Aidan Gillespie wins record equalling Donegal senior title

Part One of the 48th County Senior Athletic Championships were held in the Finn Valley Centre on Easter Monday and the day was notable for a number of reasons, firstly Aidan Gillespie, Rosses AC equalled Hugo Duggan’s life-time record of eight senior county titles in the Long Jump when he took his eight title with a leap of 6.06m.
It was also notable because so many of our young stars took their places on the County Roll Of Honour for the first time, athletes like Dylan Kearns Finn Valley in the Javelin and 100m, Alan Mc Ginley, Lifford/ Strabane in the 1,500m and Simon Archer in the 200m, and Chris Delaney Finn Valley who won the Triple Jump in what is a relatively new event for him and Ross Thompson, Finn Valley winning the 400m.
The young ladies were no less prominent with Lee Walsh Finn Valley winning the Javelin, Long Jump and Triple Jumps, Bethany Lecky Finn Valley taking the 100m, Danielle Jensen Finn Valley the 400m.
As well as the Donegal clubs athletes from our neighbouring counties who competed as guests notably from Derry, Tyrone and Fermanagh, former Irish Hurdles International Trevor Mc Glynn, who now concentrates on multi- events and competes for Omagh Harriers was a welcome guest and finished third in the Men’s Javelin, Edel Monaghan, Enniskillen won the 1,500m, and Jack Mc Closkey City of Derry was second in the 200m while Claire Dougherty City of Derry had the longest jump in the women’s long Jump .
The beautiful weather made the day all the more enjoyable, except for some sun-burned officials and we now look forward to Part Two in Donegal Town on April 30th and the final part in Lifford on May 1st.
Donegal County wish to acknowledge the contribution of John and Liz Glover who travelled from Lisburn to provide electronic timing for the championships and also the officials in particular Tom Thompson, Peadar Mc Granaghan, Dermot Mc Granaghan, Anne Slevin, Mary O’ Callaghan and Bernie O’ Callaghan who gave their time so willingly to make it a day to remember for all involved.
RESULTS
MEN
100m
1. Dylan Kearns, Finn Valley 11.68
2. Ross Thompson, Finn Valley 12.08
3. Gary Harvey, Finn Valley 12.13
200m
1. Simon Archer, Finn Valley 23.17
2. Ross Thompson, Finn Valley 24.68
3. Brian Boyce, Letterkenny 25.26
Guest Jack Mc Closkey, City of Derry Spartans 23.79
400m
1. Ross Thompson, Finn Valley 55.69
2. Brian Boyce, Letterkenny 55.83
3. Conor Mc Ginley, Lifford/Strabane 57.85
1,500m
1. Alan Mc Ginley, Lifford/Strabane 4.13.87
2. Pauric Breslin, Letterkenny 4.18.93
3. Charlie Mc Elwaine, Lifford/Strabane 4.19.24
Long Jump
1. Aidan Gillespie, Rosses 6.06m
2. Liam Keane, Unattached 5.40m
2. Nazeer Sherzad, Unattached 5.40m
Triple Jump
1. Chris Delaney, Finn Valley 11.22m
2. Barry Gildea, Finn Valley 10.39m
3. Mark Mc Brearty, Omagh Harriers 10.20m
Javelin
1. Dylan Kearns, Finn Valley 50.22m
2. Daryll Crawford, Lifford/Strabane 42.33m
3. Martin Mooney, Inishowen 26.82m
Guest Trevor Mc Glynn, Omagh Harriers 30.90m
4 x 100m Relay
1. Finn Valley A (Kearns, Archer, Thompson, Harvey) 46.75
2. Finn Valley B 49.94
3. Finn Valley C 53.71
WOMEN
100m
1. Bethany Lecky, Finn Valley 13.78
2. Lee Walsh, Finn Valley 14.49
3. Isabella Breslin, Finn Valley 15.59
400m
1. Danielle Jensen, Finn Valley 62.36
1,500m
1 Edel Monaghan, Enniskillen 5.03.50
Long Jump
1. Lee Walsh, Finn Valley 4.55m
2. Bethany Lecky Finn Valley 4.51m
3. Kathy Bannigan, Finn Valley 4.44m
Guest Claire Dougherty, City of Derry Spartans 5.21m
Triple Jump
1. Lee Walsh, Finn Valley 9.42m
2. Kathy Bannigan, Finn Valley 9.35m
3. Bethany Lecky, Finn Valley 9.27m
Javelin
1. Lee Walsh, Finn Valley 23.30m
2. Bethany Lecky, Finn Valley 12.89m
3. Mary O’ Callaghan, Finn Valley 12.15m