The English National Indoor Age-Group Championships have just been held at the NIA in Birmingham. Spartan athletes came back with a couple of silvers (Zane Duquemin and Stanley Livingstone) whilst a couple of my former throwers were well placed in the first year in their age group (Kathryn Rothwell and Shadine Duquemin). They’d progressed from the Southerns which were held at Lee Valley.

NIA and Lee Valley. What a contrast for the Crusaders who battle through the Dublin Indoor Championships. They have to trek down the country to a barn at Nenagh which constitutes the Republic’s only facility capable of holding an indoor meeting. As I’ve said previously it is to the credit only of the local club there that there is anywhere at all. The athletics fraternity say that, at Nenagh, to keep warm you have to go outside!

At least the relay finals were held at a great venue last year, Magharafelt in Northern Ireland. Quite why it’s been changed I’m not sure. Anyway the following Crusader’s teams medalled at the Dublins last weekend.

U10G, bronze – Barry, McLoughlin, Ferry, Walsh
U10B, gold – Soroka, Tucker, Maher, Brown
U12B, gold – Walsh, Barry, Saunders, Francis
U14G, silver – Barry, McGuill, Maher, Murray
U11G, bronze – Ferry, McGuill, Shaw, Johnson
U13G, silver – O’Leary, Ferry, Shaw, Shiels
U13B, bronze – Woods, Walsh, Barry, Francis
U15G, silver – Francis, Hughes, Kelly, Crowley

There’s some great work going on up there at Irishtown Stadium!