Leinster Championship record for Nolan
St Laurence O'Toole athletes at the Leinster Championships L to R: Ruben McCarthy, Willie O'Toole, Adam Nolan and Maria Šubrtová Photo: St Laurence O'Toole AC
The Indoor championship season kick started with a new Leinster Championship record from Adam Nolan (St Laurence O’Toole). The 2025 national indoor and outdoor champion recorded a time of 8.08 to surpass the twelve year old time of 8.13 set by Ian McDonald (Crusaders AC).
This was just one success story in yet another week that has been dominated by national records, world qualifying standards and personal best recorded by Ireland’s elite athletes. There were four new national records from: Emma Moore u23 800m, Gemma Galvin u23 1000m, Nick Griggs u23 5000m and the 2023 European u20 Long Jump Champion Elizabeth Ndudi who leaped to a new Irish senior Long Jump record in Arkansas. The World Indoors are being held in Poland in March and it looks like Ireland may have a larger team than expected. Last week, more A and B qualifying standards were achieved. Bori Akinola competing in the Scottish Athletes EAP open meet struck gold with the World A standard for 60m. There were B standards from Ciara Neville (60m), Emma Moore and Meave O’Neill (800m), Elizabeth Ndudi (Long Jump), and Darragh McIlhenny (3000m).
On the domestic front the Leinster u20, Senior and Master Indoors along with the Leinster juvenile relays took place in Athlone while it was back to cross-country with the South Leinster Schools taking place in Fenagh, Carlow.
The South Leinster Schools Cross-country was held amid wild, wet and atrocious post conditions in Fenagh last Wednesday. In the aftermath of Storm Chandra the athletes braved the elements with much success. The schools championships sees athletes join forces with others who are often on opposing teams, giving an opportunity to form new alliances often with success. 2025 saw Carlow athlete Jack Mahon achieve an International vest as a member of the Irish team at the SIAB International. Sidelined this year due to injury, it was up to other Carlow athletes to rise to the occasion.
In the Minor girls it was St Leo’s who finished third led by Ellie Knowles and joined by Ella Murray and Alannah Dunne. It was Knockbeg College that took silver in the Minor boys. Scoring for the team were: Michael Tomlinson, Jack Fingleton, John Conway and Cian McDonald Laois native Laura Ayres competing with St Leo’s took the inter title. The team of Ayres, Chelsea Dooley and Orla Kelly took silver. It was also silver for Knockbeg senior boys. Led by Shane Maher, the team consisted of Maher, Will Duffy, Fionn O’Sullivan and Ronan Dooley.
In the Inter girls, Lucy Malone (Ballon/Rathoe) competed with Wexford school FCJ Bunclody. It was a 9th place finish for Malone – thus earning herself a Leinster Schools qualification spot. St Pats duo Erika O’Grady and Sarah Keogh representing Tullow Community school finished 15th and 16th respectively. With the top fifteen to qualify on an individual basis, this means O’Grady makes it through to the Leinster’s next week.
Three new Leinster championship records were obliterated by Carlow athletes last Saturday at the Leinster u20, Senior and Master Championships. The first record to fall was that of Jim Hyland (SLOT) in the over 55 Pole Vault. The Hyland family have long been associated with the Pole Vault, with the third generation now pursing the event. Hyland vaulted 2.20m. Shortly after this it was the turn of Tereasa Doyle in the over 35 400m. Doyle ran 61.21 to take down the existing Leinster over 35 record. Finally it was the turn of Adam Nolan. The National Indoor and Outdoor champion was once again in flying form as he executed each hurdle perfectly to clock a new seasons best of 8.08 seconds. This shaved .05 seconds off the existing record set twelve years ago by Ian McDonald (Crusaders AC).
In the girls u20 Sophia Granjo (SLOT) took gold in the 400m with a new personal best of 56.73. Granjo has been going from strength to strength over the past few weeks as each improved her personal best with each outing. In the space of one year she has improved her 400m time by two and a half seconds. It was also gold for Martin Óg Nolan-Hosey (SLOT) as he vaulted 2.20m in the u20 Pole Vault. The final u20 medal came from Eanna Dunican (SLOT) who finished second in the 60m sprint.
Aside from Adam Nolan’s new championship record, there was plenty more success to applaud. Joining Nolan on the podium was Ruben McCarthy who took bronze in the same event. McCarthy also finished 4th in the 60m. Michaela Šubrtová (SLOT) took gold in the triple jump with a new personal best of 10.99m. This was after already claiming silver in the senior 60m hurdles. The final senior medal was awarded to Lee Prendergast (SLOT) in the Senior Pole Vault.
While Teresa Doyle (SLOT) and Jim Hyland (SLOT) relished in their newly set Leinster Championship records, there was further success for Carlow athletes beyond these two accomplishments. Doyle took gold on the double as she added the 200m title to her 400m one. Bronwen McDonald (the World 800m over 40 silver medallist) had an easy victory in the 800m as she cruised to the line in 2.20 min. Eight further gold was achieved by St Laurence O’Toole masters athletes, with four further doubles. Double gold came from David Hayde in the over 55 60m and 200m. It was also in the 60m and 200m that Keith Pollard managed his over 45 double gold. While Niall Murphy managed the same feat in the over 35 category. Still going strong and now over 70, Willie O’Toole took gold in the Weight for distance and shot putt. It was gold for David Kidd in the over 45 walk, Derek O’Brien in the over 45 Long Jump and Andrew Keppel in the over 45 Pole Vault. Vincent McCormack took bronze in the over 50 800m.
The Leinster Relays is one of those events that produced so much excitement amongst juveniles. With three spots in each age group guaranteeing National qualification, the enthusiasm and determination is second to none. Carlow took home six medals, with the u19 mixed relay and the boys u12 taking gold. The team of Cassie O Byrne, Sofia Granjo, Ayman Bouanba Nichistroi and Éanna Dunican recorded 1.36.94 to hold off pre-race favourites Ratoath and Celbridge. Mixed relays have become very popular with the success of the Irish quartet on the World and European stage.
It was a superb gold for the St Laurence O’Toole boys u12 as the team of Oliver Mc Donald, Ibrahim Mohammed Ibrahim, Thomas Julian, Harry Brown and Michael Cassidy stormed to victory, just managing to hold off a fast finishing St Coca’s team.
The girls u15 team of Emily Kidd, Libby Harris Byrne, Fatima Mohammed Ibrahim, Amelia Skebas and Sarah May Gernon won their heat and were the fastest overall team going into the final. Working hard against competitors Ratoath, the Carlow team left no stone unturned as they battled their way to the finish to claim silver. While Ratoath did manage to take the overall victory, it was St Laurence O’Toole that ran them very close.
Cassie O’Byrne and Sofia Granjo joined forces with Mia Cullen and Hannah Moriarity to take silver in the u19 relay. Once again Ratoath were the winners. Two bronze medals went to the girls u13 and boys u15. Matab Mohammed Ibrahim, Ma-Aab Mohammed Ibrahim, Gabriela Duggan, Sienna Ryan, Maeve O`Rourke and Maia Cleary-Iglesias won their heat easily. In the final they battled hard to ease away from Kildare club, Crookstown-Millview. The boys u15 team of Harry Butcher, Elliot Mc Carthy, Fintan Gardiner, Paddy Coady and Cian Oprea also took bronze.
It was a day to remember for Aoibhinn McNamara as she not only won the Leinster u14 pole vault, she also set a new championship record. Also within the same record was Isabelle Butler (SLOT). Both athletes jumped 2.10m. In fact it was a clean podium sweep for Carlow athletes as joining McNamara and Butler on the podium was Kiera Kelly (St Pats Tullow). This is a first for the Tullow based club as Kiera becomes the first St Pats athlete to compete in a Leinster Pole Vault. There was pole vault medals for Cian Oprea (2nd u20), Jack Wickham (gold u17) and Martin Óg Nolan-Hosey (gold u18) all won pole vault medals.
