Spring success for Ballymena & Antrim athletes

February and March have been a busy few weeks for BAAC with various indoor championships and the schools cross country campaign all taking place, with some fantastic performances posted to show we are continuing to develop and improve on last year.

At the Irish University Indoor Championships in the new €10million state of the art AIT Arena in Athlone, Christine McMahon (QUB) won the 400m title with a new PB and Irish University Record 54.77s. Club Captain Claire Wilkinson (UU) once again brought home a gold medal in the Pole Vault also with an Irish University Record of 3m60.

Training partners Dean Adams and Jonathan Browning set new UU and QUB records, respectively, in the 60m, placing 2nd (6.92) and 4th (7.03) in the mens 60m. Jonathan later qualified for the final of the 200m running 22.63 in his semi final.

The NI and Ulster Age Group Indoor Championships, jointly hosted by Athletics NI and Ulster Athletics Council where held at the Meadowbank Arena in Magherafelt.

With qualification for national finals and championship medals up for grabs the 30 athletes pulling on the Green, White and Black competed hard against the best juvenile athletes in the
province.

BAAC got off to the perfect start with 3 medals from the first 3 track events. Ryan McIlroy 2nd U18 400m 55.68, Anna Lawther 1st U18 400m 63.52 PB and Alan Curtis 1st U17 400m 53.36 PB.

These performances quickly got the adrenaline flowing through the younger ranks and debutants, as well as the little band of loyal supporters cheering the athletes on from the viewing
gallery.

Next up were the endurance athletes in a block of 600m and 800m timetrials, with medals being decided on time ranking.

The club’s youngest athlete of the day Erin McMahon was 8th quickest in the U12 600m. Rachel Brown won the U14 girls 800m in a personal best time with Emma Hutchinson winning her race although the time ranked her 3rd to secure a bronze medal.

Jake Harbinson also won his 800m race in a personal best time but was 2 seconds shy of the top step, he was ecstatic with his silver medal in his first NI Championships.

Lauren Strange continues her transition from sprints to endurance and finished in 5th place over 800m with a new personal best.

Suzannah Brown added a bronze medal to her growing collection running a personal best time in the 800m.

An hour after picking up her first NI title Anna Lawther ran a tactically sound race to out run her competitiors to claim 800m gold.

In the field events, Robert Bill and Hannah Johnston both jumped season best heights to claim a NI title each in the High Jump, multi talented Emma Hutchinson also equalled her season best and added a silver medal to her earlier bronze.

Triple Irish Schools Champion Lydia Mills showed great maturity for her young years in claiming a silver medal in the long jump on her last attempt after several marginal fouls. One of the newest members of the Club, Daniel McCullough in his first ever competition landed a brillaint 3m87 long jump to claim a silver medal, missing gold by 2cms.

Back to the track and the sprinters were up again, Heather Carson and Lydia Mills both powered away from the opposition to close out their respective 200m finals to claim gold medals.

Ben McKeown ran an almost perfect race although struggled to cope with the tight bend and the surface, but he was delighted to have grabbed the silver medal and qualified for the nationals.

Rounding off the day with great excitement and the relay events. With all races being run as timetrials, medals and more importantly qualification for All Ireland being decided on ranking the races were contested at an amazing pace.

BAAC were fortunate to have three teams automatically qualified to nationals and so concentrated on the younger teams.

To come away with a gold, silver and bronze in three different categories with very inexperience relay teams shows the great level of commitment and talent that has been nurtured at the Club.