Success for NI Athletes at Home and in Europe

European Gold for Kelly

Conor Kelly (Finn Valley / Paul Miller) produced the performance of his life in Finland by winning the European U20 400m title by over half a second in a new Irish U20 record and he was just shy of the Commonwealth Games Consideration standard with 45.83.

The 2024 European U18 bronze medallist cruised through the round 1 and semi-finals before living up to his pre-event ranking and dominating the final. Conor now heads off to the University of Texas at Austin where he will train under world renowned coach Edrick Folreal. Conor still has a chance for selection in next month’s Tokyo World Championship for the Mixed 4x400m Relay.

Also, at the championships Athletics NI Academy athletes Frank Buchanan (St. Michaels AC Enniskillen) and Ben Sykes (Orangegrove AC) gained valuable experience competing in the 1500m and 4x100m respectively but unfortunately did not advance to the finals.

Two Commonwealth Games Standards in Belgium

In Belgium a group of CNDR athletes coached by Mark Kirk had a very successful evening over 5000m. Multiple European age group medallist Nick Griggs smashed his own NI senior record and Irish U23 record in the men’s 5000m running 13.05.75. This time was under the automatic qualifying standard for next year’s European Championships in Birmingham and within the Commonwealth Games consideration standard. Callum Morgan also ran under the Commonwealth Games consideration standard running 13.23.37 in the B 5000m taking over ten seconds from his previous best. In the C race there were pbs for Conall McClean 13.41.92 and Tony McCambridge 13.48.39. Not to be outdone Luke Kelly took over 20 seconds off his pb running 14.10.36 in the D race.

In the women’s 5000m Roisin Flanagan (Finn Valley) ran 15.42.34 to finish 20^th

Lughaidh Mallon finished second in the D 1500m in 3.40.08 just outside his pb set earlier this year.

NI & Ulster Championship Highlights

There were some exceptionally high standard and competitive events at the Mary Peters Track on a day with near perfect conditions including the men’s 1500m where the top five places were covered by less than two seconds with Stephen Lyster (Lagan Valley AC) taking the title and the Tony McKnight trophy in 3:58.81.

There were some superb performances on the field with a strong women’s Long Jump podium where Hannah Wallace (Cumbernauld) took gold with 6.20m ahead of recent Irish champion Lauren Callaghan (Finn Valley) in 6.07m and 2022 Commonwealth Heptathlete Anna McCauley (City of Lisburn) jumping a PB for 5.93m and the bronze medal. In the same event Eve Walsh-Dann (North Down AC) won the Para gold medal with 3.38m as well as the para 100m in 15.01. T12 athlete Freddie Wallace (City of Lisburn) also came away with two golds and two PBs with a 5.64m Long Jump and 12.75 100m. Also, in the field NI record holder in the Shot Put John Kelly was very close to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games standard with his best throw for over two years of 18.59m.

The day finished off on the track with some spectacular 200m races with three athletes breaking 24 seconds in the Women’s race which was won by Mollie O’Reilley (DSD) followed by PBs for NI’s top two 400m runners with Jenna Breen (City of Lisburn) and Rachel McCann 2^nd and 3^rd respectively in 23.93 and 23.94. World Relays competitor Callum Baird (BAAC) won the men’s event in a PB of 21.25.

Elsewhere this weekend

In Manchester at the BMC Grand Prix Andrew Thompson (NBH) improved his pb to 1.46.77 in the men’s 800m, it was however just outside the Commonwealth Games consideration standard of 1.46.70.