Ulster Champion, Edel Monaghan raced to All Ireland bronze at the Irish Schools Track and Field Championships in Tullamore in County Offaly at the weekend.

Ulster Champion, Edel Monaghan raced to All Ireland bronze at the Irish Schools Track and Field Championships in Tullamore in County Offaly at the weekend.

The Irish championships attracted over 1,000 top class athletes representing 366 schools so medals were always going to be hard to win!

Edel was joined at the championships by Lucia Warnock of St Fancheas who was running in the 800m Junior Girls final, following gold at Districts and bronze at Ulster schools finals.

In the intermediate girls, Edel from Mount Lourdes was competing in both the 3,000m and 1,500m finals after securing her place through double gold at district level and gold and silver in the 3,000m and 1,500m respectively in the Ulster’s.

While Edel is new to competing at this longer 3,000m distance, she was looking forward to racing the 3,000m early in the day. The early pace was steady until the multiple All-Ireland schools cross country champion Caoimhe Harrington of Bantry made a decisive break with 500m to go. Edel and Niamh Carey, the Leinster Champion, raced after her and closed the gap in the final few meters. In a dramatic finish Carey pipped Harrington and Edel had to settle for bronze. A mere two seconds separated the top three runners. Edel ran an eight second PB of 10 mins 40 seconds while Carey’s winning time was 10 mins 38 seconds.

Lucia Warnock’s junior girls 800m final followed. In a very tactical race, the first lap was cautious before a ferocious sprint finish. Lucia finished sixth in Ireland and second Ulster girl. She will have learned much and can look forward to using that experience in the Ulster Clubs shortly.

Following her lunch-time podium finish, Edel had another highly charged final in the afternoon, namely the Intermediate Girls 1,500m. Racing on tired legs, she ran well over the distance with her usual spirit and determination; but recovery was clearly insufficient to reach a personal best! That will be for another day. Edel finished this race seventh in Ireland Well done to all Fermanagh’s school athletes who competed throughout the qualifiers, through districts, Ulsters and All Irelands and special congratulations to Edel Monaghan who came third in Ireland!