Aidan Gillespie hits new age group Irish record on day of joy for Donegal masters

Aidan Gillespie set a new age group Irish record on a day when Donegal athletes celebrated a raft of medals at the National Masters Indoor Championships.

At the TUS Arena in Athlone, the Rosses AC man won the M50 60m hurdles last Saturday.

Gillespie clocked 9.44 seconds for gold and lowered his own national men’s 50 age group record. Last year, at the Connaught Indoors, he finished in 9.51 seconds.

Tom McKelvey of Tir Chonaill AC jumped to 5.24m to earn the gold in the M50 long jump. McKelvey was also toasting gold in the triple jump when going out to 10.21m.

Tir Chonaill AC’s Robert Anderson won gold, silver and bronze. Anderson won the M55 weight for distance, throwing out to 7.66m for a fine gold.

Anderson leapt to 7.88m to take the M55 triple jump silver and he jumped a best of 3.64m for bronze in the long jump.

Finn Valley AC woman Catriona Devine landed gold in the W50 1500m. Devine saw off Drogheda and District’’s Mary Leech and Ann Marie Connellan of Ennis Track AC to win in 5:00.06.

Catriona Devine of Finn Valley AC on her way to another medal in Athlone.

Devine also left with silver from the 800m, crossing the line in 2:31.89 and beaten only by Geraldine Vahey from Ennis Track AC.

Bosco Reid, also of Finn Valley AC, threw out to 11.67m for gold in the M60 shot.

There was gold for Danny Sharkey of Letterkenny AC in the M65 3000m walk, winning in 21:51.40. 

Lifford-Strabane AC’s Damian Crawford landed the M55 shot put gold thanks to a 11.30m effort. Crawford added bronze in the weight for distance thanks to a 6.91m throw.

Rosses AC’s Helen McCready bagged a pair of silvers. McCready was second in the W40 1500m, clocking 4:45.54, and also in the 3000m, when going 10:36.95.

In the M60 1500m, Kay Byrne of Finn Valley took silver in 5:49.36 after a titanic race against Michelle O’Mahony (Kilmurray/Ibrickane). Byrne also bronze in the 3000m, clocking 12:07.40.

Finn Valley AC’s Bonner earned silver in the W65 1500m when finishing in 6:38.90 and also took silver over the 800m in 3:26.56.

Shane Toolan of Tir Chonaill AC left with silver in the M65 200m (30.16) and also in the 60m sprint (8.73).

Milford AC’s Anthony Doherty was second in the M55 1500m, coming home in 4:49.40, and a time of  10:35.18 saw him edged into fourth in the 3000m.

Letterkenny AC’s Brian McBride scooped silver in the M70 1500m and Luke Mangan of Rosses AC landed silver in the M35 shot, thanks to a best throw of 11.89m.

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Olympian YAC’s Karen O’Donnell was second in the W45 60m, 200m and 400m while Martin O’Donnell was third in the M50 60m with Patrick O’Donnell second in the M35 long jump.

Mark Doherty of Lifford-Strabane AC threw a best of 9.78m for bronze in the M55 shot before finishing fourth in the weight for distance.

Michelle Sandy, also of Lifford-Strabane AC, jumped out to 6.84m for bronze in the W45 triple jump and finished fifth in the shot.