Integrated Physiotherapy clinics
- Athlete, parent and coach education
- Performance planning support for athletes and coaches
Speed Power Academy
The Speed-Power Academy, delivered at Ulster University Jordanstown recommenced in October 2023 with 18 athletes from NI & Ulster aged 14-18 years old selected. Speed-Power Academy assists athletes and their coaches with improving physical preparation & performance behaviours. Athletes have the opportunity to sample aspects of the Youth Academy curriculum and access strength and conditioning, speed development and strength diagnostics. The Speed Power-Academy has previously proven useful in accelerating a number of young athletes towards Youth Academy.
ATHLETE |
EVENT |
COACH |
Caleb McFadden |
HJ |
Stephen Lewis |
Ben Sykes |
100m |
Gillian Sykes |
Cora Scullion |
1500m |
Adrian Scullion |
Erin Cross |
400m |
Lawson Cochrane |
Ewan Donald |
100m |
Gillian Sykes |
Finn Cross |
800m |
Lawson Cochrane |
Finn McClean |
80mH |
Brendan McConville |
Grace Bennett |
3000m |
Jim McKeown |
Jonny McLaughlin |
Javelin |
Paddy McGrattan |
Katie Keown |
1500m |
Jim McKeown |
Lily Rimmer |
1500m |
Jim McKeown |
Martha Orr |
200m |
Ian Neely |
Noah Harper |
800m |
Jim McKeown |
Noah Watt |
3000m |
Andrew Han |
Olivia Morgan |
800m |
Jim McKeown |
Roger McMullan |
Long Jump |
Adam McMullen |
Saul Thompson |
800m |
Ian Neely |
Thomas Williams |
Hammer |
Neil Williams |