KELLY McGrory, Sean McGinley and Conall Mahon were the big successes of Donegal athletes in Belfast today.
McGrory and Mahon were winners at the City of Lisburn Invitational Meeting while McGinley claimed a massive new personal best.
Picture: Finn Valley AC’s Michaela Byrne in triple jump action. Picture by Ross McKelvey
Tir Chonaill AC’s McGrory won the women’s 400m hurdles in impressive fashion.
McGrory won in 60.61 seconds, turning on the afterburners to leave Lagan Valley’s Laura Frey (64.67) and Galway Harriers’ Aoife Sheehy (66.98) in her slipstream.
McGrory competed at the 2019 European Games in Minsk.
She was the silver medalist in the 400m hurdles at the Irish Senior Championships in 2019, hitting a new Donegal record of 60.44 seconds.
This afternoon, just 0.17 seconds off that mark, was certainly encouraging for McGrory.
Rising Finn Valley AC ace McGinley shaved a whopping 12 seconds off his personal best in the men’s 1500m.
McGinley stormed home in 3:55.32 to claim the silver spot at the Mary Peters Track.
Annadale’s Neil Johnston won in a fine 3:49.45 with DTC’s Daniel Stone in third (3:56.27). The performance was a real encouraging opener for McGinley and his coach, John Rogan.
Mahon, of Tir Chonaill AC, won the triple jump with a 14.31m best. Mahon also was fourth in the men’s long jump (6.40m).
Finn Valley AC’s Michaela Byrne leaped to 10.9m in the triple jump.
Cara Laverty, appearing in Finn Valley AC’s colours for the first time, was third in the women’s 800m. Laverty opened the season with a new PB of 2:10.77. The race was won by Clones’ Denise Toner in 2:10.08.
Lifford-Strabane AC’s Ashleigh McArdle was second in the 80m hurdles, pipped by City of Derry woman Veronica O’Neill.
Letterkenny AC’s Ryan Canning was third in the 400m B race, finishing in 51.68 seconds, just ahead of Finn O’Neill of Lifford-Strabane AC (51.77 seconds).
O’Neill won with a 5k shot, reaching out to 13.05m, O’Neill was third in the 110m hurdles (14.69 seconds), while Canning was fourth in the 400m hurdles in 57.94 seconds.
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