Kearney and Wellings hit podium at World Masters Championships
LUCAN Harriers pair, Carol Kearney and Leanne Wellings both made the podium at the World Masters Track and Field Championships in Tampere, Finland last week.
Less that five months after having medalled at the European Masters in Portugal, the two were back delivering for their club and country on an even bigger stage.
Kearney reached the Over 55 400m Final in which she crossed the line fourth only to be later disqualified having inadvertently made a slight lane infringement.
Still, she had chalked up a new pb and national record of 1.04:31 en route to that very final, and ended the championships with two relay medals.
Indeed, she combined with Moira Groome, Edel Maguire and Geraldine Finnegan to land gold in the W55 4x100m, fending off a huge challenge from hosts, Finland and Germany who came home second and third respectively.
“We were delighted because a relay is a team and when you combine to get a gold, it’s just amazing” Kearney told The Echo.
“When you’re on a relay and you get that baton, it’s like being given a shot of rocket fuel, because you’re terrified to let your team down.”
And it did not stop there for her as she linked up with her Lucan clubmate, Wellings, together with Groome and Maguire to clinch a superb bronze in the W45 4x400m Relay.
Like in the previous 4x100m Relay, Kearney ran the second leg, while Wellings anchored the team to a superb podium finish behind Finland and winners, Australia.
The Ireland 4×100 winning relay team of Edel Maguire, Carol Kearney, Geraldine Finnegan and Moira Groome
“After the disappointment of running on the line in the 400m (individual), the gold and bronze in the relay really helped make up for that” said Kearney.
“And even for that bronze, we had to work so hard to fight off the Americans for it” she added.
While Lucan runners were lighting up the track on the World Masters stage, a handful more were delivering the goods for the club at the National Juvenile T&F Championships in Tullamore.
Kate O’Connell captured gold in the Under 19 400m in a blistering Championship record time of 54.83 which was also inside the B standard for the World Under 20 Championships taking place in Columbia in August.
That victory followed hot on the heels of her gold in the 200m and silver in the 100m, capping a great championship for the up-and-coming Harrier.
Davis Quinn scooped bronze in the Under 15 Boys 2000m walk as did Eve Noctor in Under 18 400m, while Benjamin Caulier finished runner-up in the Under 18 1500m.
Elsewhere at the National 10-Mile Championships in the Phoenix Park on Sunday, Anne Whelan, Mary Browne, Josie Dignam and Eileen O’ Brien all earned medals in their respective divisions.
Anne Whelan, Claire Joyce and Edith Coakley picked up a National team bronze medal while Emmet Quinn carded a new PB of 1.16.53.
