Congratulations to the 14 MSB athletes to took the road, track and mountain trails this week.
Graded Meeting Morton Stadium – Wednesday June 21st:
First up was the 5th Graded Meeting of the track season Wednesday 21st June. It was a special occasion as it marked the first races to be held on the resurfaced Mondo track in Morton Stadium.
We had 9 MSB athletes in action across 4 separate events and 7 different races.
In the mens A 800m, Finn Woodger was first home for MSB in 4th position with a new PB of 1.51.35. He was closely followed by his training partner Triain Rebegea in 8th with a time of 1.54.23.
Louie Woodger ran his first official sub 2 minute 800m in the same race, sticking with the pace throughout, to record a brilliant new PB of 1.56.12.
In the mens C1 800m, Stephen Brett put in another impressive performance in the 800m to equal his PB to the millisecond coming in 3rd with another 2.05.77 for the two lap burn up.
In the mens C2 800m, clubmate Patrick Brophy ran a tactically sound and gutsy race from the front to record a 2nd place finish with a time of 2.03.78.
In the mens D1 800m Finn and Louie’s dad, Mark Woodger, recorded a great time of 2.29.91 to make it a trio of Woodgers competing on the new track with individually fast times.
Next up saw Rebecca Ward line up for the 200m event, recording a time of 27.64 with a 6th place finish, despite the wind hampering fast times for the half lap sprint.
Finally, Ellen McLoughlin recorded a brilliant 10.44.76 for the A race of the womens 3000m. This was followed up by MSB’s Aleksander Lanecki recording a brilliant 17.01.36 for the 5000m with a 7th place finish.
Clonee 10k – Thursday June 22nd:
The Clonee 10k, held on Thursday 22nd June, proved to be a challenging race for Metro St. Brigids athletes as they battled against not only a competitive field but also very humid conditions.
Leading the charge for Metro St. Brigids was Len KELLEHER, who put on a remarkable display of strength and resilience throughout the race. Len finished in a brilliant time of 38:56, securing 42nd place overall and recording a new PB to boot. His consistent pace and unwavering focus were instrumental in his strong performance.
Another standout performer was Keith HYLAND. His unwavering determination propelled him to an impressive 7th place finish in the M50 category, crossing the line with a remarkable time of 42:51.
John BYRNE delivered an outstanding performance in the M45 category. Crossing the finish line with a time of 42:56, BYRNE secured an impressive 14th place in the M45 category.
Slieve Bloom Ultra Marathon – Saturday 24th June
The Slieve Bloom Ultra 75K Mountain Marathon, known for its breathtaking scenery and challenging terrain, proved to be an epic test of endurance for Metro St. Brigids athlete Kevin Kelly. On race day, Kevin showcased his unwavering determination and passion for the sport as he conquered the grueling course, finishing in an inspirational 9th place overall with a tremendous time of 7 hours, 58 minutes, and 17 seconds.
The course led the competitors through a captivating tapestry of fire roads, gentle trails, open mountains, technical trails, and occasional sections of road.
However, it wasn’t just the picturesque views that defined the Slieve Bloom Ultra 75K. The race also presented an unforgiving elevation gain of 2000 meters, testing the mettle of even the most seasoned runners. The arduous climbs and technical descents demanded both physical strength and mental fortitude from the participants.
Undeterred by the challenging course, Kevin showcased his extraordinary talent and unwavering determination. He tackled each climb with grit and deserved his brilliant placing with a tremendous display of strength. Kudos to our mountain man!
European Athletics Gala – Mannheim, Germany – Saturday 24th June
A triumphant day for Nkem Onwumereh at Mannheim, Germany on Saturday at the European Athletics Gala. Nkem made the 100m final and ran a super 10.75s 👏👏 and then went on to run an incredible first leg of his 4x100m relay, handing over the baton first helping his team secure a qualification to the U20 championships in Jerusalem with a time of 41.16!!
We’re proud of you Nkem!👏👏👊 Congratulations also to his MSB sprint coach Dan Kavanagh and his coaches in DCU Athletics and Irish Athletics.
MSB Summer BBQ – Saturday 24th June:
Another brilliant day was had by all at the MSB family BBQ and Games! We couldn’t have been more lucky with the beautiful weather 🌞 Sincere thanks to all the volunteers who made this a memorable day of fun for kids and families.
From burger chefs, mini-olympic games organisers, track markings, MC, medal givers, club gear stand, set up, clean up… etc – there is a huge amount of organisation that goes into this fabulous day and we are very grateful to all. Thanks to all the parents and families who came down to support and enjoy the club day of fun.
Report: Stephen Brett