Congratulations to Darragh Whelan who won the 123.ie All-Ireland Schools Minor Boys Cross Country Championships at a wet and windy Tymon Park on Saturday. While the rain came down all day, conditions underfoot were good on what was a challenging but fair course. With the largest field of the day, the minor boys 2,500m race got off to a hectic start as all 116 competitors raced to the narrowest point of the course after 250m. A group of 8 to 10 athletes soon established themselves as the lead group for the first 1km loop but that soon reduced to 4 as the race passed the 1.5km mark. Showing great maturity, Darragh sat in 2nd or 3rd position until 600m to go when he made a decisive break up the steep incline into the back section of the course. Within 100m he had an unassailable 20m lead which the rest of the field were unable to close.
Saturday the 9th of March will always be a special day in the Whelan household as it was 33years to the day since Darragh’s mother, Susan, also won the All-Ireland Schools Cross Country Championships. According to Pierce of World Athletics who looks after all the stats for Athletics Ireland, Susan and Darragh become only the 5thMother and Son in 108 years of Schools Athletics to both win All-Ireland Schools titles.
Congratulations also go to John Farrell who competed in the Junior Boys 3,500m race on Saturday. After a good start John settled in nicely to a large group towards the front of the field. The group only started to break up in the final 1km and John showed great endurance and strength to finish an excellent 37th out of the 109 staters.
A huge thank you to Siobhan, Pat and PJ who have coached the two boys to their success.
