Louth athletes secure multiple medals

The Leinster Senior and Uneven Cross Country Championships took place at Kilbeggan Race Course on Saturday last. The event was hosted by Mullingar Harriers in what was a challenging but fair course.

St Peter’s AC had athletes compete from U11 to senior. Niamh Brady had another really great performance in the senior race and put herself in the mix from early on, and finished equally as strong, taking home the silver medal in the U23 category.

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Her clubmate and recently crowned Louth Cross Country champion finished closely behind Niamh, and together the two girls helped the Louth Senior team to silver.

Dearbhla Allen showed that her season is far from over as she continues her recovery from her recent layoff and showed her class as she built on her recent performances by claiming the silver medal in the women’s U23.

The juvenile races commenced with the girls' U11 race, and St Peter’s had two athletes battle tremendously well through the large field of athletes.

Bella Cumiskey and Aoibhe Kelly both showed that they will be forced to reckon with themselves as they gain more experience.

Colm Duff put his disappointment of a fall at the start of the boys U12 race two weeks previously well and truly behind him as he moved up to compete in the boys under thirteen race.

Colm was gone like a bullet when the gun went and led out the race over the first 500M, some where concerned that perhaps his enthusiasm from the last day may have made him go out to quick as some of the bigger lads passed him at the halfway point.

This fine and determined athlete got his second wind and picked up his pace and began passing athletes and put himself in the mix upfront again claiming one of the top six seats and booking his place in the U13 national championship.

Ella Murphy had set herself a challenge at the start of the cross country season and that was to finish inside the top twelve at the Leinster U13 championship.

This was thrown into doubt during the week as she was ill however Ella wasn’t willing to let a little sickness stop her achieving her goal.

She had a great start and put herself in contention from the start and worked really hard to make the twelve. and the added bonus was she was part of a victorious Louth team that took gold along with her buddy Anna Kelly.

Anna is an ever-present, hard-working athlete and once again worked really hard and claimed her first Leinster medal by being the sixth scorer on the Louth team.

Donal Foley, who is relatively new to the sport, showed that he enjoys the big occasion by running very bravely in the boys U15 race, and the ever reliable Sadhbh Sheelan was also in action in the girls U15 race, batting through the field in what was a very competitive race.

Next week it’s back to the local Championship when the Louth intermediate championship takes place for the adults and juvenile Cross Country relays for the juveniles, at Meadow View in Drogheda, hosted by Boyne AC.