Another gold for Caolan McFadden as Erin Friel hits world U20 qualifying mark

United States-bound Donegal duo Caolan McFadden and Erin Friel put down their latest markers at the National U20 Indoor Championships on Saturday.

Cranford AC’s McFadden won the U20 800m while Letterkenny AC’s Friel’s U20 400m silver came via a time that meets the qualification standard for the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships.

There were several medals from a Donegal perspective on Saturday at the TUS Indoor Arena in Athlone, with the U20 and U23 Championships both taking place.

A week after winning the All-Ireland Senior Schools Cross Country gold in Mallusk, McFadden won the U20 Indoor 800m.

The Creeslough teenager is set to take up a scholarship at the famed Villanova University in Pennsylvania later this year.

Loreto Milford scholar McFadden won here in 1:52.57, holding off any threats posed by Odhran O’Sullivan (1:52.73) and John Delaney (1:53.95).

McFadden won his heat in 1:56.41 and heads for the outdoor campaign with his confidence soaring.

In that same 800m final, Ciaran McCarroll of Finn Valley was sixth in 1:58.53 with McFadden’s Cranford AC team-mate Michael Moore seventh in 2:01.71.

Friel, whose star rose last year when winning bronze at the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF).

Friel opened her season last month with a 400m and 200m double at the Ulster Indoors and she landed silver here when going 54.20 seconds.

The Newtowncunningham teen has committed to a scholarship move to Florida State University this autumn.

The Kathryn McDevitt-coached Friel clocked a new PB, 54.02 seconds, in winning EYOF bronze in Macedonia, where she was also part of the Irish medley relay team that placed fourth in a national record time of 2:07.06.

Friel was bested only by Molly Daly on Saturday, the Kilkenny athlete taking gold in 53.75 with Friel - who had won her heat in 55.68 - second in 54.20 and Sofia Granjo third in 55.35.

The time recorded by Friel is on the button of the qualification standard for the World U20s, which take place in early August in Eugene, Oregon; surely now her passport will get a US stamp before her Florida adventure begins.

Ethan Dewhirst bagged gold in the U20 400m. The Tir Chonaill AC man won in 48.35 seconds in the final, staving off Andew Hayes, who was second in 48.48, with Reuben Wain third in 48.69.

Dewhirst surged through from his heat in 49.10 and made no mistake in the final.

Ethan Dewhirst celebrates his win. Photo: Sportsfile

Dewhirst’s Tir Chonaill AC colleagues Alex Anderson and Ava Anderson won the U23 weight for distance gold medals to make it a fine day for the club,

Lifford-Strabane AC athlete Caoimhe Gallen earned gold in the U20 shot, reaching out to 12.56m having won silver at the recent National Senior Indoors. 

Finn Valley AC’s Joseph Gillespie, a senior bronze medal winner, took gold here in the triple jump, touching the sand at 13.71m.

Eoin Boyle from Tir Chonaill AC was the U20 high jump silver medal winner. Boyle got over at 1.80m, a leap that was only bettered by Emanuel Osas, who cleared 1.90m for gold.

Finn Valley AC’s Amy Greene took bronze in the U23 1500m. The DCU student, who is just returning from an injury lay off, finished in 4:41.17 to take third behind Neasa Ni Ainifein and Maebh Caffrey.

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There was bronze, too, for Oisin Kelly of Cranford AC, in the U23 800m. Kelly clocked 1:53.57 for third in the race, joining Cian O’Boyle (1:51.96) and Andrew McGilton (1:52.81) on the podium.

Letterkeny AC’s Brendan Ndambira was fourth in the U20 400m. The 16-year-old came through his heat in 22.33 before taking fourth in 22.29 in the final, while Amy Timoney of Finn Valley AC crossed the line in 7.77 seconds for fifth in the U20 60m final.