New Donegal record takes Lauren Callaghan to long jump silver at National Seniors

Lauren Callaghan broke the Donegal long jump record to take silver at the National Senior Championships on Sunday afternoon.

The Finn Valley AC woman was only pipped to the gold medal by one centimetre after getting out to a best distance of 6.15m.

Callaghan went beyond 6m four times with two jumps at 6.14m, one at 6.09m and the record-breaking leap on her fifth visit to the board.

Callaghan now holds the county records indoor and outdoor having gone out to 6.24m indoors.

Callaghan was edged for gold by Elizabeth Ndudi, the Dundrum South Dublin woman hitting the sand at 6.16m with St Mary's, Limerick woman Sophie Meredith taking bronze thanks to a 6.03m jump.

Callaghan, who is coached by Paul Wilkinson, recently finished second at the JBL Jump Fest, a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze level meet, in Kosice, Slovakia when jumping to 6.06m.

Callaghan's Finn Valley AC colleague Roisin Flanagan, back from the United States to compete, was the bronze medal winner in the women's 5,000m.

Flanagan was third in 15:54.74, behind Jodie McCann of Dublin City Harriers (15:44.52) and Ide Nic Dhomnaill from West Limerick AC (15:48.58).

Her twin sister, Eilish, did not finish with her injury troubles continuing.

Tir Chonaill AC's Kelly McGrory finished fifth in the women's 400m final. The Laghey woman crossed the line in 54.39 seconds on a day when she would've hoped to climb a podium step to boost her chances of a place in the women's 4x400m relay team for the Olympics.

Finn Valley AC woman Eimear McCarroll was fourth in the U20 3,000m final, finishing in a new personal best of 10:06.26.

Bridget McDyer of Finn Valley was fifth in the weight for distance, reaching out to 6.64m – a new Ulster and Donegal record - while Oisin Thompson from Finn Valley was eighth in the long jump, going to 6.71m and Fodhla Nic Phaidin placed 14^th in the long jump with a 5.06m effort.

Donegal end the weekend with golds for Mark English and Sommer Lecky with Callaghan, Joseph Gillespie, James Kelly and Fintan Dewhirst taking silver and Flanagan joined by Adrienne Gallen in winning bronze.