WEEKEND ROUND UP 16th - 17th May

In the United States, the Conference Championships dominated the athletics calendar, with several of our athletes delivering impressive performances on the big stage.

In the sprint events, Lauren Roy of Fast Twitch Athletics completed an impressive double at the Western Athletic Conference Championships in Texas, winning both the 100m and 200m titles in times of 11.03 and 22.79 respectively. However, both performances were achieved with wind assistance above the legal limit and therefore will not count towards qualification for this year’s Commonwealth Games.

 Elsewhere in Texas, competing at the American Conference Championships, Finn O’Neill produced a superb performance in the decathlon, smashing his personal best with a score of 7,291 points to claim the silver medal. Finn’s score also exceeds the Athletics Northern Ireland consideration standard for the 2026 Commonwealth Games of 7200 points (subject to ratification). Finn’ score moves him up to No 9 on the Irish All-Time list .

 At the Big East Conference Championships, Anna Gardiner of East Down AC continued her impressive run of form by taking victory in the women’s 5,000m in 16:50.43. Cara Laverty also enjoyed an outstanding championship, claiming silver in the women’s 1,500m with a personal best of 4:16.32, before helping Providence secure victory in the women’s 4x800m relay.

 Also competing at the Big East Conference Championships, Ashleigh McArdle delivered a series of personal best performances in the heptathlon to finish fifth overall with a new PB score of 4,748 points. Among her standout performances was a lifetime best of 44.85m in the javelin during the combined events competition. McArdle also impressed in the individual disciplines, recording a personal best of 12.77m in the shot put to place sixth, before claiming the silver medal in the javelin with a throw of 43.16m.

Closer to home, the opening British Milers’ Club Grand Prix meeting took place in Manchester on Saturday, where Andrew Thompson of North Belfast Harriers produced a strong performance to finish third in the men’s 800m in 1:48.03. In the men’s 5,000m A race, Neil Johnston of Annadale Striders made an encouraging start to his outdoor track season, placing sixth in 14:12.40.

 On Sunday at the British 10,000m Championships in Loughborough, Hannah Irwin of Cambridge and Coleridge AC delivered another outstanding run to finish third. Her time of 32:22.57 lowered her own Northern Ireland record by more than three seconds, although it narrowly missed the consideration standard of 32:10 required for the Commonwealth Games.

At the National May Open in Tullamore on Sunday, Ethan Dewhirst of Tir Chonaill AC secured his second qualifying standard for the World Junior Championships after winning the men’s 400m hurdles in 52.12.

 Also in impressive form was Abbie O’Neill of City of Lisburn AC, who claimed victory in the women’s pole vault with a clearance of 3.35m.

On the roads, Amy Greene of Finn Valley AC produced an excellent performance at the National 5km Road Championships in Phoenix Park, Dublin, on Saturday morning, finishing second in the women’s race in 16:30.

 Sunday also saw the popular Newell 5km and 10km road races take place, attracting strong fields across both events. In the men’s 5km race, Noah Kavanagh of Lagan Valley AC claimed victory in 14:59, ahead of Cameron Stewart of CNDR in 15:12 and Niall Goodman of Newcastle AC in 15:26.

 The women’s 5km title went to Hannah Gilliland of Annadale Striders in 16:12, with Rachel Hughes of Keep’er Lit taking second place and Grace Evans of Mid Ulster AC finishing third.

 In the 10km event, Robbie Hagen of Road Runners AC secured victory ahead of Aidan O’Hagan of Strive Runners, while Gillian McCrory of St Peter’s AC claimed the women’s title.

The standout performance of the weekend came on the international stage, where Mark English made history with a victory in the Diamond League. English became the first Irish male athlete ever to win a Diamond League race after storming to victory in the 800m in 1:43.85, winning by just two hundredths of a second and setting a new meeting record in the process. The performance was also the second-fastest time of his career.