Newcastle AC
For the young athletes of Newcastle AC, the 2026 Ulster Schools’ Athletics Track and Field Championships will go down in the history books.
Harry breaks record
On Saturday, the club representatives returned to the Mary Peters Track and witnessed another historic moment, this time from the club’s Mini London Marathon star Harry McVeigh, representing St Malachy’s High School.
There had been talk of an in-form Harry tackling the long-standing Ulster Mini Boys 800m record which had stood since 1976. Even with expectations high, what unfolded on the track still left spectators stunned.
From the gun, Harry looked in complete control. By the 100m mark, he had already separated himself from the field, with only one athlete attempting to stay within touching distance. By 200m, the gap had grown even further as the race quickly became a battle against the clock rather than against his competitors.
Crossing through the opening lap comfortably inside the targeted 65-second pace, attention around the track shifted towards the clock.
Spectators could be heard counting down the seconds as Harry powered into the final stages of the race. Any doubts about whether the early pace could be maintained were quickly answered in emphatic fashion.
With 300m remaining, Harry accelerated once again up the back straight, attacking the final bend with remarkable composure and efficiency as he drove towards the finish line.
As the clock ticked beyond 2:10 and into 2:11, anticipation around the stadium reached fever pitch before Harry crossed the line in an astonishing 2:12 performance. Moments later, announcer John Glover confirmed what many had already realised – the performance was a new Ulster record.
Perhaps most impressive of all was Harry’s reaction afterwards. In keeping with his calm and humble nature, there was no dramatic celebration.
Instead, he simply eased to a stop before turning back to congratulate and shake hands with his fellow competitors as they crossed the line. Around him, however, emotions spilled over as family, friends, coaches, and teachers celebrated his achievements.
Strong performance from Connaire Óg
Day One last Wednesday saw two athletes, who have spent the past eight years side by side on their athletics journey, step onto the big stage once again. Connaire Óg McVeigh (St Malachy’s High School) and Aoife Grant (Shimna College) have both excelled across multiple disciplines, with Connaire Óg embracing cross country and middle-distance running, while Aoife has gone in the opposite direction, discovering a remarkable talent for racewalking and the hammer throw.
Connaire Óg delivered a strong performance in the Junior Boys’ 1500m. He matched the pace throughout and at times drove the race forward himself. However, despite a determined effort, it wasn’t quite to be his day as he narrowly missed out on a podium finish in the closing 200m.
Success for Aoife Grant
For Aoife Grant, though, it was her moment to shine. After a long winter spent training in the cage and a strong start to the season indoors, where she claimed fifth place in the national schools’ 1500m racewalk final, she brought her wide-ranging skill set and adaptability perfectly into the outdoor season.
Lining up in a competitive field for the 1200m Racewalk, the decision to combine the boys’ and girls’ races made little difference to Aoife’s performance. From the gun, she matched her biggest rival stride for stride.
Yet by the 200m mark, Aoife had already begun to pull away, increasing the pace while the chasing pack struggled to respond. By 800m, she was out on her own, driving relentlessly towards the finish line without ever looking back.
Even as fatigue began to creep in, Aoife maintained superb form and composure, keeping constant contact with the ground while moving at an impressive pace of 9:40-minute miles. Crossing the line in 7:13, Aoife claimed victory by an incredible 25 seconds ahead of second place. Last year, competing up an age group, she earned a hard-fought bronze medal. This year, she stood proudly on the top step of the podium, knowing every hour of hard work and dedication had paid off.
Just two hours later, Aoife was called back into action for the Junior Girls’ hammer competition. Still buzzing from securing an Ulster title on the track, she now had to refocus completely as she stepped into the cage with the 2.5kg hammer in hand.
Aoife’s opening throw travelled out to 26.17m, while her second attempt clipped the cage. Entering the third round determined and composed, she combined speed, strength, and sharp footwork to perfection as the hammer flew high into the sky, gliding out to a superb personal best of 28.40m.
Heading into her final throw, Aoife already knew she had secured the silver medal. With confidence flowing, the effortless beauty of her spin and the smooth release of the hammer sealed a remarkable second trip to the podium in the space of just two hours.
For Newcastle AC, it was a historic achievement – the club’s first-ever Ulster Schools’ gold medal in racewalking, alongside its first Ulster Schools’ medal in the hammer throw.
Bronze for Paddy Sherrard
Also on Saturday, Paddy Sherrard (Down High) and Hermione Sheridan (Assumption Grammar) both faced a huge challenge as Year 11 athletes competing in the Intermediate age group against athletes a year older than themselves.
Paddy had comfortably secured second place at the District A qualifiers and once again stepped up to compete against the province’s top athletes in the 2000m race walk final.
Throughout the race, Paddy remained composed and strong, producing an excellent final 400m surge as he closed rapidly on the athletes ahead of him. Unfortunately, the finish line came just too soon, with Paddy crossing only strides behind the bronze medal position.
Good day for Hermione Sheridan
Like Paddy, Hermione rose admirably to the occasion, producing excellent performances in the 800m and 1500m events and recording impressive times in both.
The experience of competing against athletes of that calibre will undoubtedly prove invaluable as Hermione sets her sights on challenging strongly in the Intermediate age group again next year.
For Newcastle AC, it was another unforgettable week for their junior athletes in what is rapidly becoming a remarkable season for the club.
