Costello claims another victory at Tullamore

Star of the Sea's Colin Costello continued his return to form when he achieved an emphatic victory in the Irish Miler Club's Elite 800m race at the Irish Schools Track & Field Championships at Tullamore on Saturday. The former European junior 1500m champion has shown once again that he has found the hunger and the commitment to leave his mark on the Irish athletic scene. After a good winter's training aim at preparing him for the national indoors Costello had to put his comeback on hold when he picked up a flu in late January. This setback meant he had to re-focus and he honed in on the Milers Club 800m event as his return event. Coming off the penultimate bend Costello had a lead of 10metres on the chasing athletes Noel Collins (Finn Valley) and Liam Markham (Ennis Track). He held his form down the back straight as the pacemaker moved off the track. Costello eased his way across the line in one minute, 50.52 seconds. Star of the Sea athlete Rob Tully competed in the colours of Gormanston College in the intermediate triple jump and 800m, but was out of the frame. Andrew Coscoran competing for St Mary's Secondary School secured third in the boys u-16 mile. He led the race for 1200m despite carrying a leg injury. Dunboyne's Padraig White has been selected to represent Ireland at the European Team Championships in Turkey on Saturday 18th June and Sunday 19th June. White is the reigning national hammer champion and is studying in Aberdeen University. He came second in the British Universities Championships where he threw a personal best of 62.81 metres. He followed this performance with victory in the Meath Track & Field Championships at the new international standard throwing facility in Dunboyne in early May. Star of the Sea athletes and brothers Charlie and Liam Keogh enjoyed good performances at the Meath B Championships at Cushinstown on Friday evening. Charlie Keogh was third in the u-12 boys 60m and then broke three metres for the first time in the long jump when clearing 3.31m to take the gold medal. Liam Keogh had a great race in the u-9 boys 500m where he and an athlete from Moynalvey engaged in a tremendous battle right up the finishing straight for the bronze medal with the lead changing hands on a number of occasions. The Star of the Sea runner eventually claimed the bronze. Bohermeen athletes also came away with a good share of the spoils with 15 juveniles on duty. Gold medal positions were secured by Katelyn O'Brien in the u-11 60m, Anna McGarry in u-11 ball throw and Mairead McFadden in u-12 long jump and shot putt. The Business Houses Athletics Association Five-Mile Road Race was held in Dunboyne on Tuesday evening of last week with Dunboyne athletes Luke Forde and Neville Reilly to the fore. Meath athletes were prominent, with Forde leading the field from the start. Forde maintained this position until just after half way, when two athletes broke away. However, he stuck to his task well coming home in third place in an excellent time of 25.46 while Reilly finished fourth. Phelim Glynn, representing Eircom, was fifth and a clear winner of the o-45 category. Emilia Dan from Dunboyne also put in a great run and was second in the o-40 category. There was a great turnout of over 20 runners from the Dunboyne Fit4Life group who used this race as a final preparation for the women's mini marathon. Dunboyne athlete Karen O'Hanlon, who won the Meath Hill Running Championships in April, was in fine form at the Irish Mountain Running Association race in Scarr in Wicklow. O'Hanlon came home in first place in just over 41 minutes and was 30 seconds clear of the second-placed runner. Other Dunboyne athletes to feature were Eddie Reid who was second in the o-60 category and Tom Muldoon who also enjoyed a good run.