On Friday February 9, twenty two of DUHAC’s track and field athletes and plenty of spectators travelled to the track in Athlone IT to compete in the IUAA Intervarsity Indoor Track and Field Championships. By the end of the day five TCD records had been broken and seven medals had been won. As one of the most competitive intervarsity competitions of the year, DUHAC certainly held their own in both track and field events, against the likes of DCU, UCD and UL.
One of the greatest successes of the day was thanks to Sean Thompson who bagged first place in the triple jump, breaking the TCD record with 14m. Other field event triumphs were Kate Doherty who got third place in the long jump with 5.27 metres, Conor Bermingham getting silver in the pole vault with 4.10 metres, Shane Keane getting third place in the long jump with 6.50m and Muireann Mcginley breaking the TCD pole vault record with 2.90m.
Competition was equally exciting on track with DUHAC’s newest addition, Malcolm Duquesney, coming third in the men’s 3000m and breaking the TCD record with the fantastic time of 8:26.46. In the women’s 3000m, Sorcha Mcallister ran a tactically brilliant race finishing with bronze and a new personal best of 10:01.16. Cliona Murphy also ran a great race, coming 3rd in the women’s 1500m and breaking the TCD record with 4:37.26. Other notable track performances were Conall Hayes finishing fourth in the 800m, Louis Catteau placing 5th in the exciting men’s 1500m, Eileen Rafter running a great 800m to finish 6th and Kate Doherty getting 5th place in the 60m hurdles and breaking the TCD record with 8.91s.
In other events, Ash Heneghan placed 6th in the 1500m walk, the 1500m and 3000m saw the rise of our Donegal duo Alan McGinely and Donal Farren respectively and track captain John Neill ran the 400m as well as competing in the long jump and high jump.
The day, long and tiring though it was, yielded satisfaction for DUHAC with both the men and women’s teams coming 5th overall. DUHAC can look forward to hosting the upcoming Intervarsity Cross Country Championships in Santry on March 3 which will no doubt be an equally enjoyable and successful day.
