Yesterday`s National Masters Indoor Championships at the magnificent Athlone IT International Arena brought out the best in the athletes taking part, none more so that Clonliffe`s Master Athlete of the Year 2013 Bernie Byrne. Bernie was in inspired form, competing in the O/50 category, she won double gold: the 1500m in 5.22.46 and the 3,000m in a time of 11.20.24, the later being a new national O/50 indoors record by some 40 seconds!
Gold also for Ronan Gately in the 60m H O/45 in 12.4. In the O/40 200 John Hartnett took silver in a time of 25.35.
Another successful sortie also for Philip O`Doherty who won his umpteenth masters title taking the O/50 800 title in 2.15.15. The race of the day, according to reports was the O/35 800 where in the dive for the line Mounir Bouzzine lost out on gold by 0.02. Mounir 2nd in 2.01.91. George Maybury was another in medal winning form taking double bronze back to Santry, George was 3rd in the O/60 800 (2.32.98) and 1500 (5.22.41).
(pictured) O/35 800m Mounir Bouzzine 2nd by 0.02 of a second!