North Leinster Schools track and field and the scramble for qualification for the Leinster Schools finals continues in earnest. At today`s 2nd day in the Morton Stadium Clonliffe star of the day was young Alanah Cooley. Alanah is more noted as a middle distance and cross country runner who on Wednesday ran her best race todate narrowly missing out on the Leinster finals when she finished 4th in the junior 1500m. Determined to qualify today she came down in distance to run the 200m. She surprised many, including herself in winning her heat and then had a stormer in the final to place second, win her first school`s medal and claim a precious berth on the start line for next month`s Leinsters.
Another athlete trying out a new event was 400m specialist Seanna Reilly who won the senior 400 on Wednesday, and today was 2nd in the senior long jump (5.13m), Seanna also played a big part in her school, Malahide Community, winning the 4 x 100 relay. Fia Donnelly was 2nd in the senior girls 200m. Some of the distance boys took on the steeple chase: Ross Kearney finished a brave 4th in his first race over the barriers, after leading for 2/3rds distance he was caught by the chasing pack of 3 with 600 to go, Niall Norman place 7th. In the junior walk Greg Hosseny was 2nd to book his place in the finals.
Ryan Whelan was a class apart in the senior javelin winning with a best of 49.16. More updates to follow..