Six athletes from Ace Athletic Club qualified for the 800m National Championships in Tullamore at the weekend with Neil Culhane and Sholah Lawrence both winning National medals – gold for Neil and silver for Sholah.
Sholah Lawrence, who secured her silver in the u16 800m, started the race very positively and battled very hard to secure her National medal. Sholah is the current Leinster u16 1500m champion, so will compete again in 2 weeks’ time in the 1500m Irish final.
Fresh from his Junior National gold last week, Neil Culhane won the u19 800m having led from the gun to the finishing line in 1.53.
Cousins Chloe and Eimear Cooney both ran in the 800m finals at u15 & u17 respectively and, although they performed well, both girls had times well below their normal level. Both Cooneys are Leinster 1500m champions and as a result have also qualified for the 1500m Irish finals in two weeks’ time.
Training partners Shea ODonnell and Lorcan Ford Dunne ran in the boy’s u16 and u17 800m finals and both had good runs but also finished outside of the medals on the day, and like the Cooney cousins didn’t quite match their normal levels. Both boys also have the 1500m finals to look forward to in two weeks’ time.
On top of that Shea will fly to Glasgow this week to compete in an international schools event, with the Irish Schools team.
All these Ace AC athletes successfully came through the qualification process in Leinster to compete on the day against the very best athletes in the country which is a huge achievement in itself.
Chloe Cooney, Sholah Lawrence, Eimear Cooney, Lorcan Forde Dunne and Neil Culhane will all fly to UK this week to compete in the English Milers meet at the Paula Radcliffe stadium in Loughborough.
Meanwhile the National B competition were held on Sunday last also in Tullamore. This was open to all athletes who had missed out on qualification for the nationals. Naiya Semple, Tayo Lawrence, Rhys Clarke and Hannah Black all competed very well on the day.
