Granjo Selected for World U20 Championships
Sofia Granjo has been selected for the U20 World Championships. All Photos: Perri Williams.
It has been a big week in Irish athletics. Mark English aged 33 finished second at the Diamond League in London with a new personal best of 1.42.97. At the same meeting Sarah Healy was third in the 5,000m, while in Madrid Sharlene Mawdsley continues her phenomenal streak of podium success.
Carlow has had its own fair share of success this week. Sofia Granjo (SLOT) who has been going from strength to strength this season has formally been selected for the World u20 Championships in Oregon.
Jack Wickham (SLOT) was on international duty competing as part of the Irish team at the SIAB international. Domestic competition continues for some athletes. The All-Ireland multi-events took place at Morton Stadium, where Harry Butcher (SLOT) took yet another gold.
At the same venue the AAI games provided athletes with a penultimate opportunity to gain either qualifying standards for the European Championships in Birmingham or get in a final race before national seniors this week.
It has been quiet the year for Sofia Granjo. The St Laurence O’Toole athlete has improved her 400m time by several seconds this year, ultimately ending up with a personal best of 54.46 achieved on home soil in Carlow at the Leinster u20 championships. The same championships she surprised herself with achieving the u20 200m standard.
The 400m individual and the 4x400m relay have always been her goal, particularly the relay. Both Granjo and her training partner Cassie O’Byrne after significant improvements this year were included on the u20 Irish relay squads last April and enjoyed subsequent training camps in Spain.
After a season spent chasing times and worrying about making teams, the wait is finally over. Last week athletics Ireland announced a 24-strong team for the World Athletics U20 Championships which take place in Eugene, Oregon from August fifth to nineth.
The team consists of Granjo, Maria Zakharenko (Kilcoole AC), Erin Friel (Letterkenny AC), Roisin Murray (Bray Runners) and Molly Daly (KCH), although Daly currently injured will have to prove her fitness. Irish women’s 400m running is very strong at the moment.
That strength has filtered down to u20 and u18 levels. Daly and Friel competed with the senior team in Botswana back in April. All five girls have run under 55 seconds which was unheard of a few years ago for an Irish team.
The Irish team are currently ranked sixth in the world, behind two American teams, GB, Jamacia and Germany. The final line up with positions will not be announced until just before the event itself. In the meantime Granjo will be travelling as part of the Irish team to Oregon to compete in one of the best stadiums in the world Hayward Field.
Jack Wickham earned his first Irish vest from his Pole Vault competition at the Tailteann Games. The first two in each event earn selection for the Irish team for the SIAB international. Wickham finished second to Fionn Naughton. That was a month ago. Last weekend Wickham travelled to Belfast as part of a 42 member Irish team to compete against teams from England, Scotland and Wales.
With a best of 3.80m from this season, the St Laurence O’Toole athlete hoped to get close to that mark. Coming in at a height of 3.51m, Wickham cleared this height on his second attempt. The bar was raised to 3.61m, which Wickham cleared on his first attempt.
Once all athletes had made their jump, the bar was then raised another 10cm to 3.71m. Wickham felt food. He almost cleared this height on his first attempt. Then disaster struck, he sustained an injury during his second attempt.
Injuries amongst pole vaulters are something of an occupational hazzard. Requiring medical treatment he continued to take his third attempt. Ultimately it was not to be. He finished 6th with his clearance of 3.61cm. His first Irish vest secured he can look forward to future opportunities and future improvements. The Irish Boys team finished second overall to England.
The multi-events (combined events) have gained in popularity with the rise of Kate O’Connor on the international scene. Numbers at provincial and national levels have increase and so too has the competitive action.
Last weekend Irish Juveniles, Seniors and Masters headed to Morton Stadium for the All-Ireland combined events. Harry Butcher (SLOT) was competing in the under 15 pentathlon. The pentathlon consists of five events: hurdles, Long Jump, High Jump, Shot and 800m. The 800m being the final event where leaders can often be knocked off a podium place.
Butcher took gold with 2,703 points, almost 700 points ahead of Harry Kearney (Naas). This was his third national gold medal this season having already won the u15 Long Jump and 250m hurdles.
The Carlow athlete was off to a good start with the hurdles. Finishing over two seconds ahead of North Sligo’s Ronan Schmidtmeier, accumulating 745 points and already with a 200 points lead. A win in the Long Jump saw him move 380 points ahead.
The shot putt and high jump were his weakest events, where he finished second and third respectively, but still managed to retain his lead. As with most combined events, the final podium pace decider was the 800m. Fortunately for Butcher a decent run of 2.16 over 800m saw him finish over 12 seconds ahead of Schmidtmeier.
The overall result was decided: Harry Butcher took gold. Competing in the Senior Ladies heptathlon was Maria Šubrtová (SLOT). Šubrtová ultimately finished fourth having to retire from the competition, through injury after the fifth event the Long Jump.
Held in conjunction with the Combined Events, the AAI games provided athletes with a penultimate chance of gaining qualification for the European championships in Birmingham or just a final race, a sharpening before this weekends national championships.
Jennifer Sawyer (SLOT) has found herself in the unique position of being in the top ten in Ireland for 400m this season. On the back of her recent 53 second 400m, she opted for the 400m flat at the AAI games. Competing against Sophie Becker, Sawyer finished second in a time of 54.61 seconds. The SLOT athlete completed the 400m flat and hurdles double at the recent u23 championships. Can she do the same next weekend at the national senior championships, as she is entered for both events.
Adam Nolan (SLOT) has thankfully got over his ankle injury that saw him miss the earlier part of the season. He welcomed the opportunity to have another race to sharpen up before next weekends championships. The reigning 110m hurdles champion will be hoping to retain the title he won last year.
Last weekend he won the AAI games with a time of 14.61 from his old rival Sean Carmody (Leevale). Ruben McCarthy (SLOT) was third. Keith Pollard and David Hayde competed in the sprints with Aaron Shorten taking part in the 1500m.
The throwers were back in action at the AAI games. Darragh Corcoran (SLOT) finished fourth in the discus with clubmate Andrej Dmitrenko, taking 5th place. It was third place for Isabel McCormack in the javelin. McCormack threw a best throw of 32.93m from the fourth round.
Sixteen St Laurence O’Toole athletes along with Tinryland’s Adam Murphy are entered in next weekend’s National Senior, representing a strong contingent from the county.
Many of these athletes have been preforming very well and it is hoped there will be some podium finishers. Amongst those competing are; Bobby Crowley (800m), Molly Scott (100m), Adam Nolan (110m Hurdles) and Jennifer Sawyer (400m flat and hurdles). Adam Murphy (Tinryland) will be hoping for a podium finish over 200m. While Adam Nolan will be seeking to retain his 110m hurdles title.
We can look forward to some exciting races as the stars of track and field all descend on Mortin stadium.
