Latest Laois Sport: Laois Athletes shine at National Masters Track & Field Competition

Laois athletes blaze trail at Masters T & F

A sweltering Tullamore was the venue for the National Masters T&F on Saturday last.

The Masters Championships caters for the ages above 35, divided into five year groups.

In general these Master competitors, at both Leinster and National, are the coaches of the younger athletes in their clubs. One of the best ways to keep up with good coaching practices is for the coach to remain competitive, and this is particularly the case with the field events – the jumps and the throws.

Paul Greenwood (St Abbans AC) finished 10th in the M55 100m.

Tony Cox (Ballyfin AC) and Trevor Percy (Portlaoise AC) finished 5th and 6th in M40 1500m

Paddy Harding (St Abbans AC) finished 2nd in the M70 5,000m

The evergreen Seamus Fitzpatrick (Portlaoise AC) competes in Over 55 now, and won the Discus, Shot Putt and Weight for Distance. Seamus has a stack of All-Ireland Medals the envy of any sportsman anywhere in the country.

His training and coaching partner John Territt (St Abbans AC) competes in O60, finished 3rd in the discus, 2nd in the Javelin and won the Hammer competition.

Bernie Bannon (St Michaels AC) won her 100m sprint.

Paula Guinan (Oughaval AC) finished 2nd in the 100m and 200m, and won the long jump competition in a new personal best jump. Her Long Jump season has been particularly remarkable, considering she has not jumped competitively since her school days;

 – finished 2nd in All Ireland Indoors in January, jumping 4.28m

– won Leinster Indoors in March, jumping 4.36m

– won Leinster Outdoors in May, jumping 4.42m

– and has now won All-Ireland Outdoors, jumping a pb of 4.63m

In addition herself and David Foley coach a little group of Long Jumpers with Oughaval AC, two of whom have had great success at the recent All Ireland Juvenile Grade B.

Meanwhile, at the Community Games National Finals in Carlow yesterday, Cillín Hoey of Emo Rath blitzed the field in the U14 80m Sprint Hurdles. His win comes at the end of another remarkable season – Cillín finished 2nd in Leinster Indoors Hurdles and won the All Ireland Indoors, and won both Leinster and All-Ireland at Outdoors, and followed that up by winning the All Ireland Pentatlon a few weeks ago.