Local youths encouraged to join athletics series

The largest youth athletics series in Northern Ireland, which sees many competitors travelling from Banbridge to the Mary Peters track in Belfast to take part, is set to get even bigger this year with the announcement that an extra evening of competition will be added.
By The Newsroom
Published 28th Mar 2015, 14:13 BST
Dame Mary Peters joins Des Brown from firmus energy and a number of competitors to launch the 2015 firmus energy Super 6 Youth Athletics Series.Dame Mary Peters joins Des Brown from firmus energy and a number of competitors to launch the 2015 firmus energy Super 6 Youth Athletics Series.
Dame Mary Peters joins Des Brown from firmus energy and a number of competitors to launch the 2015 firmus energy Super 6 Youth Athletics Series.

The series will now be known as the firmus energy Super 6.

Celebrating its 25th year, the athletics series is going from strength to strength which reflects the growing demand for the sport right across Northern Ireland.

Organised by Lagan Valley Athletics Club, the firmus energy Super 6 is designed to encourage beginners to come out and ‘have a go’ at track and field events as well as helping to develop serious global competitors and future local Olympians.

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Bryan McCorkell from Lagan Valley Athletics Club, organisers of the series, explained: “Last year saw a record number of participants at each of the events. Due to this resounding success and growing popularity of youth athletics in Northern Ireland we decided that adding an extra date to the series was necessary.

“With the increasing number of participants, some of the evenings over that last couple of years ran on quite late so this extra date will also allow us to spread the number of activities and improve the timing of the events, making make it much more manageable and enjoyable for the competitors, parents and organisers alike.”

He added: “We are also delighted that firmus energy has committed to supporting the series again this year. It is great to have such as proactive company on board that not only contributes financially but also puts other resources into making sure the series is the best it can be.”

Des Brown for firmus energy added: “The 2014 series was the most successful in the 24 years the initiative has run, with a record number of 260 participants attending each of the five evening events on average.

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“It is great to see athletics thrive in Northern Ireland and that so many young people are getting the opportunity to try and indeed excel at the sport.

“We look forward to working closely with the organisers during the series again this year which we have no doubt will be bigger and better than any that have gone before.”

The 25th year of the series will open with the first Meet on Thursday 16 April at the Mary Peters Track.

For more information, visit www.laganvalleyac.co.uk or the ‘firmus energy super 6’ facebook page.

Related topics:Northern IrelandBelfastBanbridge