The start of the track and field championship season was a busy, exciting and very successful time for the Drogheda & District AC Junior and Juvenile’s athletes competing in Leinster schools, Louth County Individual and relay championships, along with Leinster relays and combined event.

At the Louth Juvenile track and field championships they had outstanding performances from individuals and relay teams with over 60 athletes competing in a range of track and field events it was highly successful.  We had a total of 33 individual medals along with 5 Gold and 2 bronze medals in the relays.

Although he is still in this his first full year of training and competing, Junior athlete and leaving cert student Louis O’ Shea finished second in the Senior Boys 400 mts  at North Leinster Schools in a time of 50.6 seconds gaining automatic qualification for the Leinster finals in Tullamore.

 Outstanding individual performances at the Louth Championships came from the Cunningham Sisters Beatrice and Hannah. In the Girls under 14 1500 mts Hannah finished 2nd running a super time of 5 mins 10.8 secs this was then followed with Beatrice also finishing 2nd in the under 15 events running another great time of 5 min 4.89.

Beatrice also finished 2nd in the 800mt with a time of 2 mins 22.6 secs. Remarkable performances from these very young girls propelling them both into the top 10 of the current Louth Senior ranking list.

The outstanding performances in the relays came from The Girls u 11 team of Laura Clarke, Lucy Cooney, Eabha Flynn and Aine Mc Hugh, this team had two magnificent runs when becoming Louth champions and going on to finish 7th in the Leinster final. The u15 team comprising of Bonnie Breach, Eve Russell, Emily Cooney and Dani Nolan finished a striking 6th in the Leinster final.

The field events saw new talent emerging at the pre–Louth’s Euan Kirwan finished 3rd in the boys U14 shot put.  Girls u12 Turbo Javelin Lucy Russell 2nd and Nancy Clerkin 3^rd.

At the Louth championship Nancy Clerkin continued her fine early season form when finishing 2nd in the u12 Girls shot put, Javelin Boys u14 Cillian Russell 2nd, Girls u13 Isabella OJO St Paul 3rd ,  High Jump success for Dani Nolan Girls u15 1st, Cormac Russell boys u19 3rd, long jump Sam Mc Ginn u 15 3rd Cormac Russell u 19 3rd.

Middle distance 1500mts, Aine Carrol had a very good run winning the u17 girls 1500 mts with a new personal best. Niamh Caroll Girls u19 finished 3rd and Eleanor Mc Mahon the Girls u15 6^th.

In  the u11, 600mt Eve Cunningham was 2^nd, Dearbhla Johnston 3rd in the u12 Yasman Nuri 4th Cian Bolton 4th Boys u 12. In the 100mt Sprints, Michael Iloduba had a super run finishing 2 nd in the boys u16 100 mts Girls u17 Ruby Berrill 2^nd.

Other notable results included:

• Girls u 11 60mt final Aine Mc Hugh 2nd Eabha Flynn 4th
• Boys u 9 60 mts Semi Johnston 2nd
• Boys u 10 1st Jack O’Connor, Rocco Kermode 3rd
• Girls u12 60 mts Dearbhla Johnston 3rd
• Girls u 14 200 mts Eve Russell 2rd Emily Garvey 3rd Emily Cooney 4th
• Girls u15 100 mts Bonnie Breach 2nd