Irish Runner Report - NACAI National T&F Championships - July 1983
N.A.C.A.I. National T&F Championships 1983
Mardyke, Cork
Saturday 9th & Sunday July 10th 1983
Irish Runner Magazine - August 1983, Vol 3, No 5, P26 - 27
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| Irish Runner Magazine - August 1983, Vol 3, No 5, P26 | Irish Runner Magazine - August 1983, Vol 3, No 5, P27 |
The 1983 adidas sponsored All-Ireland Track and Field Championships of the N.A.C.A.I. were staged on Saturday and Sunday, 9th and 10th July, in near perfect weather conditions in the Mardyke, Cork. A stiff breeze measuring 3.5 m per secs was blowing against the sprinters on the first day of the Championships.
The programme consisted of 70 track events and 34 field events for four categories of athletes (a) Senior Men, (b) Senior Women, (c) Veterans over 35, 40, 45 for men and over 30 and 40 for women and (d) youths - under 18 male. The heavily congested programme was run off very efficiently by a hard-working and well- organised committee.
The standard in the senior ladies’ events overshadowed that of the senior men. Caroline McCoy of the Bros. Pearse Club ran a powerful race to retain her 100 metres title, having earlier retained her 100 metres hurdles title. She showed excellent sprinting ability into a 3.5 m. per sec. wind to hit the tape in 12.2 secs, which was 0.3 outside her personal best. Second in the 100 metres was Deirdre McGrath who later took the 200 metres gold in 25.0 secs, and the long jump gold in 5.40 metres.
Rosie Lambe on her way to victory in the 3000 metres
Rita Malone winning the 1500 metres from Rosie Lambe
Rosy Lambe from Knockbridge ran an aggressive 3000 metres which she controlled from the gun to register a time of 9 mins. 3.74 secs. The previous day Lambe was outsprinted by Rita Malone from the St. John’s Club in Clare who won in a very creditable 4 mins. 37.4 secs. In fact, Rita Malone lined up on the second day of the Championships as favourite for the 800 metres but was beaten into second place by Mary Joe O’Mahony from Gneeveguilla in Kerry who recorded 2 mins. 18.0 secs, for the gold medal.
In the field events the very attractive Pauline Carolan was in a class of her own to win both the Shot and Discus with distances of 11.55 metres and 46.45 metres respectively, the latter being a new championship record. The Fr. Murphy’s Club athletes’ throwing ranks among the best in the country and with stronger competition Pauline could drastically improve her standard. Dublin’s Mairead Somers was also an easy winner in the javelin with a new championship record of 34.44 metres.
In the senior men’s events David Adams from Harolds Cross sprinted to victory in both the 100 and 200 metres events with times of 10.9 secs, and 22.1 secs. Paul Hetherington from Navan A.C., who was runner-up to David Adams in both these events, went on to take the gold in the 400 metres with a time of 50.6 secs.
Meath’s David Harrison from the South O’Hanlon club ran a class 1500 metres to win in 3 mins. 53.4 secs. Unfortunately, a family bereavement cut short his week-end and, in his absence, the 800 metres proved to be one of the most competitive events won by John Hogan from Bohermeen in a blanket finish in a time of 1 min. 57.5 secs.
Left to right - Deirdre Flatman, first in the high jump; second Paula Davis and third Ann Cussen
A feature of the veterans’ events was the running of Willie Neenan from Millstreet. Having won the over-40 1500 metres with a time of 4 mins. 24.4 secs., the North (Corkman ran) across to the start of the over-45 1500 metres which was the very next event. Willie outkicked the field to win his second gold in a time of 4 mins. 48.5 secs. The Cork evergreen athlete literally jogged next day the legendary Neenan won the silver medal in the over-45 400 metres.
Vincent Manley on his way to victory in the Youths 1500 metres
The N.A.C.A.I. coach, Dr. Z. Orywal from Poland, who was sixth in the 1958 European 1500 metres final, was critical of certain aspects of the Mardyke’s facilities. He could not reconcile the fact that such a modem stadium as the Mardyke could be without sufficient starting blocks and without any measuring tapes
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