Laura and Patrick McSweeney and Tracey Bradfield all brought home All Ireland gold medals from the AAI Juvenile Indoor Championships, held last weekend in Nenagh.

All shot putting champions, Laura won the girls U16 shot, Patrick won the boys U18 shot and Tracy took the girls U18 title. Colin Kingston won a silver medal for the boys U15 shot. Competing well but outside medal positions this time were Erin Kingston (5th girls U13 shot), Phil Healy (5th girls U17 60m), Travis Coomey (8th boys U12 shot) and Fiona Duggan (9th girls U15 shot).
The Munster Junior, senior and Masters Indoors were held the previous weekend on 21st March. Phil Healy won the senior women 60m and 200m. She came second in the high and long jump. Tracey Bradfield came fourth in the Junior Women Shot. Patrick McSweeney won the junior men weight for distance and came second in the shot. Eric Stamm won a silver medal in the junior men long jump. At Masters level, Liz Coomey won her 60m, long and high jumps and was second in the shot. Frank Stam came second in the shot. Pat Mulcahy won silver for his 60m. Patrick McSweeney (Snr) was fifth in the weight for distance.
As mentioned last week, Joan Healy and Eric Stam were recipients of All Ireland Athletic Awards recently at the 2009 Tipperary Chrystal all Ireland Juvenile Star Awards. Joan was presented with the Keara O’Hart award for the best performance by a sprinter in 2009. This was at the European Youth Olympics in Finland, where she narrowly missed out on an individual sprint medal in the 100m. She had an excellent sequence of runs finishing fourth in the final. Joan was also part of the bronze medal winning 4 x 100 relay team. Eric Stam received his award as national champion in 60m hurdles, long jump indoor combined events, silver in javelin and bronze in high jump. Well done to both athletes.
Upcoming fixtures include the rescheduled Belgooly 4 mile road race on Easter Sunday. The second round of the AAI Juvenile Indoor Championships will be held in Nenagh on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th April. The West Cork Track and Field Championships take place at CIT on Sunday 11th April also. This championship is open to all juvenile athletes registered with a West Cork Club and is an ideal first introduction to track and field competition. The Junior, Senior and Masters events are open this year for the first time to athletes outside the West Cork Clubs. There will be a bus for the event leaving Kelleher’s at 10.15.