Bandon Athletic Club held its annual Awards Night at the GAA Pavilion on Friday 12th March. As usual there was a large attendance, at what is one of the social highlights in the club’s activities, including a disco for the younger members following the formalities.
Awards are presented to athletes who receive the highest scoring on their results in Track and Field and Cross Country during the season. Receiving awards in track and field this year was Ella Stack in the U9 section. Katie Bernard took the U11 award with Erin Kingston being awarded at U13 level. Colin Kingston deservedly received the U15 award after a superb season competing in shot, discus and pentathlon. Among his other achievements during the year, Colin won the U14 shot and hammer at the Munster Juvenile Championships in June, breaking both the existing shot and hammer record on that occasion. More recently, at the Munster Juvenile Indoors in Nenagh, he had a championship best throw in the boys U15 shot, with an outstanding throw of 14.72m.
At U19 level another multi talented athlete, Eric Stam took the award with an extensive list of achievements at National and International level during the season. Eric holds national titles for hurdles, pentathlon, Munster titles in high jump and javelin. He won a silver medal at the International Meeting of Combined Events in the Netherlands in August with personal best performances in the 100m sprint, shot, high jump and 100m hurdles.
International athlete Joan Healy won the overall Track and Field award. Joan continues to impress nationally and internationally, winning a bronze medal as part of the Irish team at the European Youth Olympics in Finland last summer. Liz Coomey was awarded in the overall Masters category.
In Cross Country, Gráinne Mulcahy received the U9 award. At U11, it was Conor Calnan with Gerard Crowley taking the U13 award. Past winner, Aisling Everard took the U15 Award. Mark O’Sullivan was awarded at U19 level. Among his achievements during the year, Mark won the All Ireland B Country Championships in Roscommon recently. Carmel Crowley won the Overall Cross Country award. Amongst her County, Munster and All Ireland accolades, Carmel was place 11th overall at the recent British and Irish Cross Country International in Birmingham. She was also part of the Irish silver medal winning team.
Anne Kelly Crowley won the club person of the year award for her long time commitment to the club and unstinting dedication to coaching the younger juvenile athletes. The Presidents Award introduced for the first time last year by Club President Billy Good, was presented to Ailish Crowley. This award is honour a juvenile club member who typifies what the club stands for, and is a role model for younger athletes, as well as being a dedicated competitor. The Hall of Fame award went this year to Richard O’Flynn. Richard, from Courtmacsherry, competed internationally at Junior and Senior level during his career. He won the Irish Junior Cross Country Championships in 1981 and was selected for the All Ireland Junior team to compete in the World Junior Cross Country Championships. He went on an athletics scholarship to Providence College in the USA and competed on a number of occasions at the Senior World Cross Country Championships.
All of the club members aged 10 and under were presented with Little Athletics certificates for completing a number of tasks in the Agility Challenge.