Leinster Indoor Championships 2022

Gowran AC sent a juvenile team of 32 athletes to compete at the Leinster indoor championships in Athlone. The atmosphere was back, created by the full house of supporters cheering on the athletes. Most of our athletes competed in 2 or 3 events each, with many events having heats, semi-finals and finals.

By the end of the two days, Gowran had 25 top 5 finishes in the Leinster championship, which is an excellent club result, but more importantly for many of our athletes, it was their first experience of indoors, and new friendships formed.

On such long days, the athletes go through the range of emotions, the anticipation, the excitement, the adrenaline, the determination, then comes either the delight, contentment, disappointment, or tears.

Gowran came away with two 1^st, five 2^nd, four 3^rd, nine 4^th, and six 5^th. Eleven athletes now progress through to the All-Irelands next Month.

60M Sprint: Rachel Duff (U13G) finished 2^nd (8.52 seconds) in what was a Kilkenny 1,2,3. She won her heat and her semi-final. Odhran Prendergast (U14B) also finished 2^nd (8.26 seconds), and won his heat en-route. Darragh Carroll (U13B) got through his heat and semi-final, and finished 5^th in the final. Gowran had 12 other fast athletes competing in the short 60M sprint, Emily O`Keeffe (U12G), Laura Beatty (U12G), Oren Denieffe (U12B), Eimear Cottrell (U13G), Lucy Cunningham (U13G), Kate Hayden (U14G), Charlie Ryan (U15B), Rachel Gardiner (U16G), and Chloe Lynch (U16G).

Long Jump: Aoibhlinn Steger (U14G) came 1^st, winning by 2cm in a field of 35 athletes.  Darragh Carroll (U13B) finished 2^nd with a 4.1M jump. Odhran Prendergast (U14B) was 5^th, Ailbhe Steger (U15G) 7^th, Evan Ryan (U13B) 8^th, all made it through to their respective final jump offs. Gowran had lots of other super jumpers competing, Lucy Cunningham (U13G), Grace Roberts (U13G), Eimear Cottrell (U13G), Aaron Carrigan (U12B), MJ Carroll (U12B), Aidan Corrigan (U12B), David Carroll (U12B), Oren Denieffe (U12B), and Joe Hayes (U14B).

60M Hurdles: Aaron Carrigan (U12B) was 2^nd in heats, and 3^rd in the final, narrowly pipping MJ Carroll (U12B) who was 1^st in heats, and 4^th in final. Tomas Carroll (U14B) was 2^nd in heats, and 3^rd in the final. In the U13 Boys, Gowran had 3 athletes that qualified through the heats to the final – Evan Ryan finished 2^nd in heats, and 5^th in the final, Dara Leamy finished 4^th in heats, and 6^th in the final, Michael O`Keeffe was 3<sup>rd</sup> in the heats, and 8<sup>th</sup> in the final. Gowran also had some future stars hurdling, Emily O`Keeffe (U12G), Heidi Ryan (U12G), Kate Hayden (U14G), Ceola Leamy (U15G).

Pole Vault: Ceola Leamy (U15G) was 1^st after clearing 6 height increases. James Kelsey (U15B) finished 3^rd. Chloe Lynch (U16G) finished 2^nd.

600M: Aaron Carrigan won his heat by a significant margin, and finished 2^nd in the final, he was later disqualified on a harsh technicality, but ran superbly. Darragh Carroll (U13B) finished 3^rd in heats, and 4^th in final improving his time by 5 seconds. MJ Carroll finished 2^nd in the heats, and 7^th in final. Gowran had many other middle distance stars of the future running, Emily O`Keeffe (U12G), Heidi Ryan (U12G), David Carroll, (U12B), Aidan Corrigan (U12B), Daisy Coomey (U13G), and Orlaith Carroll (U13G).

High Jump: Ailbhe Steger was 3^rd (U15G), Joe Hayes and Tómas Carroll shared 4^th (U14B) while James Kelsey (U15B) set a new PB in coming 4th also. Orlaith Carroll (U13G) finished 5^th as did Dara Leamy (U13B). Gowran had 4 other vertical jumpers competing, Daisy Coomey (U13G), Aoibhlinn Steger (U14G), Ceola Leamy (U15G), and Chloe Lynch (U16G).

200M Sprint: Darragh Dunne (U16B) finished 2^nd in heats, and a close 4^th in the final. Rachel Gardiner ran well and finished 6^th in heats.

Shot Put: Rachel Gardiner (U16G) came 2^nd, a mere 0.03M from 1^st place, and a long distance clear of the rest. Heidi Ryan finished 4^th (U12G), Anna Kelsey 8^th (U13G), Evan Ryan 4^th (U13B), Dara Leamy 6^th (U13B), Aoibhlinn Steger 7^th (U14G), Ailbhe Steger 5^th (U15G), Noah Denieffe 4^th (U15B), Charlie Ryan 6^th (U15B) all made it through to their respective final group throw offs. Gowran had other powerful throwers competing, Oren Denieffe (U12B), David Carroll (U12B), Orlaith Carroll (U13G), Daisy Coomey (U13G), and Joe Hayes (U14B).

800M: Tomas Carroll (U14B) was 3^rd in heats, and finished 12^th in final. Cillian Dunne (U19B) finished 4^th in the final. Gowran also had Kate Hayden (U14G), and James Kelsey (U15B) running the 4 lap event.

Best of luck to the 11 Athletes that qualified for the indoor All-Irelands next month – Rachel Duff, Aoibhlinn Steger, Ceola Leamy, Ailbhe Steger, Rachel Gardiner, Chloe Lynch, Aaron Carrigan, Tómas Carroll. Darragh Carroll, Odhran Prendergast, James Kelsey.