Busy week for Springwell Runners

The Northern Ireland and Ulster Senior Track and Field Championships were held at the Antrim Forum on Saturday. Springwell’s Holly Clarke had a good day winning gold in the under 18 girls 100 and 200 metres. She ran 13.04 for the 100 and 26.47 for the 200m. Neil Johnston won a bronze medal in the under 19 Boys 1500m in a time of 4.10.9. Congratulations to these two young athletes on excellent performances.

Chris Denton and Peter Jack completed the Extreme 26 Mourne Way Marathon on Saturday. Chris completed the course in 4:17:13 and Peter in 5:48:31.

Hugh and Betty Deighan made their annual trip to Enniskillen on Saturday for The Enniskillen 10K. Hugh came home in 44:31 and Betty in 51:29. Alan O’Hara 33:10 and Donna Evans 39:23 were the major prize winners.

More than 1200 runners and walkers took part in Tesco’s Race for Life in the grounds of the University of Ulster on Sunday. Lead runner Springwell’s Chairperson Alison Rankin set the pace for the runners around the 5K course. Springwell Junior Olivia Bonner accompanied by her aunt Ann were the second and third competitive runners home. Debbie Tutty, Fiona Walls, Katie Tutty, Abby Tutty and Catherine Henry also took part in the fun event to raise funds for Cancer Research UK.

Johnny Wilson was Springwell’s sole representative at the Decathlon 10K in Belfast on Sunday. Paul Pollock led the field home in 32:19. Fiona Johnston finished first lady in 43:37. Johnny came home in 39:14.

The annual Glenullin 10K was held on Friday evening. Conditions were perfect for running as the runners tackled the undulating course on the roads around Glenullin. First home was Christopher McPeake in 34:07. Springwell’s Stephen Joyce ran a season’s best 35:16 to finish second. Gemma Turley led the ladies home in 42:02 followed by Carol McIlvar 45:46 and Althea Clarkston 46:54 to complete a 1,2,3 for the Springwell ladies.

Springwell Results: Gerard Mullan 39:20, David Jackson 39:26, Thomas Moore 39:37 (PB), Johnny Goldie 41:29, Nigel Simpson 42:11, Mathew Hawthorne 43:55 (PB), Gary Moore 45:11, Mervyn Thompson 45:23, Katherine Woods 51:50, Catherine Pinkerton 52:56, Davy Patterson 52:56 and Kenney Bacon 55:34.

The fourth race in the Furey Insurance 5K Series took place at Culmore on Wednesday evening. City of Derry pair Emmett McGinty (16:04) and Anne Paul (18:48) were the major prize winners. Springwell’s Johnny Goldie completed the 5K course in 19:53 and Gemma Turley in 20:23.

Springwell Gillian Wasson continues to dominate the ladies section in the East Antrim Summer Trail Series. Gillian won the third race in the series at Randlestown Forest in 30:44. Ballymena Runners James Turtle led the men home in 26:59.

On Thursday 1 June Holly Clarke travelled to the Mary Peters Track, Belfast to compete in Athletics NI’s Open Graded Meeting. Holly finished first in the Mixed 100m in 13.15 and 5th in the Mixed 200m in 26.97.