Good conclusion to Westmeath Cross Country
The second day of the Athletics Westmeath cross country took place in Belvedere last Sunday morning in dry and bright conditions, perfect for athletes and spectators. Day two was for girls and boys u/9, u/11, u/13, u/15 and u/17 and like day one the previous week, entries were strong, helped by a good number from Athlone AC and a big number of guest runners from Longford AC and even a few guests from Roscommon AC too. As always, Belvedere proved itself an excellent cross country venue, testing everyone that ran.
Many of the juveniles who took part on day one the previous week were back in action again, either running in their own age or moving up an age group, to get in some race experience. There were lots of newcomers and the girls and boys that ran in the non-Championship under 9 races really enjoyed themselves and were delighted with their medals. Moving to the Championships proper, the race distances were no problem for those that have been training regularly. The course in Belvedere is a great test of cross country endurance and those that train there regularly will have no problem with the courses chosen for the Leinsters. There were some very good individual performances but Championship cross country is also about team running, so everyone was being closely watched by Club coaches, particularly the newcomers.
Thanks to all who helped with parking, recording the results, marshalling and stewarding on the course, to the many parents who came and supported the competitors, and to the management and staff of Belvedere for the use of the excellent grounds, and to the athletes who provided great competition. A big thank you to those that stayed behind after the last race to take the course down and leave everything tidied up.
The Leinster Championships take place over two days, with two weeks between each, so juvenile athletes can run in their own age group and move up an age group to make up teams. The results of both days and application in training will be used to select teams to represent Mullingar and Westmeath in the Leinster Championships.
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U13 girls: Under 13 girls medal presentation (back) Rose Harte, Shona Rice, Alannah Rice, Heather Kelly, Ella Kilduff, Aoibhean Lynam, Ava Meehan, Eimear Nohilly, Naomi Dolan (Athlone) (front) Helen McGrath, Emily Rose Coyne, Lauryn Smith, Maisie Walsh, Ellen Cummins, Caitlin Doyle, Ailbhe McMullin (Longford AC), Roisin Keane, Alison McGuinness (Athlone), Laurie Keane.Image 2 of 10
Under 15 boys finishers Daniel Cummins, Adam O'Donoghue, John McManus, Rian Gavin, Conor Gavin, Harry Flanagan, Cillian Gavin.Image 3 of 10
After the under 15 girls race were (back) Aoibheann Quinn (Athlone), Abigail Nohilly, (front) Chloe Bell, Siomha Leonard, Caoimhe Lynam, Isabelle Morris, Lucrecija Jukneviciute, Aoife Dunne, Grace Farry, Clodagh Keane, Amelie Kelly, Katie Bohan.Image 4 of 10
After the under 17 boys race were Morgan Isdell, Evan Nohilly, Emmet Carolan, Daniel Higgins (Longford AC) and Luke Morgan (Longford AC).Image 5 of 10
Lily Walsh and Muirin Dunne relax after the under 17 girls race.Image 6 of 10
The big number of under 9 boys proudly display their medals (back) Alfie McGee (Athlone), Conor Lenihan (Longford AC), Michael Bannon (Athlone), Aaron Byrne, Noah Fitzmaurice (Athlone), Coalan O’Gorman (Athlone), Conor O’Rourke (Athlone), JJ Browne, Oisin Hughes, Joseph Ganley (front) Evan Clifford, Liam Henson, Jackson Daly, Rory Coyne, Dylan Sheehy (Athlone), Luke Cummins, Mark Buckley, Padraig Savage, Cillian Grehan, Ciaran Fitzpatrick.Image 7 of 10
U9 girls (back) Saoirse Casey Ryan (Athlone), Ava Toher (Roscommon AC), Hannah Sweeney, Maeve Whelehan (front, L to R) Roisin Smith, Enya Madden (Longford AC), May Halligan, Sadhbh McGowan (Longford AC), Sadie Canning, Aoibh Spain, Emer Martin (Athlone), Maisie Grehan, Caoimhe Healy, Saoirse Geoghegan.Image 8 of 10
The big number of under 11 boys that ran in Belvedere.Image 9 of 10
There was a massive entry of 33 for the under 11 girls race.Image 10 of 10
U13 boys (back) Michael Kiernan, John Heal) (front) Ted Fitzpatrick (Longford AC), Donagh Bourke), Diarmuid Brady (Longford AC), Olly Loughrey, Ethan Byrne, Liam Ahearne, Noah Martin (Athlone), Jack Ahearne, Noah Morgan, Oisin Quinn (Athlone).The results of day two are:
Under 9 girls 500m – 1. Roisin Smith, 2. Enya Madden (Longford AC) GUEST, 3. May Halligan, 4. Sadhbh McGowan (Longford AC) GUEST, 5. Sadie Canning, 6. Aoibh Spain, 7. Emer Martin (Athlone), 8. Maisie Grehan, 9. Caoimhe Healy, 10. Saoirse Geoghegan, 11. Saoirse Casey Ryan (Athlone), 12. Ava Toher (Roscommon AC) GUEST, 13. Hannah Sweeney, 14. Maeve Whelehan. Under 9 boys 500m – 1. Evan Clifford, 2. Liam Henson, 3. Jackson Daly, 4. Rory Coyne, 5. Dylan Sheehy (Athlone), 6. Luke Cummins, 7. Mark Buckley, 8. Padraig Savage, 9. Cillian Grehan, 10. Ciaran Fitzpatrick, 11. Alfie McGee (Athlone), 12. Conor Lenihan (Longford AC) GUEST, 13. Michael Bannon (Athlone), 14. Aaron Byrne, 15. Noah Fitzmaurice (Athlone), 16. Coalan O’Gorman (Athlone), 17. Conor O'Rourke (Athlone), 18. JJ Browne, 19. Oisin Hughes, 20. Joseph Ganley. Under 11 girls 1,500m – (33 finishers) 1. Cara Hickey (MHAC), 2.Tara Coyne (MHAC), 3. Mia Barry (MHAC),
4. Isabelle Madden (Longford AC) GUEST, 5. Meabh Doyle (MHAC), 6. Zoe O’Donoghue (MHAC), 7. Hannah Lennon (Athlone), 8. Ella Skye Belton (Longford AC) GUEST, 9. Sarah Cummins (MHAC), 10. Cliodhna Fitzpatrick (MHAC), 11. Ciara Shine (Athlone), 12. Ciara Beirne (MHAC), 13. Hannah Dooley (Roscommon AC) GUEST, 14. Polly Digan (Athlone), 15. Maeve Brady (Longford AC) GUEST, 16. Regan Corcoran, 17. Alannah Grehan (Athlone), 18. Laila Morgan (MHAC), 19. Fodhla Hughes (MHAC), 20. Lillie Molloy (Athlone). Under 11 boys 1,500m – (28 finishers) 1. Rian Healy (MHAC), 2. Tadhg Smith (MHAC), 3. Robert Bohan (MHAC), 4. Shay Gavigan (MHAC), 5. Rory Grehan (MHAC), 6. Paudie O’Neill (Longford AC) GUEST, 7. Eanna O’Gorman (Athlone), 8. Aidan Geoghegan (Longford AC) GUEST, 9. Armandas Tavoras (Rochfortbridge), 11. Liam McLoughlin (MHAC), 12. Joe Hickey (MHAC), 13. Aidan Buckley (MHAC), 14. Matteo Fitzpatrick (MHAC), 15. Senan Whelehan (MHAC), 16. Fionn Quinn (Athlone), 17. Jonah Mullen (Longford AC) GUEST, 18. Luke Lenihan (Longford AC) GUEST, 19. Jamie Gilligan (MHAC), 20. Peter Ahearne (MHAC). Under 13 girls 2,500m – 1. Helen McGrath (MHAC), 2. Emily Rose Coyne (MHAC), 3. Lauryn Smith (MHAC), 4. Maisie Walsh (MHAC), 5. Ellen Cummins (MHAC), 6. Caitlin Doyle (MHAC), 7. Ailbhe McMullin (Longford AC) GUEST, 8. Roisin Keane (MHAC), 9. Alison McGuinness (Athlone), 10. Laurie Keane (MHAC), 11. Rose Harte (MHAC), 12. Shona Rice (MHAC), 13. Alannah Rice (MHAC), 14. Heather Kelly (MHAC), 15. Ella Kilduff (MHAC), 16. Aoibhean Lynam (MHAC), 17. Ava Meehan (MHAC), 18. Eimear Nohilly (MHAC), 19. Naomi Dolan (Athlone). Under 13 boys 2,500m – 1. Ted Fitzpatrick (Longford AC) GUEST, 2. Donagh Bourke (MHAC), 3. Diarmuid Brady (Longford AC) GUEST, 4. Olly Loughrey (MHAC), 5. Ethan Byrne (MHAC), 6. Liam Ahearne (MHAC), 7. Noah Martin (Athlone), 8. Jack Ahearne (MHAC), 9. Noah Morgan (MHAC), 10. Oisin Quinn (Athlone), 11. Michael Kiernan (MHAC), 12. John Healy (MHAC). Under 15 girls 3,500m – 1. Chloe Bell (MHAC), 2. Siomha Leonard (MHAC), 3. Caoimhe Lynam (MHAC), 4. Isabelle Morris (MHAC), 5. Lucrecija Jukneviciute (Rochfortbridge), 6. Aoife Dunne (MHAC), 7. Grace Farry (MHAC), 8. Clodagh Keane (MHAC), 9. Amelie Kelly (MHAC), 10. Katie Bohan (MHAC), 11. Aoibheann Quinn (Athlone), 12. Abigail Nohilly (MHAC). Under 15 boys 3,500m – 1. Daniel Cummins (MHAC), 2. Adam O'Donoghue (MHAC), 3. John McManus (MHAC), 4. Rian Gavin (MHAC), 5. Conor Gavin (MHAC), 6. Harry Flanagan (MHAC), 7. Cillian Gavin (MHAC). Under 17 girls 4,000m – 1. Lily Walsh (MHAC), 2. Muirin Dunne (MHAC). Under 17 boys 5,000m – 1. Morgan Isdell (MHAC), 2. Evan Nohilly (MHAC), 3. Emmet Carolan (MHAC), 4. Daniel Higgins (Longford AC) GUEST, 5. Luke Morgan (Longford AC) GUEST [GD].
Longwood Three Quarter Marathon
Just three weeks out from the Dublin City Marathon the annual Longwood three quarter marathon is always popular. This year was no different and last Sunday week (Oct 4), on a bright morning with light winds and at times humid conditions, four athletes from Mullingar Harriers joined a total field of just over 1,000 runners to check their preparation for the main event at the end of the month. It was at times a testing course with several long stretches and some rolling hills along country roads. Griffen Kearney was our first runner home in 2:12:07, followed by Joan Flynn (2:20:46), with Barry White running 2:31:58 and Lisa McEntee 3:34:11 [MO’S].
Chicago Marathon
The 2026 running of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon took place last Sunday morning. Among the huge field of nearly 46,000 in this iconic race was Mullingar Harrier Orla Gillespie. Ola was thrilled not only to complete in such a highly recognised marathon, but it was a bonus to achieve a best time of 3 hours 25 minutes 25 seconds. Well, done to Orla [MO’S].
Sympathy
Finally, the executive and members of the Club wish to express sincere sympathy to Kedagh Geoghegan and the entire Geoghegan family on the recent tragic death of his nephew Kyle Geoghegan. The family includes Kedagh’s brother Colm and his wife Andrea, whose daughters Amy, Adele and Leah ran with Mullingar Harriers for many years. May Kyle rest in peace.
Sadly, for the second time in a few weeks, the executive and members of the Club wish to express sincere sympathy to Mairtin Savage and the entire Savage family, this time on the recent death of his uncle, Michael, RIP.
See mullingarharriers.com and Facebook.