It was around 4:30pm on Sunday in Tallaght when our Club Treasurer stopped cheering on another relay team on the last leg of their final to realise that we hadn’t budgeted for this many athletes to be qualifying for the All-Ireland Children’s Games in Tullamore in July. A good problem to have though!
But, it’s not about medals and qualifications on these days and as much about competing and sunscreen and raincoats and sandwiches and crepes from Last Lap and relays and squeezing into a tent to shield from the downpours.
The Childrens Games involves athletes competing as a Team of Two across a Run, Jump and Throw event. There is also a relay at the end then. Many athletes were making their debut on an outdoor track and it was great to see so many out competing and testing themselves after several months of training.
Turbo Javelin
Out u9 crew had a great day in the field with the Turbo Javelin. Caoimhe & Laura took gold in their Girls while Isabella & Alanna taking bronze. Miguel and Sean took bronze in the Boys.
Jumps
Five medal were secured in the Long Jump. Tess & Sarah kept our twins tradition going with a bronze in the Girls u11 while Quinn & Isaac took bronze in the Boys. Sean & Darragh struck Gold in the Boys u9 with Sienna & Manuela (Girls u9) and Sam & Denis (Boys U10) all taking silvers.
Sprints & Middle Distance
Zadie & Freya had an exciting silver in the Girls u9 300m while Sam & Jake winning bronze in the Boys u10 60m.
Relays
Everyone loves a relay and after a long day it came to the last event, relay heats for all ages. All six teams safely negotiated their way to their finals, an amazing achievement, and with coaches carefully trying to manage the athlete’s day long fatigue and sugar spikes of too many jellies, they all toed the line just as the last of the rain eased off.
The work of our super committed coaching team came to the fore as team after team acquitted themselves brilliantly with super focus and determination.
The Girls and Boys U9 were first up and both claimed medals with the girls taking 3rd and the boys silver. Indeed out second Boys u9 team also made the final and were just off the podium in 5th. The Girls U10 were next up and tidy baton changes saw the girls enter the home straight in 3rd which they took all the way to the line. The Boys u10 soon followed and repeated the trick. Four teams done and all booking their tickets to the All-Irelands.
The Girls u11 had qualified as 5th fastest so needed to find something extra to make the podium in the final and they duly did with a great team performance to claim 3rd. Last were the Boys u11 and in their last Dublin Childrens Games they signed off in style with another bronze.
A great day with all 6 relay teams making the All-Ireland.
Coaches
Special thanks to all the coaches who made the day happen, working and planning tirelessly for months in advance. Thanks also to parents who volunteered on the day.
Clongriffin AC 