Newcastle AC
By Siobhan Grant
NOW that the days are on the turn and we are into the new year, the first race of 2025 will always separate those who took a total break over Christmas and those who used it as an opportunity to finely tune their athletic abilities.
With many storms forcing postponements of events pre-Christmas, the big freeze of January 2025 threatened Mallusk Harriers’ Mathieson Cup event but the thaw kicked in on Saturday and allowed for this well streamlined event to go ahead and with that, the Newcastle AC juniors were there and ready to hit the ground running.
The route, unchanged from last year, allowed for a fast 100m start, followed by the “Hill of Doom”, which is a near vertical climb that sucks the life out your legs before hitting a looped course with some good stretches to open up on before returning to a speedy downhill section, requiring good agility and balance before fighting right to the finish.
The U-13 boys’ and girls’ races were rean together over the 2k loop. For the boys, Connaire Og McVeigh and Owen Gilmore and for the girls, Lily McMurray and Emily Kerr put on the red and yellow vests and went out hard.
Connaire Og sat tight for the first 350m and after letting the field even out behind him, Connaire Og made a bold move to stretch it out with only club mate Owen Gilmore taking the bait to match his surge.
Though as one spectator added, he was like “a dog chasing a bone” and once he approached the final downhill he was grounded and had eyes on the prize, crossing the line with a well-deserved first place with ten seconds to spare, in 7.31.
It’s important to mention that Connaire Og was pushed hard throughout the 2000m race. The pairing of Owen and Connaire Og in training and in races has brought both young men on tremendously.
Owen held on for the most part of the race and was able to make enough safe space between him and the runners behind to take second place.
Emily Kerr moved into the U-13 group this month and managed the transition with ease. With the ground to her liking and muddy in many places, Emily enjoyed her 2k and finished in 18th place in 9.07.
In the full article read how primary school entrants Sophie Kerr, Rua Gosling and Cliona McAleenan fared as well as the boys Harry McVeigh and Rossa McAleenan.
