A weekend to remember for veteran Joe Gough
First 3 in British Masters Long Jump o55 1st John Monroe Southern Counties Vets 2nd Tom O'Brien Waterford AC on right and 3rd Ian Allen South West Vets
The British Masters Track and Field Championships were held in Derby over 3 days, and Joe Gough, West Waterford, was in action over 3 distances: the 1500 the 800 metres and the 2000 metres steeplechase, all over 70. First up for Joe was the 1500 meters on Friday evening, and Joe won the gold medal in a time of 5.23.95, setting a new Irish o70 record, breaking his old standard of 5.29.21..On Saturday in the 800 metres, Joe was first home again, taking the gold in 2.37.91. On Sunday, the final day of the Championships, Joe made a late decision to go in the steeplechase over 2000 metres. Again, he took gold with his 2nd Irish record o70 of the Championships with a time of 8.42.14, well below the old standard of 9.03.75.
On Sunday last, David Mc Glynn was back in action competing in the Annual Charleville Half Marathon, which he won in a time of 65 minutes and 43 seconds in second place was Liam Aldridge, Billingham Road Club UK, in 66.52, and 3rd John Travers, Donore Harriers was third in 67.02. Other Waterford placings were Aidan Connell, West Waterford 12th,in 72.20, Pat Fitzgerald, Waterford 13th in 72.39, Noel Murphy do 20th, 73.45 , and Warren Roche, Ferrybank 22nd,73.55,1580 finished the race.
On Saturday competing in Derby in the British Masters Championships also Tom O'Brien Waterford AC competing first in the o 55 long jump was 2nd with a leap of 5.07 metres and had been leading going into the final jump and a few hours later won the high jump with a jump of 1.53 metres, with the rain coming down in torrents and for an hour or so later with no photos taken on the rostrum.
As I write these notes, the World Athletic Championships are continuing in Tokyo, and the Irish Mixed Relay team were very disappointing in their heat, and their time of 3.13.89 tells the whole story. So far Sarah Healy has made it through to the 1500 metres final, Nicola Tuthill is in the final of the Hammer, and Sarah Lavin is in the semi-final of the 100 metres hurdles as is Nick Briggs in the 1500 metres while Fionnuala Mc Cormack going as well as ever had her best Marathon time in finishing 9 th in 2 hrs 30.16 in very hot and humid conditions.
Despite the weather being absolutely desperate for the event, there was a good turnout for the event, Relay for those under 9,11,13, and individual events for girls and boys over 13.
Sunday, September 21st, Annual Kilmacow Open Cross Country in Sports Complex, Kilmacow 1 pm Races for under 8,9,10,12,14,16,18 Junior men and women, Senior 5000 metres for Ladies and Senior 7000 metres for men, Best overall Juvenile Club get the Fintan O'Sullivan Trophy.
Day 1 Sunday, September 28th in Tramore with Juvenile Even ages and Novice male and female first race 11 am. Day 2 Sunday, October 5th, St Augustine's College Grounds, Abbeyside, Juvenile Uneven ages and Senior men and women. Details of Day 3 County B, Juvenile Relays and Masters will be circulated when dates and venues have been confirmed.
October 12th Munster Novice,u23 and Juvenile even ages 11 am Cooraclare Co Clare, Sunday November 2nd 11 am Munster Senior, junior and Juvenile uneven at a Tipperary venue. Sunday, November 16th.Munster Intermediate and Juvenile (B )Cork Venue, Sunday, November 30th Munster Masters venue and Juvenile Relays later.
Autumn Open and National Juvenile Club Relays, Sport Ireland Campus, Dublin, 19th October. 123.ie National Senior and Juvenile Even Age Cross Country Championships, Templemore Sports Complex, Buncrana Rd, Derry, 23rd November 2025.123.ie National Novice and Juvenile Uneven Age Cross Country Championships, Sport Ireland Campus, Dublin,7th December.
