School record performances seal Ulster places for duo

Banbridge Academy athletes Patrick McNiff and Rebekah Nixon have been chosen to race for Ulster at the Interprovincial Championships in Dublin at the end of the month.
By The Newsroom
Published 10th Jun 2014, 17:49 BST
Banbridge Academy's Rebekah Nixon.Banbridge Academy's Rebekah Nixon.
Banbridge Academy's Rebekah Nixon.

Their selection came after the duo continued their fine athletics seasons as both ran school record times in the recent Irish Schools Athletics Championships held in Tullamore, County Offaly.

The Championships are the pinnacle of underage athletics in Ireland and only the very best athletes from the four provinces are able to qualify to compete.

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Patrick performed brilliantly in the Junior Boys 1500m, running a new personal best and a school record of four minutes 24.69 seconds to finish in fifth position overall.

Rebekah, a year young for her category, also had a strong race and she too ran a school record two minutes 25.35 seconds in the Intermediate girls’ 800m to finish in sixth position.

These are remarkable performances at such an elite level by two very talented and extremely hard-working athletes.

The pair are certainly worthy of their selection on the Ulster squad and all the more impressive is the fact that the inter-pros are U16 age group so Rebekah has another year at this level and Patrick has another two years.

Related topics:UlsterIreland