Athenry juvenile athletic club had a very successful day in the first of the three days of Connacht track and field finals last weekend in Athlone. It was the turn of the under 9, 10, 11s, in this age group athletes have to compete in pairs, the best 3 pairs in each event at county level qualified for the Connacht finals.

Fifteen pairs from Athenry qualified for the finals, ten of the fifteen won provincial medals, 4 Gold, 4 Silver and 2 Bronze and Athenry also won 1 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze medal from the six relay competitions.

The Gold medal winners were Jack O Brien and Aubrey O Brien U9 Long Jump, Lisha woods and Niamh Hannon U10 60m, Niamh Hannon and Aoibhinn Carr U10 500m and Killian Lawless and Brandon McMenamin U10 Ball Throw.

The Silver medal winners were Emer Quinn and Sarah Gilhooley U9 Long Jump, Brandon Lee and Aubrey O Brien U9 60m, Brandon Lee and Dean Treacy U9 300m and Jack Dempsey and Mathew Treacy U11 60m.

The Bronze medal winners were Lydia Doyle and Stephaine Quinn U10 60m and Brandon McMenamin and Niall Martin U10 60m.

The girls under 10 relay team of Steaphine Quinn, Lydia Doyle, Niamh Hannon, Lisha Woods and Siobhan McGrath won the Gold medal.

The boys under 9 relay team of Brandon Lee, Aubrey O Brien, Dean Treacy , Fabian Mangan and Jack O Brien won the Silver medal.

The boys under 10 relay team of Brandon McMenamin, Killian Lawless, Cathal Hynes, Niall Martin, Sean Cunningham and Nathan Healey won the Bronze medal.

Other athletes to compete for Athenry were Aisling Kenny, Stephaine Mannion, Luke Lynskey, Shannon Lee, Jessica Cunningham, Robin Madden, Amelia Deacon, Viviean Mannion and Emily McMenamin.

It is a great result for the coaches involved with this age group Martin Hynes, Sinead Healey, Kathleen Duane and Michelle Collins.

This success is a direct result of the successful 6 to 9 year old programme Athenry AC has organised over the last two years. This programme is run by the above coaches plus Myles Murphy, Mags Flannery and Peter Lyons.