McElhinney shortlisted for athlete of the year

GLENGARRIFF athlete Darragh McElhinney is in the running for the national Athlete of the Year award.

McElhinney missed out by fractions on winning a medal at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Istanbul in the 3000m earlier this year.

The nominations were announced this week for this year’s National Athletics Awards, which celebrate the achievements of Irish athletes during 2023. The Athlete of Year will be selected from athletes named as winner of the U20, U23, Endurance, Track, and Field categories.

McElhinney is one of four athletes on the shortlist for the Endurance athlete of the year award. The awards ceremony takes place on November 22nd.

Elsewhere Sean Lawton from Durrus AC took third place in the junior men’s race in the Autumn Open International Cross-Country Festival at the Sport Ireland campus.

Ennis Track Club’s Niall Murphy who crossed in isolation in 18:30, with Billy Coogan (Kilkenny City Harriers) second in 18:56, with Lawton making the podium with a time of 19:03.

In the Juveniles Cross Country Relay, Blarney Inniscara A.C. took home the honours in the U14 mixed race.