Ireland’s Call for Shea O’Donnell
Ace ac athletes Shea O’Donnell and Eimear Cooney qualified for the Tailteann Games to run for Leinster Schools at the weekend in Carlow knowing a top two finish would win them an international schools call up.
Their qualification came through their high finishes in the recent Leinster Schools races in Tullamore. Both athletes competed at the 1500m distance.
Eimear. from Sacred Heart Drogheda, running in the 1500m, led the race from the gun, in a field of Ireland’s top 1500m runners and finished an impressive 3rd, just missing out on another international call up.
Meanwhile, Shea O’Donnell from St Mary’s Diocesan School who had yet to represent Ireland, secured a vital silver medal after a superb performance, qualifying him to run for Ireland schools in the UK in July.
Shea has been a member of Ace AC since its formation and it’s a great honour for the Club to have yet another member gain international recognition.
Sophie Gartland heading to European U20 Championships
It was a case of mission accomplished for Sophie Gartland and her Irish relay team in Mannheim Germany on Sunday, as they successfully achieved the qualification time for the upcoming European U20 Championships.
Sophie and her team came home in a time of 45.96 and will now travel to Jerusalem as part of the Irish squad between the 7th and 10th of August.
Blackrock beach races
Blackrock beach races were back with a bang this week and Ace A.C athletes put in some good performances winning a bagful of medals. Well done to Muireann Chamass , Sophie Black , Lucy Reynolds and Niamh Lynch who ran their socks off in their own individual races and the U10 relay.
Ollie Marron ,Dylan Garcia, and Tayo Lawrence ran great races individually in the boys U12 500m , while Hannah Black did like wise in the girls’ U12 race. Tayo Lawrence won the 6 th place medal in the U12 boys 500m race.
The mixed relay team of Niamh Faulkner, Kate O Donnell, Alfie Marron and Nathan Robertson won bronze medals. Nathan Robertson also won a 4th place individual medal in the boys’ u14 750 m race. Kate O Donnell replicated that in the girls u14 race, winning another 4th place medal.
Our U16 girls enjoyed success, taking the top two places in the 750m race. Sholah Lawrence cruised to 1st place, with Chloe Hanley winning a well-deserved silver medal. They also made up half of the winning U16 mixed relay team with Daniel Hanley and Luca Mc Loughlin.
Daniel Hanley also won an individual silver medal in the boys U16 750 race. Luca Mc Loughlin finished in the top 6 too, picking up a medal. Liam Lynch put in another gutsy performance. Well done to all.
