O’Loughlin brings season to a close on high note
LOUIS O’Loughlin closed out his season with an impressive second place finish in the Under 18 Boys 800m at the Celtic Games Track and Field Championships at Grangemouth Stadium in Scotland last Saturday.
In a repeat result of the 2017 race, the Clondalkin man (1.56.59) succumbed to the superior finishing kick of Scotland’s Seumas McKay (1.55.57) with Ross Whitelaw (1.57.66), also of Scotland, coming home in third place.
Louis O’Loughlin won silver in Scotland
O’Loughlin led the race through the 400m mark in 57 seconds but felt heavy legs on the back strait and was unable to remain out of reach of the Scottish Number One.
Very pleased with the performance of his young protégé, Donore Coach Gerry Naughton said: “Louis missed a key block of training prior to the track season and this was his ninth race since mid-June.
“Putting the performance in perspective, it was a great effort. Louis never lacks for courage when he races,” he added.
O’Loughlin also anchored the Ireland Under 18 Boys 4x400m Relay team (3.25.36), that finished second behind Scotland (3.20.57) and ahead of Wales (3.29.94).
Meanwhile, O’Loughlin’s club and Moyle Park School mate Gavin Curtin had a busy week.
Locked in battle
The 16-year-old competitor won the recent Corkagh 5km Parkrun in a personal best time of 18.33, holding off the challenge of former Donore man George Brady (18.48), now running in the colours of Dublin Bay Runners.
The two were back locked in battle in the One Mile ‘D’ race at the Dublin Open Graded meeting at Santry Stadium.
Curtin (5.10.72) won an exciting contest, twice overtaking Brady in the final lap before continuing on to make it a hat-trick of wins at last Saturday’s Corkagh 5k Parkrun.
In that he again recorded a time of 18.33 to finish well clear of runner-up Daniel Morrogh (18.58).
TAGS Sport
