From the streets of Athlone and Portlaoise to the iconic strade di Roma, dedicated athletes from Drogheda & District A.C. put on their running shoes and hit the roads, over the weekend.
The Athlone International Arena buzzed with anticipation last Saturday morning as several of descended on the venue for the Leinster Junior, Senior and Master Indoor Championships for a day filled with promise and excitement as the athletes geared up to showcase their talents on the grand stage.
Diving into the thrilling results from last weekend’s Leinster Indoor Championships, where DDAC left an indelible mark on the track. Christopher Keenan stole the show, not only clinching 1st place in the Leinster U20 Men’s 1500m final with an outstanding time of 3:59.45 but Keenan also smashed the Leinster record by a staggering 10 seconds! His electrifying performance sent shockwaves through the competition, establishing him as a force to be reckoned with on the track.
Meanwhile, Andrew Kelly showcased his speed and skill, securing an impressive 3rd place in the Leinster Senior Men’s 200m final with a lightning-fast time of 23.14 seconds, a testament to his relentless dedication to training, both Keenan and Kelly are showing outstanding results so early in the track season and no doubt they will have more to show us this year.
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In the Master Men’s events, Karl Carton and Frank Cruise blazed through the sprints, clocking times of 8.53 seconds and 9.11 seconds in the 60m sprint, and 28.30 seconds and 29.00 seconds in the 200m sprint, respectively, both athletes having strong results over the past couple of months.
Similarly, Jennifer Gregory,Fiona Murphy and Kerry McHugh represented the Master Women with grit and determination, overcoming challenges and pushing their limits with every stride. Jennifer led the charge with a time of 2:48.69 in Heat 2, followed by Fiona Murphy at 3:00.79, and Kerry McHugh at 3:18.07 in Heat 4.
In the Senior Men’s 400m, James English showcased his speed with a time of 56.45 seconds, while in the Master Men’s 400m, Paul Stuart posted a time of 58.53 seconds in Heat 1, and Gerry O’Connor finished strong with a time of 1:02.76 in Heat 4.
But the excitement didn’t end there! On St. Patrick’s Day, Aaron Hanlon took on the Tallaght AC 5K, facing fierce competition from elite runners across Dublin. In a nail-biting race, Hanlon claimed 2nd place, with Mitchell Byrne and David Scanlon of Rathfarham WSAF AC hot on his heels leaving only 10 seconds between each of the top three athletes home.
Switching gears, DDAC members showcased their talent in various road events throughout the week. Paul Smith blazed through the Streets of Portlaoise 5K with a stellar time of 16:15, leaving spectators in awe of his speed and endurance.
Meanwhile, Amber-Kate Allen conquered the Sandymount Nightrun 10K with an impressive time of 59:47, demonstrating her determination and resilience on the road.
And a special mention goes to Anna Isgro, who conquered the historical streets of Rome for this year’s Rome Marathon, setting a new personal best with a time of 3:25:01 and securing 12th place in her age category and a spot in the top 100 women finishers. Her achievement serves as an inspiration to us all, reminding us that with dedication and perseverance, anything is possible.
