Lots to cheer on memorable weekend for St Laurence O’Toole AC – Sport

IN an action-packed weekend of athletics, Jamie Hyland St Laurence O’Toole AC smashed the national u17 pole vault record with a stunning performance of 4.40m. He was just one of a string of excellent performances by Carlow athletes on the day that led to a national record, three gold medals, one silver and one bronze. A day later St Laurence O’Toole ladies competed with Ireland’s elite clubs at the premier division of the National Track and Field league after a gap of almost two decades. The ladies excelled themselves in their performances competing over their signature events along with tackling events outside of their comfort zone.All-Ireland Juveniles Day 3 Five national records were set last Saturday at the concluding day of the All-Ireland Juvenile Track and Field in Tullamore. One of them by Carlow’s own Jamie Hyland. Competing in the boys u17 Pole Vault, Hyland showed tremendous athleticism as he obliterated the previous record of 3.91 set back in 2008 replacing it with his own 4.40m. The young Carlow man made the first of several inroads to the new record by clearing four meters on his first attempt. Equipped with steel tape, the track referee duly confirmed the height and recorded the new height. Then came first time clearances at 4.10, 4.20, 4.30 and 4.40m, all requiring the same steel tape confirmation. Hyland’s three failed attempts at 4.52 grinded his run of success to a halt and he exited the competition to the backdrop of tumultuous applause. There was further pole vault success as Lee Prendergast took gold in the boys u19 clearing 3.90m in the process. Jack Wickham took silver in the boys u15 Pole vault.Jamie Hyland smashed the national u17 pole vault record Photo: Perri WilliamsShowers of biblical proportions fell throughout the day, creating surface water on the track and making conditions difficult for the athletes. Field events were at times stopped in the interest of safety as the athletes took shelter watching the heaving rain pound down from their dry dens. The hurdles in particular demanded more caution that usual as many athletes slid on planes of water, as they balanced to step over the barriers. One athlete who navigated her way through the conditions was Emily Lawlor. Lawlor started the race with caution and accelerated along the back straight. By midway she has already gained on Galway’s Amy Rose Kelly. Coming off the final bend Lawlor was in third place. Working hard down the home straight, she produced a magnificent turn of speed over the final two hurdles to race past her opponents and clinch the gold in a new personal best of 1.06.50.The final medal that came Carlow’s way was the girls u18 200m. Cassie O’Byrne comes from a family of sprinters, he mother and aunts and uncles competed for St Laurence O’Toole’s back in the 1980s and 90s. Now carrying the family name into a new generation Cassie has already started to make her way into athletics. She finished 3rd in the u18, 200m with a time of 25.86.Elsewhere Isabelle McCormack produced a sterling series of throws in the U17 girls Javelin. Her best throw of 31.17m came in the fifth round. Unfortunately, it was not quiet enough to overtake Abby Lewis (Naas) for the bronze medal. She has to settle for 4th. Reuben McCarthy may have run the final of his 200m amid some of the worst conditions of the entire day. This however did not deter him as he strode to a new personal best of 23.07 in the heats to finish 5th.
Premier League time for the Ladies
 It has been almost two decades since a Carlow club competed in the premier division of the national league. Kitted out in the familiar blue and white with some sponsorship from Johnson Shop Fitters, they embraced the nineteen events with enthusiasm and determination.Molly Scott opened the competition with a decisive victory in the 100m hurdles. The 400m hurdles followed. Jennifer Sawyer, the current national 400m hurdles champion, did everything right and looked certain of victory. A mistake on the final flight of hurdles cost her and she settled for bronze. Louise Shanahan may have been the fasted girl in the field for the 800m. And she may has coasted through the final 100m unchallenged, but the real race was going on behind her where former Irish international Maria McCambridge (Dundrum South Dublin) was being challenged by Carlow’s own Maria Dunne. It took a photo finish to separate the two ladies on the line, with Dunne taking third place. Kara Morrissey secured the ladies second top spot of the day. Morrissey cleared 3.90m in the Pole Vault but had to share her accolades with Una Brice of Leevale as both ladies cleared the same height.Kara Morrissey was the winner of the pole vault Photo: Perri WilliamsOverall victory went to Leevale AC, whose sheer enormity of numbers ensured depth in every event. However the ladies of St Laurence O’Toole’s brought their club back up the premier division a level they enjoyed continuously two decades ago. This may be the start of another golden era for Carlow athletics.St Laurence O’Toole ladies 4x400m Relay at the National LeagueOn the men’s side of things, Marcus Lawler was in top form as Clonliffe Harriers won the Premier Division crown. Lawler took the the sprint double, winning the 100m in a time of 10.28 and then following that up with a time of 20.71 in the 200m. Lawler was also part of the Clonliffe 4x100m team that came second in the relay.Marcus Lawler from Clonliffe Harriers AC on his way to winning the Premier Men’s 100m Final 

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