The opening indoor meet of 2026 took place tonight at the NIA Abbottstown with the Track and Field live series. There were some fine performances by Clonliffe athletes from juvenile to senior to master.
Sean Harman made his debut this evening, it must be said in some style, winning heat 3 of the 60, series 1 in 7.23 and later winning series 2 and going even faster: 7.20. Evan Storey was in the same race as Sean finishing 3rd in series 1 (7.51) and likewise going faster in series 2 as he clocked 7.48. In heat 4 Mark Murray was 4th in series 1 (7.38) and 3rd in series 2 (7.37).
Snezana Bechtina was 2nd in the Masters 200 in a time of 26.82.
The Clonliffe juveniles were in action in both the sprints and middle distance. Starting with the sprints: U/14 girls 60, heat 1 Matilda Hughes was 5th (10.55), in heat 3 Adrianna Madrzynska was 4th (9.17) with Molly Hughes 6th (9.99). In the boys U/14 60 heat 1 Issac O’Neill was 2nd (8.53) with Rhys Jenkins 5th (9.45). In heat 2 David Chilug took 3rd place (9.84) and in heat 3 there was a fine win for Rhys Daly in an impressive 8.30 with Issac Kupic Boyle 3rd (9.53).
The U/16 girls 60 saw Elise Fevrier finish 3rd in heat 1 (9.02) whilst in heat 3 there was a great Clonliffe battle with Nessa Byrne taking the win in 8.76, a fraction ahead of Julie Rzeszutko in 8.77 with Anabela Kupic Boyle 4th (9.35).
The meet also featured juvenile 4 x 200 relays where the Clonliffe U/14 boys took 1st place in a time of 1.51.36 with the girls U/16 also taking 1st in 2.00.39.
Moving on then to the juvenile 800 races, in the U/14’s Ava Fagan was 4th (2.34.85), Lucy Fagan was 6th (2.53.37) and in 8th Matilda Hughes (3.08.89). The boys U/14 also had great Clonliffe interest Channing O’Shea took 3rd place (2.27.83), with Max Bamford 4th (2.30.33) and Rhys Jenkins 9th (2.38.80). The U/16 girls saw Nessa Byrne take 9th (2.38.58) and Aliyah Riyad 10th (2.41.82). Finally in the juvenile’s some excellent running in the U/16 boys 800 where Braxton O’Shea was victorious winning in a time of 2.07.99, Mark Kelly took 3rd in 2.17.76 and in 9th, Oliver Gavin (2.26.62).
In the senior 800 Sean Carrigg chopped over a second off his indoor PB winning his race in a time of 1.55.25. Ryan Fagan finished 3rd in his race (2.21.04). In the women’s 800 Sophie Kernan was 4th in heat 1 in 2.32.56. Finally in the last race of the night Jack Quinn was 3rd in the mile (4.44.13).
Next up this month is the AAI Indoor Games on Saturday, followed by round 1 of the Indoor league on the 24th and the NIA Track & Field series on the 28th.