Press
Release 27th May 2002 From: John Shields. 01 - 8311 311 087 - 2633 376
Kit Kat IRISH SCHOOLS' TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
TULLAMORE 2002
For the 12th year in a row the Kit Kat Irish Schools' Track & Field
Championships will be held next Saturday, 1st June, in the magnificently
appointed Tullamore Harriers Stadium at Tullamore starting at 9 am and
finishing at 6 pm.
Over the
past month approx. 16,000 schools' athletes have been attempting to qualify for
this event from their zones and regions all over the country. This All-Ireland
perspective is surely unique in Irish Athletics and, also, vitally important in
these days of peace and reconciliation. What other organisation can bring to
the same start-line athletes from Dublin, Carlow, Tralee, Cashel, Galway,
Stranorlar, Ballymena and Crossmaglen? This strong mixture pervades all out
activities and next Saturday will be no exception as we will have competing in
Tullamore athletes from all demoninations and social backgrounds, who will be
there to compete in friendly rivalry.
As usual
we can look forward to a great day of competition. These Schools' Championships
have the excitement of the unknown, when the best athletes of the four
provinces meet at the outset of their careers, and set a pattern of competition
which may well be repeated for years to come. We can all recall thrilling
moments when one of the great athletes of the future suddenly asserted their
domination of the field. We can safely say that in next Saturday's
Championships there will be athletes competing who one day will compete with
honour in the major stadia of the world.
This
year in conjunction with The Irish Milers Club we are delighted to announce
that we will stage a 1500m for men and an 800m for women in our championships.
These races will feature the cream of Irish middle distance athletes. The men's
race will feature James Nolan, Colm McClean, and Mark Kenneally. The women's
race will feature a number of past Irish Schools' champions including Roisin
Quinn, Maria Lynch, Ann Marie Larkin, Geraldine Hendricken and Niamh Beirne.
In the
schools' competition the sprints and hurdles as usual will see many exciting
races and close finishes. The highlight will be the Girls Senior 100m and 200m
where the rivalry between Aoife McNeill(Our Lady's Grove) and Claire Bergin
(Muckross Park) will be renewed and with Mandy Crowe (St Ailbe, Tipperary) and
Shauna O'Brien (Loreto, Clonmel) involved anyone of those could be winners.
Expect good races in the Senior Boys sprints as well with Darren O'Donovan (Col
an Spioraid Naoimh, Cork) and Vincent Gough (Castleknock) in good form. Joanne
Cuddihy (Loreto, Kilkenny) should do well in the 400 flat. Daniel Tobin (St
Aidan's), James Leddingham (St Augustine's) and Thomas Chamney (St Columba's)
are the ones to watch out for in the Senior Boys 400m where the record of
Thomas Coman could be under threat. The hurdles races always provide some
exciting finishes and this year will be no exception. The highlight could be
the Senior Boys 110m Hurdles where the winner could come from Ian McDonald
(Belvedere), Donal Leahy (Col. Cois Life), or Maurice Donoghue (DLS Waterford).
The Inter Girls 80m Hurdles will be another one to watch where Leona Byrne (St
Leo's Carlow) could lead the way.
In the
Middle Distances expect many close finishes. The Senior Boys 800m could be one
such race with Thomas Chamney (St. Columba's) fresh from his success over David
Ward (Drimnagh Castle) in the Leinsters ready to take on Paul grant (North
Monastery) and Ciarain O'Connell (St Macartan's).
In the Senior Boys 1500m Dominic McAllister (St. Malachy's, Belfast) has been
very impressive but he will need to be to beat Richard Corcoran (St Paul's) and
Brian Farrell (North Monastery). In the Senior Boys 5000m a great battle is in
prospect between Kevin Seaward (St Malachy's) and Paddy White (St Benildus).
Colin Costelloe (Gormanston) will be hoping to break the record in the 1500
Steeplechase but could be pushed by David Collins (Midleton CBS).
The
field events will provide much excitement as usual. Eoin Leen (Mercy Mount
Hawk) has been setting the headlines again this year with puts of over 16metres
in the North Munster and Munster Schools.
Other field events to watch will be the Senior Boys High Jump with Adrian
O'Dwyer (St Kieran's Kilkenny) in excellent form and capable of setting a new
record.
No
matter where you look there will be great competition and always the great
surprises often from the most unexpected sources. This is what makes this Kit
Kat All-Ireland Schools' Track & Field the best meet in the country.
This great sporting event could not take place without the voluntary effort of
all the teachers in the 800 schools who participate in athletics throughout the
country. These teachers not only act as officials in their regions and zones
but many of them are also here today as officials and quite literaly we could
not run this meeting without them. They are also responsible for preparing the
young athletes who are with us today. A great debt of gratitude is due to these
people.
We are,
also, deeply grateful to NESTLÉ (IRELAND) who continue to support schools'
athletics. We would like particularly to thank their Managing Director, MR.
EDDIE HUMPHREYS, and MR. BILL HYLAND. Without the support of these people we
could not put on these Championships.
JOHN
SHIELDS
MEETING DIRECTOR