Athenry AC athlete Claire McNamara capped off an incredible

schools athletics career with a win in the Senior Girls high

jump at the Kit Kat Irish Schools Championships in

Tullamore on Saturday week last, while representing

Presentation College Athenry. Claire was the only athlete to

clear 1.63 on the day and looks well capable of going higher

as the summer progresses. Claire's win is of particular

significance given the arduous battle with injury she has

fought over the last two years and she deserves immense credit

for the manner in which she stuck to the task when the light

at the end of the tunnel did not shine so brightly. This win

is also a just reward for her coaches Dermot McNamara and Jim

Ryan who have played an invaluable role in seeing Claire

return to fitness. Claire can look back on her six years of

schools athletics with a great deal of satisfaction. In her

first outing at these championships in 2001 she captured the

80m hurdles title before discovering her calling as a high

jumper. She has since won high jump titles in junior,

intermediate and senior grades in what is universally

acknowledged as the premier track and field event on the

island of Ireland.

Claire was not alone on the rostrum on Saturday as fellow

Athenry AC athlete Conor Caulfield, representing Athenry

Vocational School, captured the silver medal in the junior

boy's 200m. This is an outstanding achievement for Conor and

underlines his tremendous potential. Conor is also an

accomplished athlete over longer distances. Perhaps he is

capable of matching the achievements of another 200m athlete

who represented Athenry AC and Athenry Vocational School - one

Paul Hession!

Incidentally, Hession opened his account for the season with a

100m/200m double at a meet in Uden, Holland this past weekend

week also. Paul had planned to race the previous Saturday but

withdrew due to illness. However, this did not seem to effect

his performance this past weekend week as Paul clocked a very

impressive 10.52 for the 100m (with a negligible wind reading)

and 20.98 to finish 2nd in the 200m against a -1.6M headwind.

This performance places Paul 16th in the current European

Ranking list.

Athenry AC's Brian O'Connor was 3rd in the recent ING Europe

Half Marathon (79:05) which took place on 27 May in

Luxembourg. A team of five athletes from Athenry AC took part

in the event with Gary Doherty and Alan Burke but coming home

in the top 75, in an event where over 2350 finished.

The Galway 5KM Race Series, which took place over four

Tuesdays in May, was a huge success. Congratulations to the

clubs who hosted races (Athenry, Tuam, Craughwell and GCH) and

to the 160 different athletes who took part. Over 35 athletes

ran in all four races. It is hoped that the series will take

place again next year.

Athenry AC are to host a top class international track event

on the evening of 8 July on Dangan racetrack in Galway. There

will be many different track and field events, most of which

will be open to all comers. More details are available on the

club's web site, http://www.athenryac.com.