The number of pentathlon competitors was low this year, and one major reason for this is poor fixture planning. For many of the Cork athletes it would have been the fifth weekend of competition in a row, and with the National Schools and some of the Munster Individuals on the next two weekends, anybody would be excused not taking part here.
However, despite the low numbers and very gusty conditions with rain often threatening some great competitions unfolded. In the Girls U14 the first three athletes broke the 10 year old Championships Best Performance (CBP) and overall standard was very high. Leevale’s Jane Lenihan did very well with 7th place in this high caliber field and required a number of PB’s to do so. All the U14 boys had a close battle accumulating in an exciting final 800m, in which Eric Stam managed to hold on to a second overall place which he had obtained through solid all-round performances. The most dramatic, heart breaking, event was the girls U15. A superb hurdle performance from April Philpott carried her through in 1st place up to the 800m. However, only 85 points separated the first four athletes which caused great tension at the line-up for the 800m. In the first lap April became victim of an unfair physical battle and had to surrender to fourth place overall agonizingly close to a bronze medal. Patrick Maher was the outright winner of the boys U16. Not only did he win all his events, he came pretty close breaking the 23 year old CBP.
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