IN this week’s Kildare Nationalist, in your shops now or online at www.kildare-nationalist.ie, we carry our usual extensive coverage of Kildare athletics and Kildare athletes by Perri Williams featuring the All Ireland Schools competitions where there was great success for Rhys Johnson and Sophie Byrne.
By Perri Williams
RHYS Johnson and Sophie Byrne displayed excellent athleticism as they won All-Ireland Schools titles in Tullamore at the weekend in a weekend with a feast of Athletics that would rival any sport.
Rhys Johnson Photo: Perri Williams
On Friday night and Saturday, the cream of Irish Schools Athletics came together in Tullamore for the All-Ireland Schools Track and Field. A day and night of top-class competitive action that cumulated in 11 medals, two gold, three silver and six bronze for Kildare athletes. Sunday it was the turn of the younger juveniles, when the Leinster U12 and U13 championships along with the U9-u11 pairs took place, again in Tullamore.
Sophie Byrne Photo: Perri Williams
Once a year, when all the secondary school kids have just finished school and the Leaving and Junior Cert students are busy with last minute study, the schools athletics fraternity completes with year-end athletics activities.
The Irish Schools All Ireland Track and Field is held each year on the Saturday of the June Bank Holiday weekend. Records are broken, personal bests attained and even some disappointments take place. All part of the road that athletes travel on – in their journeys to success. It is a weekend of athletic heaven. This year eleven medals were won by Kildare athletes, two of them gold. The indication was that, these All-Irelands were going to be successful, especially given the haul of close to 50 medals won at the provincial championships a few weeks ago. Names like Rhys Johnson, Sophie Byrne, Michelle Cashman, Leigh O’Brien, Alex Heaney, Holly Wright, to name but a few, were athletes tipped by athletics punters across the country as being capable of making the top three in their respective events. For some like Sophie Byrne and Rhys Johnson, they have already won Irish Schools titles. This does not diminish their prospect of wanting another one. On the contrary, it makes them even more hungry to retain their titles.
In a weekend where the Minor Boys and Girls ran times for 800m that are almost unheard of from our small island nation, Kildare played a small part in this. In the minor Girls race Freya Bateman of Cork ran 2.08 for 800m. A time that was faster than the Junior and Inter 800m winners. While in the boys Sean Riordain of Fermoy clocked 2.02 to cross the line the victor in the minor boys 800m, with Robert Gleeson of Gael Scoil Kildare finishing 5th in the very respectable time of 2.10. A time that perhaps in other years might have got him on that podium.
Johnson Was Superb
Rhys Johnson, representing Pipers Hill, Naas, won the Leinster one mile and 3000m events. Proximity to each other meant he had to choose which one he would contest in the All-Irelands. With yet another year to go in the Intermediate category he chose the one-mile event, an U16 event that was incorporated into the programme to bridge the difficulty in distance events from Junior to the final year of Intermediate. As he had done in the Leinster Schools, Johnson tucked in behind the leading group of runners, careful to be always within striking distance should a move for home be made. With 250m to go he was on the shoulder of Cork’s Darragh O’Connor, the Munster Champion. Accompanying him was Dara Matthews of Dundalk, whom Rhys had beaten in the Leinsters. 200m to go Rhys was edging ever so slightly into the leading position. And then with 150m to go he was gone, like a gazelle his powerful kick took him right into full flight and all the way down the finishing straight to cross the line in first place – the 2023 All-Ireland Schools mile champion.
Byrne Retains Her Title
Sophie Byrne, representing Newbridge College, had a lot of success at the schools last year. Winning the Inter Triple Jump she also won the Tailteann Games and thus qualified as part of the Irish team for the SIAB International – her first Irish cap. This year she has reached the upper echelons of the schools age groups – the senior girls.
She was out to retain her place at the top of the ladder. Her season thus far was successful. Bronze at the National Senior Indoors in January followed by a PB of 11.69cm last week at the Leinster Juniors, she was by far the pre-race favourite. Technically coached by Brian Dowling (Naas), Sophie has along with other Jumpers in Kildare gone from strength to strength as part of this elite group in Naas. A group that consists of Peter Casey, Aisling McHugh, both National Champions, to name but a few. The day was good to Sophie as she opened up the competition with another new PB of 11.71, which was, in fact, the winning jump. It will only be a matter of time before she eclipses the 12m mark, a feat only reserved for the likes of Sarah Buggy and Ruby Millet (St Abbans) and Grace Furlong (Waterford AC). Later in the day Sophie was part of the Newbridge College relay quartet that finished 2nd in the 4x100m relay. All athletes are part of the Crookstown-Millview athletics club under the auspices of coach Neil Taylor.
One of the longest standing schools records is that of Patricia Walsh – the Waterford athlete who set the Senior girls Discus record of 48.04m back in 1978. A year later Patricia went on a Scholarship to the University of Tennessee. Then in 1984 she became Ireland’s first ever thrower to be selected for the Olympics. A games where she reached the final and finished a very creditable 9th place with a throw of 55.38. Following in her footsteps is Holly Wright. Holly represented St Kevin’s CC Dunlavin last weekend as she and twelve other girls followed in the footsteps of the great Patricia Walsh and aimed for that schools title. Holly has been a prolific competitor over the last number of years, competing in Discus and Shot Putt events she, like her Crookstown-Millview clubmate Sophie Byrne, has gone from strength to strength. Like Byrne, Wright competed in the Schools International last year, earning her first Irish cap. Holly has been pushing towards that 40m mark and last August came close when she threw over 39m in Bedford. While not quite making 40m this year, Holly did manage to secure the silver medal.
Coming home with a bronze medal we have a special mention for Thomas Hanlon. Thomas won the Junior Boys Shot Putt in 2022 and got an international as part of an Athletics Ireland contingent who competed in the AAA in Bedford. A talented Shot Putter this Suncroft AC athlete, has improved his throwing by over a meter since 2022. He finished 3rd in the South Leinsters to Andrew Cooper and Cian Campton. Again two weeks ago he finished 3rd to the same two individuals. For the third time he has once again finished 3rd to the same individuals. Except this time he is now throwing over 13m. The depth in this age group is evident by the fact that all three athletes have competed for Ireland. Thomas is also eligible for this category next year.
Leinster U12 and U13 Championships And Pairs
While the older juveniles were participating in the All-Ireland Schools Track and Field in Tullamore on Friday and Saturday, Sunday saw plenty of action from the younger cohort at the Leinster U12 and U13 Championships and U9 to U11 pairs. Over a thousand athletes from U9 to U13 descended upon Tullamore for the Leinster Championships and Pairs. Excitable young athletes with equally excitable parents were making their first foray into the world of championship racing. The noise drowned the sound of summer on the scorching hot Sunday in June. Kildare, as a county did superb, perhaps the most outstanding county on the day, with eight gold, six silver and eight bronze medals. More than any other county had attained.
There were some outstanding performances by the athletes, unmeasurable in their depth and unequivocal in relation to the ability of the athletes who competed on the day. The Suncroft pair of Sarah Cousins and Adele Geoghegan obliterated the field in the U11 600m, while they also went on to win the Turbo Javelin. Fellow club members, Oran Tuite and Teddy Byrne, won the U9 300m and were 3rd in the Shot Putt.
In the Boys U13 Daniel Hanlon (CM) Toby Ayrodeji (Newbridge) and Tuan Lee of Clane AC, got together and are now force to be reckoned with. In Ireland’s, Indoors and now in the Outdoors, they have got from strength to strength.
There are many more fine performances on the day, a great to all the parents and athletes. These athletes will be back in action again in July.
Schools Results
Boys
Minor 800m 5 Robert Gleeson (Gael Scoil Cill Dara)
Junior 800m 3 Erik Lawlor (Naas CC)
Pole Vault 3 Darragh O’Sullivan (Naas CBS)
Shot 7 Darragh O’Sullivan (Naas CBS)
Inter: U16 Mile 1 Rhys Johnson (Pipers Hill)
400m 3 Leigh O’Brien (Celbridge CC)
Walk 5 Aidan Bayon (Salesian)
High Jump 2 Alex Heaney (Scoil Mhuire Clane)
Shot 3 Thomas Hanlon (Kildare Town CS)
Javelin 3 Rory Taylor (Newbridge College)
Senior: Triple Jump 2 Peter Casey (Naas CBS)
Girls
Minor: Long Jump 5 Georgina Myerscough (Kilkenny College) 9 Rachael Beattie (Rathangan)
Shot 6 Cadence Farrell (St Wolstan’s)
Junior: Walk 6 Eabha Brennan (Holy Family, Newbridge) Javelin 6 Abby Lewis (St Mary’s Naas)
Inter: Discus 7 Cara Wright (St Kevins CC, Dunlavin)
Senior: Triple Jump 1 Sophie Byrne (Newbridge College)
High Jump 2 Michelle Cashman (Newbridge College)
Discus 2 Holly Wright (St Kevin’s CC Dunlavin)
100m 4×100 Relay 2 Newbridge College 3 Sarah Millea (Scoil Mhuire Clane)
200m 3 Sarah Millea (Scoil Mhuire Clane)
Shot 4 Holly Wright (St Kevin’s Dunlavin)
Walk 6 Saoirse Kennedy (St Wolstan’s)
Leinster Championships Results
Girls
U12: 600m 3 Isla Corcoran (C) HJ 2 Martha Argento (LC) 1.26
Shot 3 Caoimhe Brennan (N)
U13: 80m 3 Elaine Irhue (NB)) 4 Florence Harte (CM)
Shot 1 Ella Hanlon (Sun) 2 Emily O’Sullivan (NB) 3 Kate Keena (C) 4 Autumn Mawer (C) 6 Eila O’Byrne (Sun)
Boys
U13: 600m 4 Darragh McDermott (LC)
80m 1 Daniel Hanlon (CM) 2 Toby Ayodeji (NB) 3 Tuan Lee (C)
High Jump 2 Max Crampton (NB) 4 Tuan Lee (C)
Shot 2 Daniel Hanlon (CM)
Pairs
Girls
U9 60m 2 Naas (Eibhlin Valentine and Beibhinn Ryan)
Long Jump 3 Suncroft (Kate Birchall and Grace Rowley)
Turbo Javelin 1 Clane (Annie Fogarty and Abbie Culhnane) 3 Naas (Hannah Dunbar and Lucy McDonnell)
U10 500m 1 Suncroft (Sarah Cousins and Adele Geoghegan)
Long Jump 1 Clane (Amelia Osarugue Owie and Haley Dunne)
Turbo Javelin 1 Suncroft (Sarah Cousins and Adele Geoghegan) 2 Naas (Isabelle Larkin and Lola McDonald)
U11 600m 4 Suncroft (Ailbhe Byrne and Maria Smith) 60m 3 Newbridge (Mia Dougherty and Hannah O’Keeffe) LJ 1 Clane (Meave Corcoran and Emma Culhnane) 2 Newbridge (Mia Dougherty and Hannah O’Keeffe) Turbo Jav 1 Naas (Eabha Larkin and Mia Shine).
Boys
U9 300m 1 Suncroft (Oran Tuite and Teddy Byrne)
60m 2 Suncroft (Oran Tuite and Teddy Byrne)
Turbo Javelin 1 Newbridge (Michael Gardiner and Adam Whelan) 2 Naas (Noah Laffin and Leo Killilea)
U10 2 Naas (Dylan Byrnes and Charlie Swan)
Turbo Javelin 1 Naas (Sebastian Byrne and Peter Young)
U11 600m 3 Newbridge (Patrick Guther and Joey Ryan)
60m 2 Cookstown Millview (Dylan Burke and Conor Lawler)
Turbo Javelin 3 Newbridge (Oliver Meder and Aidan Duignan)