2005 Intervarsity Outdoor T&F Championship Writeup

The Intervarsity Outdoor Track & Field championships were held in Irishtown Stadium Dublin last weekend. With a home advantage and the success recorded in the Indoor championships back in December, there had been a high level of expectation amongst UCDAC members leading up to the competition. A successful Colours match boded well too with only a week to go. However, in the final stages of preparation a number of significant withdrawals left the both Mens and Womens teams uncertain as to their chances.

The first day of competition is never too significant as there are too few finals to tell much about which teams will be in the running. With further losses to the mens team occuring that day matters regarding the mens title seemed to be getting out of hand. Fields in 800m and 1500m however were relatively weak allowing Eoin Cummins to double up. Pheilim Kelly also committed to the 1500m final on the Saturday (although he would never run it due to an administrative error). Kevin Burke performed well (as expected) on the Friday, scoring points in all 5 events on his way to Pentathlon gold. Alan McCormack racked up more points in the 10000m as did Padraig White (scholarship thrower) in the Shot. The men were behind Limerick after the first day but with some strong distance events and throws to come on Saturday not all hopes were lost.

Saturday began with promise as Garrett Coughlan scored some unexpected points in the 400m Hurdles. Padraig White claimed a gold medal in his preferred event the Hammer on home turf in Belfield with compatriate Alex Fanciosi scoring a valuable 5 points in second place. Captain Ruairi O'Briain proved his metal in the Triple Jump before clearing 4m30 to take first in the Vault. Limerick scored well in those events also and after the 100m, in which UCD had no athletes, they were in the lead. UCD pulled back points then in the 800m (Eoin Cummins), the Steeplechase (Phil Conway), the Discus (Padraig White, Barry McGonagle) and the Weight for Distance (Padraig White, Kevin Burke). Limerick came back in the 200m and 400m only to have their lead diminished by the UCD walkers (Feargal Tansey, Michael Muldoon). Limerick scored full points in the 4 x 100m relay but UCD were still in front going into the 5000m with 2 high class competitors Garrett Coughlan and Joe Sweeney looking for medals. It was probably the most exciting race of the weekend as Coughlan and Sweeney shared the pace, bringing the race to their rivals. Although niether could outkick Costello of DCU when he sprang to the front, they came home second and third, putting the mens title out of reach of Limerick. The UCD 4 x 400 team made a huge effort to score enough points to earn the overall trophy but 3rd was not enough as Limerick finished first after a huge battle with DCU.

In the womens competition the absence of Joanne Cuddihy and Deirdre Ryan proved critical in the end although several new faces such as Rachel Reddy, Mairead Doherty and Niamh O'Reilly made sure that they were not walked over. Dervla O'Rourke won the 110 hurdles and picked up points in the Long Jump and Shot Put. Aoife Byrne took time out from her final year studies to win the 1500m ahead of Eilis Connery in 2nd. Anne Marie Whelan took home a bronze medal in the Javelin. Captain Fiona O'Friel won 4 medals in a Herculean effort to keep their hopes alive and indeed they were untill the very end when O'Friel took the 4 x 400m relay team home in 2nd place behind UL. They finished 3rd overall improving hugely on 7th place in the Indoors and 5th in the 2004 Outdoors.

UCD also took the Combined Events Trophy with Kevin Burke, Aoife Murray and Hugo Leeney all completing their respective competitions.

For full results go to www.iuaa.org