Jake O'Regan wins John Treacy 10 Miles Road Race

2,944 finished the John Treacy 10 Miles Road Race in Dungarvan on Sunday and the winner was Jake O’Regan, St John’s AC (Clare); the National Marathon Champion, in a fast 48.47 minutes, with Killian Mooney Dundrum South Dublin second in 50.04 and Gavin Curtin in Donore Harriers third in 50.04. First Waterford athlete home was Evan Fitzgerald West Waterford in fifth place 50.42. First home in the Ladies was Emily Sisson (New Balance, USA) in 53.22; an Olympian with USA in Paris and married to Shane Quinn former Ferrybank AC runner. Second was Jessica Coyne (Leevale Cork) in 55.56 and Dee Grady (Ennis) was third in 56.41.

The following were the age group winners: Ladies F35 Dee Grady, F40 Kealey Tideswell, F45 Breda O’Donoghue, F50 Adele Walsh St Senans (Kilmacow), F55 Josephine Kelleher, F60 May Buckley, F65 Mary Sweeney, F70 Padraig Riggs. Men: M40 Sergiu Ciobanu, M45 Pat Moloney, M50 Michael Morgan, M55 Eugene O’Keeffe, M60 Patrick Sheahan, M65 Gary Boyle, M70 Sylvie O’Mahonty (Youghal), M75 Richard Piotrowski.

At the end of the 10 miles a cheque for €6,000 was handed over to the charity chosen by West Waterford AC - the Children’s Health Foundation Crumlin.

Success for Waterford Schools at East Munster Cross Country

The East Munster Secondary Schools Cross Country Championships were held in the SETU arena on Thursday, January 29th, in difficult underfoot conditions. Waterford schools did very well. There were individual wins by Charlotte Norman, Blackwater CS, Lismore in Senior Girls, Saoirse Ferguson St Angela’s won the Intermediate Girls section and Hayden Scadding Newtown School won the junior boys race.

Second placings went to Fia De Paor St Augustine’s College Senior Girls, Noah Commins St Augustine’s College Senior boys, Ciara Rohan Waterpark Intermediate girls, William McNally CBS Dungarvan in Intermediate boys. Third placings went to Ronan Smyth Waterpark Senior Boys, Zak Fenton Abbey Community College Intermediate Boys.

In team competitions, Waterpark College won the Senior Boys team title, St Angela’s the Senior and Intermediate Girls titles, St Declan’s Community College Kilmacthomas Intermediate and Junior boys titles, and Árd Scoil na Mara Tramore Junior Girls titles.

Second placings went to Árd Scoi na Mara Tramore in Intermediate Boys and St Augustine’s College in Minor G0irls. Third placings to Newtown School Senior boys and Árd Scoil na Mara Tramore in Minor Girls. With the first 15 individuals home in each race and the top four teams in each race also, Waterford will be well represented in the Munster Schools in Tramore Valley Park, Cork on Thursday February 12th.

Brid in USA

Brid Golden, President of Athletics Ireland, was in New York for a special visit to commemorate the four-mile record set in Dublin on August 17th 1987 of 15.49.08 set by Eamonn Coghlan, Marcus O’Sullivan, Frank O’Mara and Ray Flynn which still stands today. All four were present at the meeting and all World Class athletes.

Frank O’Mara, who has Parkinson’s disease, has been a great advocate through his work of raising an awareness of Parkinson’s. His memoir ‘Bend, Don’t Break’ is a deeply moving account of his battle with the disease. Many travelled from Ireland, including the CEO of Irish Athletics Hamish Adams and Darragh Browne of the professional staff. Other officers of the Board, Michael Quinlan and John Riordan were those promoting Irish Athletics in the Universities, as ell as Olympians John Menton, Paddy McGrath and Gerry O’Reilly

Gerry’s story shows how the Irish Athletic Community at home and abroad are looked after here in America and Brid also thanked Seams Carey and Michael Nutty for their great support. Brid also took time to visit the famous Millrose Games where Eamonn Coghlan and Marcus O’Sullivan became multiple winners of the famous Wanamaker Mile, and where our fine athletes of the present day Andrew Coscoran, Cian McPhilips and Mark English competed on Sunday.

February Fixtures

National Intermediate Masters and Juvenile B Championships in Abbottstown, Sunday Feb, 15th. Munster Juvenile U15 - U19 Indoors in Nenagh, Feb, 21st and 22nd. National Senior Indoors in Abbottstown, Saturday Feb, 28th and Sunday, Mar 1st .

Upcoming Secondary School Schools Cross Country Events

Munster Secondary Schools Finals in Tramore Valley Park, Cork, Thursday, Feb 12th. All-Ireland Secondary Schools Cross Country in Newtownabbey, Belfast, Saturday, Mar 7th.

Passage Hurling Club Road Races

On Sunday February 22nd, the second annual ‘Beat the Billy Goat’ road races, presented by Passage Hurling Club, will take place. Entries are now open on Race Result.com. From 8am on the day entries will be taken at the Passage East Community Centre until 9.35am. The races will take place from Passage Hurling Club in Crooke, with the Family Walk at 9.30am, the 10km Run at 10am and the 5km run at 10.05am. There will be a shuttle bus Service from The Community Centre to the starting points.