It was another very successful year for Emo Rath Athletics Club in Track and Field competition.
The year started with a trip to Wales for Cillín Hoey where he competed for Ireland in the four countries indoor Schools Competition.
Cillín, along with Portlaoise A.C. athlete Daniel Downey were members of the Irish Team that won bronze medals.
Cillín went on to excel at Leinster level before topping off another successful year by winning gold at Nationals in the U-16 250m hurdles.
Emo-Rath Para Athlete Quincy Burke competed in Coventry recently on the Irish Juvenile Para team where he won gold medals in Discus and 100m sprint and silver in long jump.
Quincy also won five medals at the National Para Games in Carlow recently and is certainly one to watch for the future.
Quincy’s twin brother Evan also had a very successful season, beginning at Leinster where he finished second in the High Jump and culminating with him winning his first National Medal, which came in the Discus.
Evan is also an excellent long jumper and sprinter and will also be one to watch for the future. Oisin Deegan’s winter training paid off for him also.
He had impressive performances at Leinster in Long Jump and High Jump and finished the season with a silver medal at Nation B championships in his first year of competition at this standard.
In his second year of competition at Leinster level Kian Day made the breakthrough in the highly competitive sprints winning his first Leinster medal when taking bronze in the 200m.
Kian also did very well at recent four counties competitions in Tullamore winning the 400m & Javelin events and silver in shot putt.
Kian is another young man that is developing into a fine athlete. Another young athlete making great progress is Tadhg O’ Comhraidhe.
Tadhg won his first Leinster medal this year when he took silver in the 3000m on the track in a highly competitive race.
Tadhgs’ sister Aoileann has also been making great progress and although outside of the medals at Leinster it won’t be long before we see her on the medal podium.
U-20 athlete Chloe Keenan had another successful year at Leinster and went on to top off her year with a win in the long jump at Nationals to add another National title to her collection.
Chloe’s brother Eoin won his second National Senior medal this year with a bronze medal at the indoor Triple Jump.
Emo-Rath is delighted to assist athletes from other clubs in their training and this year saw Ballyfin athlete Jack Keenan win the Boys U-17 Leinster Triple Jump.
This was Jack’s first Leinster medal and testimony to the hard work he has put in during the year.
St. Michael’s athlete Patience Chinda, also a triple jumper, has been training with the Emo Rath group this year.
Patience has had a very successful year which included a new Championship record at Leinster as well as winning the All-Ireland schools title and competing on the Irish school’s team in Wales where she finished with a new pb of 11.83m and third place overall.
A spokesperson said: “Emo-Rath is a small rural club in the picturesque village of Emo in Co Laois.
“With very limited training facilities we have excelled beyond all proportion in the last two years.
“Our National medal haul for the last two years is an impressive 28.
“We thank the Emo Field Committee for their support as we continue to nurture and grow the club and our athletes to compete at National level and beyond.
“We have had three athletes, Chole Keenan (Competed in Italy last year), Cillín Hoey (Competed in Wales earlier this year) and Quincy Burke (Competed in Coventry this year) all compete at International level.”
SEE ALSO – Highly anticipated league final between Clonaslee-St Manman’s and Kilcavan postponed
