The Antrim Forum has played host to the Ulster Schools T&F Championships since the 1980’s, so it was fitting that it should also be the final competition held on the track before it is ripped up and re-laid as part of a major redevelopment. And so, once again, hundreds of the province’s top schools’ athletes descended on the Forum to take part in the largest athletics competition of the year on Friday 19th & Saturday 20th of May.
On Friday afternoon, Niamh Fulton (Sullivan Upper) set a new PB but just missed out on a medal, finishing 4th in the Inter girls 80mH in a time of 13.22s, while Cameron McCracken (RBAI) went even better in the Inter boys 100mH by lowering his PB for the third time this season and claiming a silver medal in 14.90s. Lucy Cheatley (Glenlola) added yet another steeplechase medal to her collection, this time taking silver in the Senior Girls’ 1500m steeplechase event in a time of 5:52.97.
[photo:Cameron McCracken]
Morgan Wilson (Strangford College) may have been the only competitor in the Senior Girls’ pole vault, but was rewarded with a new PB of 2.35m to go along with her gold medal, while Andrew Brown (Bangor Grammar) was one of only three in the Senior Boys’ pole vault but took silver with a best clearance of 2.10m.
[photo: Morgan Wilson]
[photo: Andrew Brown & Jamie Moffatt]
Saturday saw the main bulk of the events, starting with the sprint heats at 9.30am and finishing with the relays at around 5pm.
Maisie Christie (Glenlola) finished 2nd in her heat and went on to win silver in the final of the Minor Girls’ 100m in a new PB of 13.38s. In the inter Boys’ sprints, Conor Adair (Our Lady & St. Patricks) had a busy day, earning a well deserved bronze medal in the 400m in a new PB time of 53.05s, followed by 5th in the 100m, also in a new PB of 11.76s. Jamie Moffat (Bangor Grammar) extended his unbeaten run to win gold in the Senior Boys’ 100m in 10.92s, once again just missing out on the European Youth Olympic Festival qualifying standard of 10.90s, due to the slight headwind. Curtis Hughes (Sullivan Upper) was the only finalist in the longer sprint and was looking good for a medal as he came off the bend but faded slightly over the last 50m and had to settle for 4th in 24.71m.
[photo: Maisie Christie]
[photo: Jamie Moffatt]
Connie Hanna (Strathearn) just missed out on a medal in the Senior Girls’ 800m but was rewarded with a new PB of 2:26.96 when finishing 4th while Ethan Isles (Our Lady & St. Patricks) went one better in the Senior Boys’ 800m, just missing out on a PB but taking bronze in a time of 2:02.16.
Abbie Irwin (Sullivan Upper) equalled her PB in the Minor Girls’ high jump and was tied with three other girls on 1.45m, however, when nobody cleared 1.48m, it was Abbie who took the gold medal on countback, due to less failures at previous heights. Maisie Rainer (Strathearn) was one of the other three girls so was unlucky to miss out on a medal by the narrowest of margins and finished 4th.
[photo: Abbie Irwin]
Caoimhe Fenlon (Sullivan Upper) finished 5th in the Minor Girls’ shot (2.72kg) with a best throw of 8.00m. Hannah Lawden (Sullivan Upper) was a little below her best in the Inter Girls’ javelin (500g) but still managed to take bronze with 28.80m while Morgan Wilson (Strangford College) went one better in the Senior Girls’ javelin (600g), adding 1.5m to her PB and winning a silver medal with a best effort of 28.26m. In the Senior Boys’ javelin (800g) Charlie Lawden (Sullivan Upper) was an empathetic winner, throwing a new PB of 53.88m to claim the gold medal by over 10m with Andrew Brown (Bangor Grammar) also throwing a new PB of 36.20 but missing out on a medal and finishing in 4th place.
[photo: Hannah & Charlie Lawden]
Other results:
Mini
Isla Wiltshire (Sullivan Upper) finished 8th in the 800m with 2:40.00 (PB)
Minor
Caoimhe Fenlon (Sullivan Upper) finished 8th in the 75mH with 13.36s
Alex Downey (Bangor Grammar) finished 9th in the 800m with 2:24.25
Junior
Heidi Logan (Regent) finished 5th in her heat of the 100m & 8th in the discus with 20.10m
Anna Moran (Sullivan Upper) finished 7th in the long jump with 4.25m
Maisie Rainer (Strathearn) finished 5th in the triple jump with 8.89m
Ruby Sterrett (Glenlola) ran the lead leg of the 4x100m relay that finished 5th
Joshua Liggett (Campbell College) finished 5th in the 80mH with 13.31s (PB) & ?th in the long jump with 4.82m
Ryan Hamillton (Bangor Academy) finished 8th in the 100m with 12.32s & 5th in his heat of the 200m with 25.88
Heidi Logan (Regent) ran the anchor leg of 4x100m relay that took gold in 52.39s
Inter
Hollie Stitt (Strathern) finished 8th in the hammer, twice throwing 26.82m
Cameron McCracken (RBAI) qualified for the 100m final but had to withdraw due to injury
Chris Belshaw (Bangor Academy) finished 7th in the 1500m with 4.39.26 (PB)
Senior
Mackenzie Eager (Strathearn) finished 12th in the 3000 in 11:19.45
Calum Spain (Foyle College) finished 6th in the discus (1.75kg) with 30.08m (PB)