It was a shining silver lining as Raheny Shamrock athletes claimed four silver and one bronze at the national indoor championships.
Niamh Kearney, Sophie Becker, Mark Smyth, Colm Bourke and Brandon Arrey all stood on the medal podium over the championship weekend.
Mark Smyth was very close to a successful defence of his 200m title, alas had to settle for silver by just the breath of a hair.
Galway City Harriers Robert McDonnell pipping Smyth to gold by just 15 hundredth’s of a second. Smyth and McDonnell in a tussle all the way to the line with McDonnell taking it in 21.05 seconds. Smyth taking silver in 21.20 seconds.
Mark Smyth made his way to the final by winning his heat in 21.16 seconds. Also in the heats, Young Tinaye Craig Mukanya finished second in his heat in 23.46 seconds.
Another incredible tussle saw Niamh Kearney just pipped on the line by Mullingar Harriers Claire Fagan.
Fagan and Kearney in an all mighty sprint battle home with Fagan just taking the tape for gold. The clock reading 9:33.35 to Kearney’s 9:33.47! A brilliant silver for Kearney whose be in fabulous form this season.
Sophie Becker took silver in a competitive 400 metre race. Becker posting 52.98 seconds and just pipped to the line by Irish relay team-mate Sharlene Mawdsley who clocked 52.04.
Becker made the final by winning her heat in 53.76 seconds.
Colm Bourke made a very welcome return to competition, landing long jump silver with a best of 6.97 metres. Bourke taking bronze on count back from Tralee’s Luke O’Carroll.
Ireland’s great jumping hope Reece Ademola took gold with a best of 7.82 seconds.
Brandon Arrey made a sizzling return to take 400m bronze. Arrey posting 48.15 seconds for bronze. A brilliant performance from Arrey with Cillian Greene of GCH taking gold in 47.20 seconds and David Ryan of Moycarkey Coolcroo silver in 47.99 seconds.
Brandon Arrey heat win 48.44. Semi-final win in 48.27.
Cillian Kirwan finished fifth in his final posting 3:51.36. The race was an epic finish between Cathal Doyle and Nick Griggs. However, Kirwan was just over one second off bronze medallist Lughaidh Mallon.
Kirwan had earlier won his heat in 3:54.50.
Tara Meier took eighth place in the 60m Hurdles final posting 8.87 seconds as Sarah Lavin continued her quest to break Derval O’Rourke’s national record. Meier posted 8.77 seconds in her heat.
Orla Comerford took seventh place in the 60m flat final. Comerford posting 7.64 seconds as Molly Scott won out in 7.36 seconds. Comerford just 16 hundredths of a second off bronze medallist Mollie O’Reilly.
Comerford progressed to the final posting 7.65 in her heat and 7.62 seconds in her semi-final. While Tara Meieir posted 7.91 seconds in her heat.
In the men’s event, Michael Farrelly posted 7.00 second to finish second in his heat and clocked 6.99 in his semi-final. In the men’s 3000m B race Juan Ignacio Pena posted 8:20.02.
