19th March Dublin
The Welsh Schools’ made their first ever visit to Dublin for the inaugural under 20 international. The Kit Kat sponsored event was held on the fast, flat course at ALSAA near Dublin Airport.
The sunny but windy conditions were ideal for the middle distance track specialists. Against the strength of the Irish Schools’ team it was Adam Bitchell (Penweddig - Dyfed) that flew the Welsh flag in the absence of World Championships bound Dewi Griffiths.
The boys’ race was a close affair between Niall McCormack and Michael McKillop of Ireland and Adam and team captain Ricky Challinor (Deeside College– NE Wales) of Wales leading the field. It was the greater strength of Adam which saw the Aberystwyth based athlete pull away impressively over the last 400m and claim his best ever victory.
Adam was backed up by captain Challinor who finished well clear in 4th place with Luke Watson (Sir Thomas Picton – Dyfed) also placing in the top 10 with a well-timed run in 9th position.
The girls’ race saw a perfect team score of 15pts for the powerful Irish squad as they claimed the first five scoring positions. Leanne Fitzgerald (Glan Hafren – Cardiff & Vale) found the fast 3000m course to her liking as she finished the best of the Welsh athletes with a 6th place finish.
Captain Alaw Beynon-Thomas (Strade – Dyfed) and Jenna Roberts (Caerleon – SE Wales) packed well to finish in 10th and 11th respectively.
Senior Girls (3000m)
|
Place
|
Name
|
Country
|
Time
|
|
1
|
Grace Sweeney
|
Ireland
|
12.49
|
|
2
|
Tekea Gebrezgi
|
Ireland
|
12.54
|
|
3
|
Lorraine Mc Carthy
|
Ireland
|
13.11
|
|
4
|
Claire Madigan
|
Ireland
|
13.23
|
|
5
|
Michelle English
|
Ireland
|
13.28
|
|
6
|
Leanne Fitzgerald
|
Welsh Schools’
|
13.30
|
|
7
|
Maire Nic Amblish
|
DCU
|
13.31
|
|
8
|
Laura Shaughnessy
|
Ireland
|
13.32
|
|
9
|
Gwenno Brown
|
Wales
|
13.45
|
|
10
|
Alaw Beynon-Thomas
|
Welsh Schools’
|
13.47
|
|
11
|
Jenna Roberts
|
Welsh Schools’
|
13.52
|
|
12
|
Suzanne Donovan
|
DCU
|
13.58
|
|
13
|
Michelle Allen
|
Wales
|
14.01
|
|
14
|
Susan Smyth
|
Ireland
|
14.03
|
|
15
|
Kayleigh Brown
|
Welsh Schools’
|
14.18
|
|
16
|
Jessica Dixon
|
Wales
|
14.22
|
|
17
|
Leigh Barker
|
Wales
|
14.28
|
|
18
|
Natalie Allen
|
Wales
|
14.29
|
|
19
|
Nicola Hackett
|
DCU
|
14.32
|
|
20
|
Lauren Scriven
|
DCU
|
14.38
|
|
21
|
Becky Davies
|
Welsh Schools’
|
14.41
|
|
22
|
Karen Crossan
|
DCU
|
14.45
|
|
23
|
Carys Howell
|
Welsh Schools’
|
14.49
|
|
24
|
Sophie Kendrick
|
Wales
|
14.54
|
|
25
|
Bethan Davies
|
Wales
|
14.58
|
|
26
|
Rebecca King
|
Welsh Schools’
|
15.20
|
Teams
- Ireland 15pts
- Welsh Schools’ 63pts
- Wales 73pts
- DCU 80pts
Senior Boys (6000m)
|
Place
|
Name
|
Country
|
Time
|
|
1
|
Adam Bitchell
|
Welsh Schools’
|
22.47
|
|
2
|
Niall McCormack
|
Ireland
|
22.52
|
|
3
|
Michael McKillop
|
Ireland
|
23.01
|
|
4
|
Ricky Challinor
|
Welsh Schools’
|
23.17
|
|
5
|
John Travers
|
Ireland
|
23.28
|
|
6
|
Sean Mc Cafferty
|
Ireland
|
23.30
|
|
7
|
Jonathan Peters
|
Wales
|
23.37
|
|
8
|
Lee Stenson
|
Ireland
|
23.39
|
|
9
|
Luke Watson
|
Welsh Schools’
|
23.40
|
|
10
|
Chris Jones
|
Ireland
|
23.48
|
|
11
|
Rhys Glastonbury
|
Wales
|
23.53
|
|
12
|
Ryan Faulkner
|
Ireland
|
23.56
|
|
13
|
Nathan Hardee
|
Welsh Schools’
|
24.01
|
|
14
|
Stephen Rooney
|
Ireland
|
24.04
|
|
15
|
Tom Marshall
|
Wales
|
24.19
|
|
16
|
Phil Edge
|
Welsh Schools’
|
24.39
|
|
17
|
David Mountford
|
Wales
|
24.27
|
|
18
|
Joshua Dixon
|
Wales
|
24.30
|
|
19
|
Michael Kallenberg
|
Welsh Schools’
|
24.39
|
|
20
|
Tom Millar
|
Wales
|
24.45
|
|
21
|
Chris Johnston
|
Ireland
|
24.49
|
|
22
|
Tomos Whitmarsh-Knight
|
Wales
|
25.00
|
|
23
|
Larry Brady
|
Ireland
|
25.19
|
|
24
|
Daniel Worrall
|
Welsh Schools’
|
25.21
|
|
25
|
Chris Hayward
|
Wales
|
25.32
|
Teams
1. Ireland 24pts
2. Welsh Schools’ 43pts
3. Wales 68pts
