James Kelly takes shot put gold at Universities Championships

James Kelly won the men’s shot put gold at the 2022 Irish Universities Indoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday,

The Finn Valley AC ace, who was representing Letterkenny Institute of Technology, threw a best of 16.93m in Athlone.

The St Johnston man’s mark was significantly better than his nearest challenger, UL’s Darragh Miniter (13.16m).

Kelly’s throw was just four centimetres off the IUAA Indoor record. The 16.97m mark set by his older brother, John,in 2017 remains at the head of the standings.

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The Lifford-Strabane AC man has been selected on the Irish team for the event which takes place in Scotland

Bridget McDyer of Finn Valley AC, a student at UCC, was the bronze medalist in the women’s 8kg weight for distance. Her best throw of 7.25m was a new personal best and a new UCC record with the 8kg weight.

McDyer also finished fifth in the shot put, reaching a best of 9.25m.

Bridget McDyer (right) was a bronze medalist 

Rosses AC’s Fodhla McFadden, who was representing DCU, won bronze in the women’s long jump. McFadden jumped a best of 4.93m.

IT Sligo student Michaela Byrne, a Finn Valley athlete, was seventh (4.71m) while Rosses AC’s Leah Ni Ghairbhigh, competing for UCD, was 11th (4.53m).

In the women’s 400m, Finn Valley AC’s Arlene Crossan set a new indoor PB and a new Ulster University record in finishing fourth.

Crossan clocked 56.51 seconds in the final having qualified thanks to a 56.80 run in the semi-final.

Her sister, Laura, running for DCU, was fourth in 59.59 in her semi, but did not advance.

Arlene Crossan was also part of the UU 4x200m relay squad that twice broke the college’s record. They clocked 1:45.16 in the final, but were edged out of the medal positions to fourth.

Fodhla McFadden with her bronze medal

In the 60m sprints, Sheldon Romeo Nyoni of Letterkenny AC and LyIT set a new LyIT record of 7.20 seconds in his eat, but did not qualify. Conor Herity of LyIT, from North Sligo AC, went 9.60 seconds in his heat, but did not advance.

In the 200m Herity was fifth in his heat (25.79) while LyIT student Jamie Wynne, of Dundalk St Gerard’s AC, was third in his heat in 26.06. Eoin McKenna (LyIT and Glaslough Harriers) was 12th in a 1500m semi-final.

LAC athlete Ryan Canning, in the colours of Ulster University, was fourth in a 400m heat in 52 seconds. Canning and the UU 4x200m relay team, which also included Lifford-Strabane AC's Gareth Crawford, were 12th in the final.