A number of athletes from Mullingar were in action in Nenagh at day 3 of the Leinster Indoor Championships on Sunday 9th March. Competition was confined to junior, senior and master athletes, in addition to 200m for older juveniles and by close of proceedings, the pre-event confidence of some excellent performances and medal successes was proven to be well founded.

Putting a painful calf injury sustained at the National masters indoors three weeks ago before firmly behind him, John Carthy bounced back in great style and set himself a demanding schedule of four events to compete in. John started well with a well deserved victory in his master age-group in the 3,000m, followed by a close 4th place in the 400m, a bronze in the 800m and he rounded the day off with an excellent victory in the 1,500m. Quite a bounce-back from injury! Another master in form was Sean McMullin who was competing in the 3,000m walk and finished in silver medal position. Sean’s attention now turns to his participation as part of the Irish team in the World masters indoors championships in France, which starts on St. Patrick’s Day.

Paul Flynn was competing for the last time under-age at a Leinster indoors, and was a clear winner of the junior men’s 800m in a good time. Brendan Marshall might have wished for a better series of jumps in the men’s long jump, such are the high standards he sets himself, but his best jump was nevertheless good enough to win the event.

Mullingar has a well-deserved reputation as a cross country Club of distinction, but our older juvenile sprinters set heads turning in Nenagh with fine displays in the 200m. Diarmaid Hyland and David Moran won their respective heats of the under 17 boys 200m. The last time Mullingar had two sprinters regularly going head to head in sprint finals, one of them was David’s older brother, Stephen, so it looks like the mantle has been passed from Stephen to David. In an exciting final, Diarmaid had the edge on the day, but David’s strength and determination was a revelation and with a terrific late surge he came from third place to take the silver medal right on the line, to give Mullingar a sprint one-two. Much to the amusement and confusion of the start officials, the two Aoife Hogans were competing in the same event, the under 18 girls 200m. The black-haired Aoife ran very well in her heat and finished second, but with only the winner of each heat guaranteed a place in the final, she was unlucky not to advance to the final. The other Aoife, the blond one, qualified well from her heat but unfortunately had to withdraw from the final due to injury and was forced to sit in the stand and watch the final she so desperately wanted to run in. Aoife showed great class in her heat and she’s sure to perform well in the outdoor season ahead. No problem for Louise Darby in the under 19 girls 200m where she gave a fine display of sprinting and thoroughly deserved her silver medal.