It was a great opening day to the 2025 track and field season for Clonliffe athletes. The big news comes from the IMC Clonmel meet where Emily Bolton bagged the EYOF qualifying time with an excellent 4.21.35 in winning her 1500 race. That time is also a European U/20 B standard with Emily also rapidly closing in on the almost 50 year old Clonliffe Harriers club record of 4.19.00, with today’s time placing her 4th on the Clonliffe all-time list.
(Above Emily Bolton. Photo by Eric Bellamy/Shutterdublin)
Also in Clonmel Stephen Cashin finished 5th in the 3000 in a time of 8.45.91, Matei Ursachi was 10th in 8.55.42. In the B race Harry Bogan was 3rd (8.55.44). In the 1500 A race Sean Cronin clocked a time of 3.49.04 as he placed 5th. Ed Tottenham was 6th in the B race in a time of 3.56.72. Aidan Benjacar The 800 C race was very much an inter-Clonliffe battle with Lorcan Benjacar 3rd (1.54.83), Fintan Kerins 4th (1.55.35) and Sean Carrigg 6th (1.57.47). Simon Galligan finished 2nd in the hammer with a best of 59.29.
Meanwhile, much closer to home, the 1st Dublin graded meet of the season took place at Morton Stadium, this also included some Dublin championship events. Colm Rooney won the Dublin 3000 championship in a tasty 8.19.88. Proud Mayo man Cathal McHale took Dublin bronze, it’ll be interesting to see if he gets a warm welcome back home to Mayo this summer! Also in this race Sean Doran was 9th (9.09.05), Conor Fitzpatrick 10th (9.09.76), Eoin Maguire 12th (9.20.87) and Lee Duddy 13th (9.29.46). In the grade B 3000 Tadgh Cowley finished 7th in a time of 9.46.31. Mick McMahon was 2nd in the combined C and D race in a time of 9.54.04.
In the women’s 3000 championship Alannah Cooley, her 1st race in 2 years, took Dublin championship bronze in a PB of 10.43.32. Also in this race Mya O’Reilly 17th (11.45.59) and Katie Halpin 18th (11.49.31).
There were some excellent battling performances by Clonliffe athletes in the 800s, in the women’s C race there was a battle of the Clonliffe Jesses with Jess Lafamme Yonkman taking a very strong 2nd place in 2.28.18, a PB by some 10+ seconds! Jess Gallagher was 3rd, also in a PB, 2.28.62. Sarah Doherty won the 1st heat in the D races clocking a time of 2.32.15 with Rachel Ardiff 3rd 2.39.07. In heat 2 Mae Rose Mayson was 3rd (2.42.51), Paige Elliott 7th (2.52.19), Rebecca Finn 8th (3.01.32) and Sarah Owens 9th (3.07.87), a PB.
In the men’s 800s Rory Quill continues to make great progress on his return from injury placing 3rd in the a race in a time of 1.57.18. Malcom Kiplagat made an excellent track debut winning the grade C in a time of 2.02.17. In grade D, again there was a great inter-Clonliffe battle, Joshua Chalmers was 2nd (2.12.59), Maxime Bernard 3rd (2.12.76), Peter Bissett 5th (2.18.93) and Ben Power 7th (2.28.00).
Earlier in the morning Sophie Kernan took 4th place in the 2000 SC in a time of 8.12.65.
In the 100s are clearly off form Leo Morgan ran 10.90 and later 11.09. In grade C Evan Storey ran 11.74 in round 1 and in round 2 a PB of 11.55.
Craig Duffy was wearing the green of Ireland today on the Irish U/23 4 x 100 relay squad, in the 1st round the team clocked a time of 40.70, with Craig on the 2nd leg and in the 2nd round, again Craig and the 2nd leg the team clocked 40.80.
Finally the great Frances Mansfield, all of 62 years competing for Clonliffe Harriers, kitted out once again in the women’s hammer competition and lo and behold Frances left Morton Stadium with the Dublin senior championship gold medal around her neck! Frances threw a best of 14.98, in fact hitting that mark twice in the competition.
The next Dublin graded takes place also Morton Stadium on Sunday, May 11.