Louth athlete Allen storms to a championship best

The National Juvenile Track & Field Championships days one and two took place in Tullamore last weekend.

St Peter’s AC, Louth, were due to have two athletes in action but unfortunately, Niamh Allen had to withdraw due to injury so her older sister Dearbhla, had to carry the St Peter’s flag.

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As Dearbhla is now in the U19 age category this would be her last Juvenile Track & Field Championships and what a championship she had.

The scheduling wasn’t ideal; however, this athlete is made of tough stuff and just took it all in her stride.

On Saturday she competed in the 3000M U19 race, Dearbhla took the lead very early and just drilled out a very impressive performance pulling away further from her competitors with each lap, storming to victory in a very impressive and new PB of 9.50.03.

The following day she once again travelled to Tullamore to compete again over the 3000M distance except this time it was in the Steeplechase race.

Most athletes would have been concerned competing in such a physically demanding race so soon after a 3000M race however if Dearbhla was concerned she didn’t show it.

Taking the lead on the second lap, a lead she wouldn’t relinquish, she managed to pull away from her competitors most of them with fresher legs having opted not to run the previous day.

As the race came to the closing stages there was only going to be one winner as Dearbhla stormed to a championship best time of 10.34.96 taking some 45 seconds off the previous record and an added bonus that for the third time, her finishing time was inside the required European Championship standard.