The Irish Schools took place in glorious sunshine at Tullamore on Saturday producing loads of good results. Club members who titles and gold medals were Mark Patterson at Senior 800m (1:53.60). Ben Reynolds at Senior 110m hurdles (13.97 +1.4) and Matthew Martin at Intermediate javelin (48.09). Silver medallists were Gareth Irvine at Intermediate discus (37.89), Kathy Hetherington at Intrmediate discus (34.74) and Katie Dickson at Intermediate triple jump (11.01). Kerrie Craig had a shared bronze at Intermediate high jump at 1.50m while just missing out in the unenviable 4th place were Niall Robinson at Senior 800m (1:5440), Matthew Stockton at Intermediate javelin (37.17)and Matthew Hamilton at Junior 100m (11.81).
Mark has spent a few weeks in rehab after sustaining a hamstring strain when warm weather training in Portugal in April. He is well on the way to full recovery but his build up to the Irish Schools has been very steady, doing the bare minimum at the Districts and a careful Ulster Schools though he got the title. On Saturday he shadowed Darren McBrearty most of the race and won in the last few yards.His next race will be for Ireland in the 800m at the Mannheim junior international on the weekend 13/14 June. Niall on the other hand is in the form of his life and the race took him to 3rd on the all time Junior list behind Mark and Jordan Neil. Though just edged out on Saturday he will be delighted to go sub 1:55. Ben is just unbeatable in the hurdles and smashed his own Northern Ireland Junior record, taking it below 14 secs. Matthew Martin threw just below his pb but his throw was way ahead of the field.
Katie also just missed her pb but is training well and will go a lot further and soon. Kathy got a pb and a silver at discus, Gareth just missing but also got a discus silver. Kerrie has jumped a lot higher in training but at least got a medal. Matthew Hamilton is another with a very careful build up after breaking two bones in his back in the last year. He had to put long jump on hold but his sprinting is coming on. His 100m was a pb though he might have done better at 200m in his current state. Matthew Stockton is another very good javelin thrower and has a lot to come.