Castlegar Athletics Club

Lovely piece in the City tribune this week

Busy weekend at County Juvenile Track and Field Championships

Girls U16

Síun Ní Chonaill made her debut over 3000m at the county championships on Saturday. Síun looked comfortable throughout the race and definitely had more left in the tank as she ran a blistering last lap to cross the line in a championship record.

Síun broke the record by 21 seconds. Her final lap definitely indicates that she can run 20-25 seconds faster.
We look forward to seeing how she progresses over this distance over the next few years.

U17 Girls

Caragh Flynn won her first county gold medal as she cruised to victory in the 1500m by 14 seconds.
Caragh was in new territory on Saturday as it was her first time to lead out a race, but she handled it very well and looked very comfortable throughout
Her hard work and dedication is paying off, and we are thrilled for her fantastic achievement as it is well deserved.

Elly Turner made her debut over 3000m on the track. The aim going into the race was to break the championship record. Elly did just that as she broke the record by 25 seconds. Elly looked comfortable throughout the race and definitely had more left in the tank to run faster. We have no doubt Elly can shave another few seconds off her time before the season is out.

Clíodhna Ní Chonaill obliterated the championship record in the 2000m racewalk. Cliodhna went out with a race plan and executed it very well as she broke the record by 1 minute and 3 seconds.
Cliodhna has been competing very well over the last few months and has huge potential in this event. She is lucky to have Irish international racewalker Matthew Newell to give her some of his expertise and advice. The sky is the limit for Cliodhna if she wants to give this event a go and see where it takes her.

U18 Girls

Orla Casey competed in her first 3000m track race of the season, and she should be very happy with how she ran.
She obliterated the championship record by 2 minutes and 11 seconds, and was only 7 seconds off her personal best for 3000m.
This is a great start to the season for Orla, as she has gone from strength to strength since this race last year. She looked comfortable throughout the race and we have no doubt that she will break her personal best over this distance come Nationals.

U19 Girls

Isobelle Conroy won the u19 800m. This is the first time in about 28 years that we have had an athlete compete in this age group, so it was great to see the green and white singlet on the track. Isobelle has been focusing on her studies of late, and we look forward to seeing her improve as she gets back to full training.

Galway Athletics Connacht Athletics Galway Bay FM Sports Athletics Ireland

U15 Boys
We had two athletes competing in the County Galway Championships and both delivered excellent performances.
Calum Deeth claimed the Gold medal in the 1500m, finishing in a superb time of 4:53.11. and a new PB. Calum also competed in the high jump, where he placed 4th with a jump of 1.25m.

Paddy Leonard ran a fantastic race in the 800m to secure the Bronze medal, crossing the line in 2:27.42. His hard work and commitment in training are clearly paying off.

U15 Girls

Maisy-Bo Joyce produced an outstanding performance to take the top podium place in the 800m, finishing in a brilliant time of 2:30.71. Maisy-Bo ran a great race and should be very proud of her achievement.

The U15 girls relay team of Sadhbh Healy, Layla F***j Gheziel, Maisy-Bo Joyce and Ciara Murphy were incredibly unlucky to miss out on a podium place by just 0.02 of a second, finishing in 4th place after a brilliant team performance.
Galway Athletics Connacht Athletics Galway Bay FM Sports Athletics Ireland

Our under 14s were in top form in tropical Dangan on Saturday for the Galway county track and field championships. .

Ciara Murphy was our star performer winning an outstanding double county 80m (10.62) and 200m(27.36) title. Ciara obliterated the county 80m record in the process. Hugely deserved reward for a hard working athlete .

Aoife Rose Mcdonagh had a massive run of 29.39 to finish 6th in the 200m

Faye Bradys 11.56 earned her a brilliant 5th in the 80m which was also a super pb while fellow camogie star
Sadhbh Healy was hot on her heels in 11.57 for a solid 6th place finish .

Lucy Grogan had a brilliant run and strong finish in the 800m while
Isabelle Tracey ran 31.41 for 12th in her first ever 200m , outstanding considering she was only after running a brilliant 800m time .

Our Relay team finished a magnificent 4th in 59.09

The boys were not to be outdone by the ladies

Ethan McGinnty finish 8th place in 11.58 in the 80m and a mighty 7th in 29.36 in the 200m. Great running for his first time over the distance.

William Duggan had a wonderful day with double silver, 2.31.85 in the 800mn and 5.02.58 in the 1500m. A savage performance from a man who always gives 💯 on race day.

Cillian O'Neill finished a super 7th in 5.15.48 in the 1500m. A man who hurling battery is a reflection of his athletics improvement.

Felix Stapleton was 4th in the 1500m in 5.04.09 a nice start to his track season with more to come.

While Dylan Madden won county silver in the 2km walk in a time of 11.43.98.A massive effort went in and the pain on his face as he pushed himself on said it all.

Cian Corbett had a very busy and hugely improved day. 11th in the 80m in 12.39 , 6th in the 800m (2.42.93 ) and 9th in long jump 3.21m. A great show and especially the last 300m of his 800m where he really dug in.

Tiernan Lee was in 6th 5.14.56 in the 1500 and a brilliant 2nd in the javelin (17.70m)

Our 4x100m Relay rouned of the day 4th in 58.93
Galway Athletics Connacht Athletics Galway Bay FM Sports Athletics Ireland

U-13 Girls

The U-13 girls put in a fantastic performance across a range of track and field events, showing great determination and team spirit throughout the competition.

Zara Calvey competed strongly in the sprint events and long jump, taking part in the 80m, 60m hurdles, and long jump. She produced an excellent hurdles performance with a time of 11.98 seconds.

Nicola Grealish delivered one of the standout performances of the day in the shot put, recording a superb throw of 9.82m. She also competed in the 80m, finishing in 12.33 seconds and placing 4th in her heat.

Fia Ní Chonaill took part in the 80m, 600m, high jump, and relay events. She clocked 12.91 seconds in the 80m and showed great versatility across both track and field disciplines.

Ruby Coyne impressed in the middle-distance events, running 2:01.25 in the 600m. She also competed in the long jump, recording a distance of 3.28m.

Ciara O’Doherty ran strongly in the 600m, finishing in 2:02.88, and was also part of the relay squad.

The relay team, featuring Aoibheann Connolly and Freya Tracey alongside the U-13 girls squad, worked brilliantly together and rounded off a very successful day for the club.

Overall, the girls represented the club with pride, enthusiasm, and excellent sportsmanship. Well done to all athletes on their performances and achievements.

U-13 Boys

The U-13 boys produced an excellent set of performances across the track and field events, with strong individual displays and outstanding relay success highlighting a memorable day for the team.

Colm Garvey got the boys off to a strong start in the 80m, clocking an impressive 11.06 seconds and taking the Gold Medal.

Jacob Leehy competed in both the 80m and 600m, running 11.43 seconds for the sprint and 1:55 in the 600m.

Alex Lomboto showed great versatility across a number of events. He ran 11.48 seconds in the 80m, competed in the 60m hurdles, where he recorded 10.59 seconds, taking the top podium position.

Sam McNally competed strongly in the 80m and 600m, recording 12.37 seconds in the sprint and 1:59.91 in the 600m.

Darragh Corbell ran 12.47 seconds in the 80m, competed in the 600m, and achieved a solid 6.15m in the shot put.

Matthew Casserly produced a strong effort in the 80m, finishing in 12.54 seconds. Its great to see Matthew back competing after his injury.

Adam Carr impressed in the 600m, recording a new personal best of 1:51.34, alongside his 12.65 seconds run in the 80m.

Sean Botha delivered a fine performance in the 60m hurdles, running 12.24 seconds, and also competed in the javelin taking the Bronze medal with a throw of 17.05

A standout performance came from Ciaran Casey, who ran a superb 1:46.13 in the 600m to claim his first individual medal. Ciaran always works hard in training and the coaches are delighted to see his hard work pay off.

Conor Deeth competed in the 600m and high jump, clearing 1.20m.

The day finished for the U-13 boys with the relays. The team of Colm Garvey, Alex Lomboto, Jacob Leahy and Ciaran Casey took the Gold medal with an excellent time of 56.93 seconds.
The second U-13 team of Adam Carr, Sam McNally, Matthew Casserly and Conor Deeth also performed very well, recording a strong time of 1:04.83.

Overall, the U-14 boys showed fantastic commitment, teamwork, and determination throughout the competition. Their performances across the track and field events were a credit to themselves and the club.
Galway Athletics Connacht Athletics Galway Bay FM Sports Athletics Ireland

U-12 Girls

The U12 Girls produced some fantastic performances across the track and field events, showing great determination, team spirit, and plenty of personal bests.

Mira Stapleton ran a strong 600m in 2:24.67 and also delivered a fantastic third leg in the relay team performance.

Freya Treacy competed well in the 60m, finishing in 11.42. Freya always competed with a smile and showed tremendous club spirit on Saturday by stepping up an age to run in the U13 relay.

Aoibheann Connolly had an excellent run in the 60m, narrowly missing out on a podium place by just 0.03 seconds while also claiming a massive personal best. She also ran a fantastic fourth leg in her relay.

Ruth Henaghan impressed in the 60m with a time of 9.21 and went on to claim the bronze medal in the long jump. She also competed strongly in the relay.

Saoirse Lee ran a very solid 600m in 2:11.77 and recorded 3.71m in the shot put.

Aoife Moloney had a busy and successful day, running 9.77 in the 60m and 2:10.94 in the 600m. She also jumped 3.20m in the long jump and competed as part of the relay team.

The relay team performed brilliantly, finishing 1st in their heat and placing 5th overall in a time of 1:03.67.

U-12 Boys

A great day of competition for the U12 boys with strong performances and new personal bests achieved.

Fionn Carr delivered an excellent run in the 60m, clocking 9.14 seconds, a new personal best. Fionn also earned a bronze medal in the high jump with a clearance of 1.16m.

Tiarnan Dilleen competed strongly across multiple events. He ran 10.39 seconds in the 60m and finished 4th in his heat of the 600m in 2:02.69, placing 14th overall. Tiarnan also took part in the high jump for the first time, gaining valuable competition experience.

Galway Athletics Connacht Athletics Galway Bay FM Sports Athletics Ireland

U-11 Girls

The U11 girls delivered a fantastic set of performances with medals, personal bests and strong relay displays across the track and field events.

Amelia Farragher had an outstanding day, taking Gold in the 60m sprint in a superb time of 9.05 seconds, while also claiming Bronze in the long jump. Amelia later teamed up with Cassi Healy to secure Gold in the 60m pairs event.

Adaline Gullane ran strongly in the 60m sprint, finishing in 10.32 seconds, while Fiadh Grogan also impressed with a time of 10.63 seconds.

It was a memorable day for Cassi Healy, who celebrated her 10th birthday in style. Cassi ran 9.46 seconds in the 60m, narrowly missing out on a podium finish, before going on to take Bronze in the 600m. She also combined with Hana to win Gold in the 600m pairs.

Niamh Corbett performed strongly in both events, clocking 9.62 seconds in the 60m and 2:05.84 in the 600m. Alongside Hana, she also earned Bronze in the 60m pairs competition.

Ella Igoe produced a strong run in the 600m with a time of 2:03.15 and jumped 2.22m in the long jump competition.

Hana F***j Gheziel had a brilliant competition, running 9.71 seconds in the 60m before taking Silver in the 600m with an excellent time of 1:53.37. Hana also helped secure medals in both the relay and pairs events.

The relay teams also gave terrific performances. Relay Team A of Amelia Farragher, Ella Igoe, Hana F***j Gheziel and Niamh Corbett claimed Silver in a time of 1:03.64. Relay Team B of Moya Kelly, Fiadh Grogan, Adaline Gullane and U10 athlete Lucy Casserly ran very well to finish in 1:11.79.

Overall, the U11 girls showed great determination, teamwork and talent throughout the competition, bringing home an excellent haul of medals across individual, pairs and relay events.

U-11 Boys

The U11 boys put in a fantastic performance across the track and field events, with several personal bests, strong relay running, and a silver medal achievement.

Joe Maeda-Hassett produced an excellent performance in the long jump, recording a distance of 3.36m to secure a top five finish. Joe also played an important role in the relay team later in the day.

Oisin Connolly had a busy and successful competition, running 9.45 seconds in the 60m sprint before completing the 600m in a strong time of 2:09.83.

Rian Hughes impressed in both of his events, clocking 9.91 seconds in the 60m and a superb 2:02.20 in the 600m.

Ben Leahy was among the standout performers of the day, claiming a silver medal in the 60m sprint with a brilliant time of 9.07 seconds, finishing joint second overall. Ben also competed in the turbo javelin where he threw 8.69m.

Eoghan O’Connell achieved a major milestone by breaking the 10-second barrier for the first time in the 60m, setting a new personal best of 9.83 seconds.

Finn Ruane also dipped under the 10-second mark in the 60m, finishing in 9.98 seconds.

Elizar Zymek competed strongly in both track events, recording 10.31 seconds in the 60m and 2:10.87 in the 600m.

The relay team of Joe Maeda-Hassett, Oisin Connolly, Rian Hughes, and Eoghan O’Connell worked brilliantly together to finish 6th overall in a time of 1:04.41, rounding off an excellent day for the U11 boys.

Galway Athletics Connacht Athletics Galway Bay FM Sports Athletics Ireland

Girls U-9

60m Sprint
Castlegar A.C. had one athlete competing in the U9 Girls sprint, Emily Connell finishing 13th in 11.08. She delivered a superb performance in a highly competitive field of over 30 athletes.

Long Jump
Castlegar A.C. had three athletes in the U9 Girls long jump, with Mia Zymek leading the club in 23rd place (2.03m), followed by Olivia Zymek in 29th (1.84m) and Emily Connell in 30th (1.70m). All three showed strong effort in a large field, gaining valuable experience and steady progression across their events.

300m
Castlegar A.C. had three athletes in the U9 Girls 300m, with Lexi Healy leading the club home in 11th place (1:07.18), followed by Mia Zymek in 13th (1:08.53) and Olivia Zymek in 21st (1:15.19). All three delivered determined runs in a strong field, showing great promise for the season ahead.

Girls U-10

60m Sprint
Castlegar A.C. had four athletes in the U10 Girls sprint, led by Zara Casserly in 16th place (10.25), followed by Julianna Gillan in 24th (10.45), Siofra Maguire in 29th (10.66) and Lucy Casserly in 35th (10.89). All four showed strong competitiveness in a large field, highlighting the club’s growing depth at this age group.

Long Jump
Castlegar A.C. were represented by Lilly Coyne, who delivered an excellent jump of 3.42m to finish 4th overall in a very competitive field. Her performance placed her just outside the medals and marked one of the strongest jumps of the day at this age group.

500m
Castlegar A.C. delivered a strong showing, led by Zara Casserly who stormed to 2nd place in 1:38.65, securing a superb podium finish. She was backed up by solid runs from Siofra Maguire (12th), Lilly Coyne (13th) and Lucy Casserly (21st), highlighting excellent depth across the squad.

4×100m Relay
Castlegar A.C. finished 7th in the U10 Girls 4×100m relay, clocking 1:10.42 in a highly competitive field. The squad of Siofra Maguire, Zara Casserly, Julianna Gillan and Lilly Coyne showed excellent teamwork and consistency throughout the race. Lucy Casserly stepped up an age putting in a fantastic leg for Castlegar U11 B girls team.

Galway Athletics Connacht Athletics Galway Bay FM Sports Athletics Ireland

U-9 & U-10 Boys

Castlegar AC U9 and U10 boys did the club proud at the Galway Outdoor Championships.

Ben McNally did great in his first Galway Outdoor Championship competition. Ben competed in both the U9 Boys 60m and 300m.

In the U10 60m, Mason Calvey placed 2nd in 9.40 seconds, with Fionn O'Donnell finishing 4th in 9.67. Liam Garvey placed 7th in 9.89, while Faolán Dilleen finished 16th in 10.17. Fionn O'Donnell and Liam Garvey both won their respective 60m heats, while Faolán Dilleen finished second in his heat.

Castlegar AC won the gold medal in the 60m pairs through Mason Calvey and Fionn O'Donnell. Liam Garvey and Faolán Dilleen finished 4th overall in the pairs.

In the U10 500m, Faolán Dilleen placed 19th, while George Gibbons finished 24th.

Mason Calvey secured another 2nd place finish in the U10 Long Jump with a best jump of 3.69m. George Gibbons placed 22nd with 2.70m and Fionn O'Donnell finished 25th with 2.49m.

The Castlegar AC U10 Boys 4x100m relay team of George Gibbons, Fionn O'Donnell, Liam Garvey and Faolán Dilleen finished 5th in a time of 1:07.98.

Galway Athletics Connacht Athletics Galway Bay FM Sports Athletics Ireland