Club Notes 19/7/06 Last week-end on Saturday in Cork the National Relay Championships took place. These were followed on Sunday by the National Track & Field Championships for the younger age groups from U-9 to U-13. We had some great successes at both events. On Saturday we had a total of twelve teams competing. This was probalbly the largest number of teams entered by any club and certainly larger than what was ever entered by our own club in the past. Great credit must go to the coaches who prepared and worked with these teams in the many training sessions preceding these championships. Our success rate was also probably the highest in the country with a total of seven teams winning medals and a further three teams finishing fourth. Again when one thinks that these are the national championships with the top clubs in Ireland competing it emphasises the fantastic performance that was achieved. Of the medals won, two were gold, three were silver and two were bronze. Well done to all teams competing there! The two Gold Medals were won by the Boys U-10 4 x 50m made up of Jack Morgan, Michael O'Donnell, Sean Fitzmaurice, Diarmuid O'Sullivan and Dailti O'Buachalla and the Boys U-17 4 x 100m made up of Ben McGilton, Cian Foley, Michael Fitzgerald and Eoin Doody. The three Silver Medals were won by the Girls U-9 team of Aoife O'Carroll, Aoibheann O'Brien, Jenny Godley, Doireann Morgan and Caoimhe Barry Walsh, the Girls U-10 team of Courtney Ryan, Orna Foley, Orla Sheehy, Rachel O'Halloran and Grace Hickie and the Boys U-18 team of David Boyd, Dara O'Carroll, Michael Kelliher, Ben McGilton and Robert Sugrue. And finally the two Bronze Medals were won by the Boys U-12 team of Shane O'Sullivan, Feargal O'Nuallain, Danny Pierce, Eoin O'Carroll and Cormac Coffey and the Girls U-14 team of Molly McGilton, Ciara Walsh, Sinead O'Connor and Laura Lynch. On what was a very hot day all our teams gave good accounts of themselves and, when combined with all their successes at Munster and individual level, we can look forward to a great night at our Annual Awards Night later in the year! On the following day the National Championships for the younger athletes took place. Again the day was very hot and the competition very strong. But we did not come away empty handed as we had two gold medal winners in Eoin O'Carroll and Louise O'Connor. Eoin won his Gold in the U-12 80m Sprint and Louise won her Gold also in the U-12 80m Sprint. Louise also got a Silver in the U-12 High Jump. Both of these young athletes have been consistent performers this year and it is great to see them succeeding at the highest level. We had a number of other athletes also there who acquitted themselves very well but were just outside the medals on this occasion. On Wednesday of last week the Kerry Junior and Masters Championships were held. Once again we had several winners from the club although our numbers competing were a liitle low for both championships. Indeed the overall support for these championships was quite poor and efforts must be made for next year's events to get a better turnout. In the Junior championships our medal winners were David Boyd, Alan O'Connor, Robert Sugrue and Karen O'Connor. In the Masters our main winners were Patsy O'Connor, Pat Canty, Martin McDonagh, Donal Crowley, Bernard O'Keeffe and Neilus Daly. Our own Open Sports will take place on Sunday next, 23 July beginning at 12:00pm at the Riocht Track in Castleisland. Please support this event as it is always an enjoyable event and a good opportunity to compete in a relaxed and enjoyable setting. The full Programme is as follows: Girls U-7 60m, U-9 60m, 200m, Ball Throw, U-10 60m, 200m, Long Jump, U-11 60m, 200m, Ball Throw, U-12 60m, 200m, Long Jump, U-13 80m, 600m, Shot, U-14 80m, 75m Hurdles, High Jump, U-15 100m, 800m, Long Jump, U-16 100m, Junior 100m, 800m, Discus, Javelin, Masters 3000m. Boys U-7 60m, U-9 60m, 200m, Ball Throw, U-10 60m, 200m, Long Jump, U-11 60m, 200m, Ball Throw, U-12 60m, 600m, Long Jump, U-13 80m, 600m, Shot, U-14 80m, Javelin, High Jump, U-15 100m, 800m, Long Jump, U-16 100m, 200m, Junior 100m, 200m, 400m, Discus, Javelin, Masters 100m, Shot. Relays Girls U-9 4x50m, U-11 4x50m, U-13 4x100m, U-15 4x100m and Junior 4x100m. Relays Boys U-9 4x50m, U-11 4x50m, U-13 4x100m, U-15 4x100m and Junion 4x100m. The Field Events for ages U-9 to U-12 are for teams consisting of three athletes. Teams can consist of athletes from different clubs if necessary and also individual non-club competitors will be facilitated. As usual athletes can move up one age group to compete in an event not at their own age group and this includes team events. Please support these Sports as a lot of effort has gone in to organizing them and it is guarantedd to be an enjoyable day. Hopefully also we will get good support from other clubs just as we have supported their events earlier this year! Outdoor training continues at Mounthawk Secondary School from 7:00 to 8:00pm on Tuesdays for all athletes.