Donegal athletes off to good start at National Juvenile Indoor Championships

Donegal athletes were celebrating medals on day one of the Irish Life Health National Juvenile Indoor Championships in Athlone.

A new Championship best performance by Rosses AC’s Caoimhe McGonagle won the under-12 girls high jump. McGonagle got over at 1.42m, wiping out Jessica Lyne’s 1.36m from 2016.

Oisin Kelly of Cranford AC won the under-19 boys 1500m. Kelly crossed the line in 4:03.78, edging out Waterford AC’s Aidan Burke (4:04.17).

Kelly’s club-mate Caolan McFadden won the under-16 boys 1500m. McFadden finished in 4:15.38 and was an impressive winner ahead of Daire O’Donnell (Dualla Ballytarsmna Boherlahan AC).

Finn Valley AC’s Riona Doherty claimed the gold in the under-16 girls 60m sprint. Doherty’s time of 7.90 seconds saw her pip Elena O’Sullivan and Katie Doherty (both 7.91) to win.

Riona Doherty (right) with Amy Timoney and coach Rosemary Finn

Tori Murchan won the under-18 girls high jump. The Tir Chonaill AC woman cleared a best of 1.60m.

The under-16 girls shot put was won by Caoimhe Gallen from Lifford-Strabane AC. Gallen threw out to 12.36m with her closest challenger, Rachel Gardiner, going to 11.38m.

Lucy McGlynn continued her fine for by collecting a silver medal in the under-19 girls 400m. McGlynn’s 57.29 seconds was bested by Lucan’s Kate O’Connell, who won in 56.64 seconds.

Lucy McGlynn - setting the bar high in many sports - athletics, Gaelic football and basketball

The talented Coláiste Cholmcille student has a busy schedule but is enjoying the journey

Mark Wilkinson of Finn Valley AC was the silver medalist in the under-14 boys high jump, getting over 1.55m. The winner, Eddie Raicevic from Finisk Valley, cleared 1.58m.

Tir Chonaill AC’s Alannah Anderson scooped silver in the under-15 girls shot put, reaching out to 10.82m.

In the under-18 girls 60m, Sophie Parlour of Olympian YAC was second in 7.82 seconds while Lifford-Strabane AC’s Harriet McCrossan was third in the same race, finishing in 7.90 seconds.

Fintan Dewhirst from Tir Chonaill AC was the bronze medalist in the under-18 boys 400m

Lifford-Strabane AC’s Kayla Russell took bronze in the under-14 long jump with a best effort of 4.63m and Chloe Costello, also of Lifford-Strabane AC, took bronze in the under-16 girls triple jump (9.86m).

There was bronze, too, for Katie Elliott of Letterkenny AC in the under-15 girls high jump with a 1.50m leap.