Maeve selected for U20 Euros, Eoin and Katie win Irish gold

WHILE West Cork’s top athletes chase Irish senior glory this weekend, the next generation has been starring in their own competitions in recent weeks.

Doheny AC athlete Maeve O’Neill’s inclusion in the Athletics Ireland squad for the 2023 European U20 Championships in Jerusalem (August 7th to 10th) has been confirmed. The Ballinacarriga teenager will compete in the 800m in Israel. Maeve is coached by her father, Tony O’Neill. Also heading to the U20 Europeans is Max O’Reilly (Kinsale AC) who will compete in the Irish 4x100m relay team.

Eoin O'Callaghan (Bandon AC) has been in top form in recent weeks.

Bandon AC’s Eoin O’Callaghan has enjoyed a tremendous few weeks, first winning gold in the national U18 decathlon championships held at Morton Stadium in Dublin, with a total of 5797 points after the ten events, including wins in the shot put, high jump, 100m hurdles, discus, pole vault and javelin. At the national juvenile championships last weekend Eoin won gold in both the U17 boys’ high jump (1.80m) and discus (37.61m), while winning bronze in the U17 boys’ high jump (2.40m).

Caheragh teenager Katie Kingston, competing with Leevale AC, also won gold at the national juvenile championships in Tullamore last weekend, taking the top podium spot in the U17 girls’ javelin with her best effort of 41.80m. Indeed her first effort of 40.55m would also have been enough to secure gold. In the preceding few weeks Katie had finished second in the senior women’s javelin at the AAI Games, as well as bringing silver home to West Cork after the junior All-Irelands. Her younger brother Sam won bronze in the U14 boys’ javelin at the national juvenile championships, too, with his best throw of 35.82m. There was success also for Skibbereen AC athletes in Tullamore, as Evan O’Sullivan won a superb silver medal in the U14 boys’ javelin (400g) with his fourth throw measuring 29.97m, while Elaine O'Sullivan continued her impressive form with a bronze medal in the javelin.