Sport

Weather puts dampener on performances at Ulster Seniors

 Portaferry’s Ciara Mageean made light of the conditions powering through 800m in 2:02.84
 Portaferry’s Ciara Mageean made light of the conditions powering through 800m in 2:02.84  Portaferry’s Ciara Mageean made light of the conditions powering through 800m in 2:02.84

CONTINUOUS rain and cool temperatures put paid to any hopes of outstanding performances at the Northern Ireland & Ulster Senior Track and Field Championships (incorporating the U18-U20 age groups) at the Mary Peters Track in Belfast yesterday.

Portaferry’s Ciara Mageean made light of the conditions powering through 800m in 2:02.84. The UCD student was in the lead at the bell and moved away from Masters’ champion Kelly Neely and Erin McIlveen to record her fastest ever time in a women’s only race, albeit inferior to her 2:02.31 in a mixed race at the venue back in 2011.

“I wanted to come up and support the championships,” said Mageean.

“I’m not in the top shape but I hope to be by the time I get to the Olympics in August.”

Donore Harrier John Travers was equally impressive in the men’s 800m, showing a clean pair of heels to the local opposition to win going away in a slow 1:56.03.

Long jumper Adam McMullen switched to 100m to score a good win in 10.83 seconds (-0.5) while the women’s short sprint went to North Belfast Harrier Caitlin Maguire in 12.38.

Queen’s University’s Andrew Mellon endured the worst of the Irish climate to win the 400m in a fast 47.88.

Former European Indoor champion David Gillick clocked 47.50 in the heats but decided not to risk fate by running in a cold final.

Another to suffer in the conditions was 110m hurdler Ben Reynolds who was making a belated start to the season and hoping for a European qualifying time.

The North Down athlete was pushed most of the way by Birchfield Harrier Jake Porter but in the end had to settle for a 14.15 (-0.5) timing, well off the desired 13.90 which would have seen him on the plane to Amsterdam next month.

Monaghan teenager Niamh Malone scored a notable double winning the 400m Hurdles before beating Commonwealth Games 800m semifinallist Katie Kirk into third to take the 400m flat title in 57.31 seconds.

Defending 400m champion Andrew McComb dropped down in distance to win the 200m in 22.10 (+1.9).  Rachel Gibson (4:36.37) and Conor Bradley (3:57.13) were good value for victories in the 1500m events as the weather improved toward the end of the meeting.

Pick of the Field events was arguably the men’s High Jump where Scotland’s Commonwealth Games representative Ray Dobrownicki cleared 2.05m to win in a downpour.

Lifford-Strabane’s Brendan O’Donnell also impressed with a massive 66.28m throw in the U18 Hammer while Northampton’s Hayley Murray took the women’s event with a best effort of 57.20 with Lynsey Glover (41.51m) finishing in the silver medal spot for the sixth consecutive year.

Earlier the weekend had kicked off in exciting style with two excellent fixtures in mid Ulster.  Francis Purvis hosted the Acorns AC Night of 3000m races at the Meadowbank track in Magherafelt. 

Marty Cox turned in the fastest time of the night with a 9:04.50 clocking to see off the challenges of Foyle Valley’s Keith Shiels (9:14.36) and Derry Track Club colleague Conor Doherty (9:16.96). Beechmount Harrier Catherine Diver (10:44.97) was the fastest woman on the night.

Meanwhile across country in Carrickmore, Michael Kerr had a entry of 54 teams for the Carmen Runners’ 4 x 1 Mile championship held on circuit around the centre of the town.  Derry Track Club scored a double winning both the men’s and women’s relays with Enniskillen Running Club taking the mixed team trophy.  Derry TC’s J-P Williamson had the fastest leg of 4:30.