Caoimhe Gallen nears European qualification standard

Caoimhe Gallen is closing in on the qualifying standard for the European Youth Olympic Festival.

The Lifford-Strabane AC hammer thrower is now just 1.76m say of the 57.04m needed to book a place in the European finals.

At the weekend, Gallen hit a new personal best of 55.64m in the fifth round of a throws meet in Milton Keynes on Sunday.

Gallen fired out to 55.63m on her first throw.

Gallen’s final round throw was measured at 56.69m, but it landed just outside the area.

Kathryn McDevitt and Irish relay team take European Best Masters award

Letterkenny AC woman McDevitt was part of two Irish relay teams that won gold medals at the 2022 World Masters Championships

Last year, Gallen won gold in the hammer at the Tailteann Games when throwing out to 51.94m and she was agonisingly close to European qualification in 2022.

Last month, the St Columba’s College, Stranorlar student won the under-17 shot put at the Juvenile Indoor Championships in Athlone having won the under-17 hammer at the National Spring Throws Championships in Tullamore the previous weekend.

Also on Sunday, her older sister Adrienne threw a best of 52.03m in Milton Keynes, not far off her 52.99m season’s best.