Day 2, 26th February 2017 at AIT International Arena
Longford Athletic Club was blown away by the phenomenal success of their juvenile athletes in the Under14+ age groups last weekend on Day 2 of the Connacht Indoor Track & Field Championships at Athlone IT Indoor Arena. The Club qualified in 30 separate events for National Finals at the end of March, doubling their significant results from the last two years: 17 events in 2016, and 16 events in 2015.
It is fair to say that the Club continues to grow from strength to strength with the list of results that turned heads at the Connacht competition. Credit can be shared by the juvenile athletes, all the coaches involved and the parents.
Many of the U14+ athletes have gained experience, confidence and technical knowledge as they have now competed on the track for several years. The effort they put into their performance was apparent in every heat. Parents sat in the stands for 2 full days giving encouragement to the entire group, congratulating every performance throughout the very long programme of events. Compliments go to all the coaches from Little Athletics, Juveniles, Dromard and Kenagh on their role nurturing and developing the aspiring athletes that make up Longford AC.
Highlights that stood out were 6 sets of Connacht Gold medals and 1 set of Silver in the Relay section with both the U17 and U18 Boys 4X200m teams very keen to compete again this year in the Athletics Ireland National finals. Both teams progressed from the heats to the final 6 last year with Nelvin Appiah, Cian Belton, and Niall Moran on the U16 Boys Relay Team that won All-Ireland Bronze for Longford.
Nelvin Appiah won 5 Gold medals for the 2nd year in a row in Relays, 200m, High Jump and Shot Putt. Cian McPhillips won 3 Gold doing 1500m, 800m and Relay all in one day. Brendan Finnan and Christopher Conaty managed to win a complete set of Gold, Silver and Bronze each in Middle Distance, Field Events and Relay. Gospel Idahor, Aaron Kelly and Cian Nolan all won 2 Gold and 1 Silver apiece in Relay, 60m sprint and 200m events.
The Athletics Ireland National Juvenile Indoor Championships are spread across 3 days at the end of March. Longford will have juvenile competitors making the journey to Athlone for 30 separate events: 7 Relay teams, 6 in sprints, 6 in 200m, 5 in Field Events, 4 in 800m, 1 in 1500m and 1 in hurdles. There will be a final push in the next few weeks as training continues to have all in top form.
Longford Athletic Club Results from Day 2 of the Connacht Indoor Track & Field Championships
1st place Gold in 15 events
U14 Girls 4X200m relay: Sarah McPhillips, Avril Cosgrove, Melissa O’Kane, Funmi Talabi, 1:57.79 min
U16 Boys 4X200m relay: Cian McPhillips, Keelin McGann, Killian Rawle, Christopher Conaty, 1:42.61 min
U17 Girls 4X200m relay: Gospel Idahor, Precious Oseyemi, Sarah Murphy, Yemi Talabi, 1:54.60 min
U17 Boys 4X200m relay: Nelvin Appiah, Cian Belton, Niall Moran, Cian Nolan, 1:39.76 min
U18 Boys 4X200m relay: Dylan Horkan, Ronan Farrell, Aaron Kelly, Corey Molloy (sub: Nelvin Appiah), 1:39.49 min
U15 High Jump-Brendan Finnan, 1.50m
U17 High Jump-Nelvin Appiah, 1.85m
U17 Shot Putt-Nelvin Appiah, 10.76m
U16 60m-Yemi Talabi, 8.06 sec
U17 60m-Gospel Idahor, 8.29 sec
U17 60m-Cian Nolan, 7.49 sec
U17 200m-Nelvin Appiah, 23.71 sec
U18 200m-Aaron Kelly, 23.72 sec
U16 800m-Cian McPhillips, 2:01.77 min
U16 1500m-Cian McPhillips, 4:31.22 min
2nd place Silver in 5 events
U15 Boys 4X200m relay: Christopher Conaty, Joe Reilly, Brendan Finnan, Darren O’Neill, 1:51.74 min
U15 Hurdles-Brendan Finnan, 10.68 sec
U16 200m-Keelin McGann, 25.03 sec
U17 200m-Gospel Idahor, 27.76 sec
U18 60m-Aaron Kelly, 7.44 sec
3rd place Bronze in 6 events
U14 800m-Kate Hagan, 2:36.11 min
U15 Long Jump-Brendan Finnan, 4.43m
U15 800m-Christopher Conaty, 2:19 .03 min
U16 200m-Killian Rawle, 25.1 sec
U17 200m-Cian Nolan, 24.79 sec
U18 800m-Dylan Horkan, 2:11.81 min
4th place in 2 events that also qualify for National
U16 Long Jump-Yemi Talabi, 4.49m
U16 60m-Keelin McGann, 7.77 sec
