A large group of 32 Leevale athletes represented their schools with distinction at a high-quality All-Ireland Schools T&F Championships held in a blustery Tullamore on Saturday. It is a great achievement for all athletes to qualify through to South Munster and Munster rounds, to compete in this prestigious event against the best athletes in Ireland.
Lucy Sleeman was the class performer of the day, winning both senior girls 100m (11.96s) and 200m (24.78s) sprint titles in fine style, with a large margin of victory in both cases. Lucy came into this event in fantastic form, having achieved world u20 qualifying standards in both sprint events in Belgium last week.
Sean Carmody was a clear winner of the senior boys 400m hurdles event, his winning time of 56.18s an impressive one given the difficult wind conditions for the track athletes. Sean returning later in the day to finish a very close 2nd in the 110m hurdles in a fast 14.85s, missing out on double gold in a photo finish.
It was a great day for the Onoh family. Ryan Onoh won the junior boys High Jump on countback with a jump of 1.75m and took the minor boys Long Jump with an equally impressive jump of 5.92m, just shy of the CBP. Brianna Onoh took gold in the Inter girls Shot with a fine put of 12.28m.
Leevale athletes as usual featured prominently on the medal podium in the Pole Vault event. Una Brice managed the unfavourable gusting wind conditions to win the Senior girl’s event with a vault of 3.55m and missed out on a new CBP with a very narrow failure at 3.67m. Conor Callinan added the Senior boys title to his school’s collection, taking gold with a 4.10m clearance. Leevale athletes took gold and silver in the Inter boy’s event, Josh Fitzgerald winning in 3.70m followed by Alex Neff with 3.60m. Olive Burger took 4th place in the junior girls event with a 2.10m clearance.
Jane Buckley was an impressive winner of the Senior girls 3000m race, winning in style in a very fast 9.51.30. Claire Crowley finished 4th in the Inter girls 3000m (10.17.50) and Nicole Dinan a close 5th in the Inter girls 800m (2.16.05).
Okwu Backari was one of the most impressive hurdles winners of the day, taking the Inter girls 80m hurdles race in 11.64s by a large margin. Okwu finished 3rd in the 100m sprint (12.57s) earlier, finishing just behind the silver of fast finishing club mate Fatima Amusa (12.55s). Fatima also took a very close silver in the 200m in 25.86s. Natalia Golka was another athlete to medal in two events, winning a very competitive Junior girls 75m hurdles race in 11.52s, having taken an excellent silver in the junior 200m (26.03s) less than an hour earlier.
Caoimhe Daly was out on her own when winning the Junior girls Long Jump, battling gusting winds ranging from -4.6 m/s to +2.3 m/s to produce the furthest 4 jumps of the competition and take gold with an excellent 5.22m. Also in the junior girls, Elena O’Sullivan finished 2nd in the 100m in a very fast 12.60s, missing out on gold by a mere 0.02s. Sophie Mulcahy was unlucky to finish just outside the medals in both sprints, with excellent 4th places in both the Junior 100m (13.02s) and 200m (26.50s).
Andrew Scanlon took silver in the Inter boys Javelin with a fantastic 1st round throw of 52.91m and was cruelly denied gold by a mere 12cm in the last round. Also in the throws, Oscar Naughton finished 3rd in the junior boys Discus (33.87m) and later took 4th in the Pole Vault (2.60m).
Maeve Fleming finished 2nd in the Inter girls High Jump with a jump of 1.68m, just one height behind the winner. Orla O’Sullivan took bronze in a Inter Triple Jump in 10.70m, with a very consistent series where 4 of her 5 jumps were all over 10.60m
Matthew Wilkins who has made great strides in his first year of competition, took a great silver in the Inter boys Triple Jump (12.23m) and also finish 6th in the Long Jump (5.79m).
Other athletes to finish just outside the medals were Daniela Puspure (Junior girls Javelin and Shot), Ciara O’Mahony (Senior girls 400m), Kate Naughton (Senior girls Discus and Javelin) and Joseph Bamidele (Senior boys Shot).
Ciara Mahony, Colin Murphy, Abbie Dorney, Zoe Conway, Josh O’Mahony and Caoimhe Daly all competed for their schools in the sprint relays with Ciara and Colin on medal winning teams.
| Senior Girls | ||||
| 100m | 1 | Lucy Sleeman | Bruce College Cork | 11.96s |
| 200m | 1 | Lucy Sleeman | Bruce College Cork | 24.78s |
| 400m | 8 | Ciara O`Mahony | Regina Mundi Cork | 66.28s |
| 3000m | 1 | Jane Buckley | Col na Toirbhirte Bandon | 09:51.3 |
| Pole Vault | 1 | Una Brice | Mount Mercy Cork | 3.50m |
| Discus | 8 | Kate Naughton | Scoil Mhuire Cork | 23.22m |
| Senior Boys | ||||
| 110m Hurdles | 2 | Sean Carmody | CBC Cork | 14.85s |
| 4 | Conor Callinan | Col an Chroi Naofa | 15.87s | |
| 400m Hurdles | 1 | Sean Carmody | CBC Cork | 56.18s |
| Pole Vault | 1 | Conor Callinan | Col an Chroi Naofa | 4.10m |
| Shot | 8 | Joseph Bamidele | Nagle CC Cork | 11.85m |
| Inter Girls | ||||
| 100m | 2 | Fatima Amusa | Bishopstown CS | 12.55s |
| 3 | Okwu Backari | Ashton Cork | 12.57s | |
| 200m | 2 | Fatima Amusa | Bishopstown CS | 25.86s |
| 80m Hurdles | 1 | Okwu Backari | Ashton Cork | 11.64s |
| 800m | 5 | Nicole Dinan | St Angelas Cork | 02:16.1 |
| 3000m | 4 | Claire Crowley | Kinsale CS | 10:17.5 |
| Triple Jump | 3 | Orla O`Sullivan | Regina Mundi Cork | 10.70m |
| Shot | 1 | Briana Onoh | Ashton Cork | 12.28m |
| High Jump | 2 | Maeve Fleming | Scoil Mhuire Cork | 1.68m |
| Inter Boys | ||||
| Pole Vault | 1 | Josh Fitzgerald | Col Muire Crosshaven | 3.70m |
| 2 | Alex Neff | GC Charraig Ui Leighin | 3.60m | |
| Javelin | 2 | Andrew Scanlon | St Declans Kilmacthomas | 52.91m |
| Triple Jump | 2 | Matthew Wilkins | PBC Cork | 12.23m |
| Long Jump | 6 | Matthew Wilkins | PBC Cork | 5.79m |
| Junior Girls | ||||
| 100m | 2 | Elena O`Sullivan | Regina Mundi Cork | 12.60s |
| 4 | Sophie Mulcahy | St Angelas Cork | 13.02s | |
| 200m | 2 | Natalia Golka | GC Mhuire AG Cork | 26.03s |
| 4 | Sophie Mulcahy | St Angelas Cork | 26.50s | |
| 75m Hurdles | 1 | Natalia Golka | GC Mhuire AG Cork | 11.52s |
| Long Jump | 1 | Caoimhe Daly | Col Choilm Ballincollig | 5.22m |
| Pole Vault | 4 | Olive Burger | Mount Mercy Cork | 2.10m |
| Shot | 6 | Daniela Puspure | Col Choilm Ballincollig | 9.45m |
| Javelin | 9 | Daniela Puspure | Col Choilm Ballincollig | 26.31m |
| Junior Boys | ||||
| High Jump | 1 | Ryan Onoh | Ashton Cork | 1.75m |
| Discus | 3 | Oscar Naughton | PBC Cork | 33.87m |
| Pole Vault | 4 | Oscar Naughton | PBC Cork | 2.60m |
| Minor Boys | ||||
| Long Jump | 1 | Ryan Onoh | Ashton Cork | 5.92m |
Full Results: HERE
