Laadjel named Athlete of The Week

DONORE Harriers athletes Abdel Laadjel and Louis O’Loughlin were back in action in Stateside pre-season meets.

Laadjel, who was confirmed the Big East’s track Athlete of the Week following his impressive 13.46.37 winning time at the UCF Invitational at Orlando on March 15, moved up to compete in his favoured 10,000m distance at the prestigious Raleigh Relays Meet at Raleigh in North Carolina.

It proved to be a race that left Laadjel with mixed feelings afterwards.

He explained: “I got a PB and qualified to compete in the first round of the NCAA regionals, but I had stomach cramp and at times I wanted to pull out of the race.

My target was to get down close to the 28.20 marker, but that will have to wait for another day”.

His race time of 28.56.34 was still a personal best and brought him home 19th in a field of 36 starters.

Louis O’Loughlin was narrowly outside his personal best of 1.48.63 when he timed an outdoor season opener of 1.48.83 to place 2nd of 10 starters in Heat 4 of the 800m at the Florida Relays event at Gainesville.

O’Loughlin led the race at the 400m mark reached in 52.44, but eventually lost out to Tadeas Placek (1.48.12) of Illinois in an exciting contest.