As with most sporting events and organisations, athletics has also endured delays and cancellations during the pandemic.
Last Sunday, however, the later than usual All-Ireland Masters Track & Field Championships took place in the Morton Stadium in Santry.
Some ever-green Laois athletes and coaches were in action, and they all showed their passion for the sport has not waned one little bit.
The Masters is divided into age-categories, the youngest being Over 35, and goes up through the ages in 5-year steps. (Pat Naughton of Nenagh Olympic was probably the oldest competitor present, and he completed a number of events in the Over 85 category.)
Laois competitors in the field events included David Keenan (Emo-Rath AC) who won the Discus, this is his third year in a row for him to win his age category.
John Territt (St Abban’s AC) won both the discus and the hammer, achieving personal best distances for his age-group in each event.
Seamus Fitzpatrick (Portlaoise AC) won both the Shot Putt and his specialist event, the Weight for Distance. Seamus has not been beaten in the “Weight for Distance” category for many many years.
On the track, Nicky Maher (St Abban’s AC and also of Ireland’s Fittest Family fame) made a long-awaited return to action, and was 5th in the 400m.
Bernie Bannon (St Michael’s AC) won the 100m and 200m, and Siobhan McCann (St Michael’s AC) was 3rd in the 200m.
Keeping the best wine until last, the evergreen Dick Mullins (St Abban’s AC) competing in the Over 75 category, won the 5,000m and in a time that many runners of half his age would be very happy with.
Laois Athletics gearing up for a resumption of activities
The re-scheduled Intermediate and Senior Road Races will be amalgamated into one race.
The event will take place on Sunday, September 19, and will be hosted by Ballyroan Abbeyleix and District AC. Online entries are now open, and club secretaries will communicate the link with each club member.
The cross country season will commence on Sunday, September 19. Day 1 is the Novice and even ages (U-10, U-12, U-14, U-16 and U-18).
The event will be hosted by St Abban’s on Grahams land – similar to 2019 and 2018.
Online entries for all events will open in a few days. Day 2 is fixed for Sunday, October 10. The venue is not finalised yet. Clubs will be informed when it’s ready.
Vicarstown parkrun
Vicarstown will be welcoming back the adult and junior parkrun over the next few weeks.
Junior parkrun, the 2km for kids from 4 to 14, resumes on Sunday next, September 12, at 11am.
The Saturday morning 5km parkrun will resume on Saturday, September 25, at the usual time of 9.30am.
Refreshments indoors in the old school will not be resuming for the foreseeable future.
parkrun organisers request that runners come five minutes earlier, so that cars can be parked at the GAA field car park, in the old school car park, or on the Stradbally Road.
Organisers do not want cars parked on the footpath, or causing any traffic or parking congestion in the village.
Course records are expected to tumble, now that the surface has been changed as part of the Barrow Blueway works.
SEE ALSO – Two Laois companies reach final of the prestigious Irish Made Awards
The post Athletics: Laois Masters bring home gold, road races and cross country to resume – and parkrun set to return appeared first on Laois Today.
source https://www.laoistoday.ie/2021/09/08/athletics-laois-masters-bring-home-gold-road-races-and-cross-country-to-resume-and-parkrun-set-to-return/
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