BEIJING GOLD MEDAL WINNER FOR DOWNPATRICK

Exciting news this week with the confirmation that Paralympics Gold Medal Winner Michael McKillop, who also set a new world record  of 1.59.39 for 800 metres in Beijing in September, will be the special guest of East Down Athletic Club on Thursday 11 December in Down Leisure Centre. Michael set the athletics fraternity and indeed the whole country ablaze with his phenomenal performance in China and has his sights set on repeating his success in London 2012.  The St Malachy’s College student is an exceptional talent but a modest and unassuming young man who is proving a great ambassador for his sport.  He will be accompanied by one of our top female athletes, Newcastle’s Kerry Harty, who is Athletics Development Officer with Athletics Northern Ireland and the Sports Development Unit at University of Ulster and some of the current Development Squad.

Michael will be bringing his Gold Medal with him and this is an opportunity of a lifetime for everyone, especially aspiring athletes of the future, to come and see a much coveted trophy and perhaps be inspired to follow his example. All are invited to come along to the Main Hall at 8.00pm.  Mums and dads are welcome too and officials and members of the Athletic Club will be there to talk to you. Don’t miss it!

WEEKEND RACES

Saturday provided ideal conditions for the Malcolm Cup cross country races organised by Annadale Striders in  Sixmilewater Park Ballyclare, in contrast to the underfoot conditions at the same venue 2 weeks previously.

The going was obviously to the liking of the Boys and Girls from Cedar Integrated Primary School in Crossgar as they claimed 4 of the first seven to finish in the Under 11 Boys race and 2 of the first seven in the Girls race both over a half mile distance. First home and well clear of the second placed runner was Callum Crawford Walker with Oliver McCallan in third, Ethan Jennings in 5th and Finton Walsh in 7th.  Not to be outdone the Cedar Girls also kept up the good work with Alice Gilmore and Molly Rice finishing 6th and 7th respectively and Beth Keown, Amy Godfrey, Anna Buckley and Zoe McSpadden filling 9th to 12th places.  A highly successful afternoon for all concerned though school principal Michael McKnight resisted the temptation to make it a clean sweep by opting for spectator rather than participant status in the Senior race.

Only two East Down men turned out in the Vets race over 3 miles - 3 laps of the park.  Liam Keenan continued his good form of late, building patiently towards next week’s Joe Seeley 10K, taking the scalps of the fast finishing George Bell and Irwin Speers and coming home just one second behind Desi McHenry - next week perhaps?  Further back Joe Quinn was engaged in his own personal battles with some old foes who had held the whip hand over him in recent weeks - and surprised even himself by outfoxing last week’s conquerors Fred Murdoch and Ed Smith over a distance barely more than warm up level.

James O’Hare took on a high quality field in the under 20 race and finished a creditable 6th in 23.21 in the race won by Michael McKillop (St Malachy’s) - Yes the same Michael McKillop mentioned at the beginning of this report - In what other sport can you turn out and compete against an Olympic champion? It doesn’t get any better than that.

The Club post Christmas dinner will take place on Friday 6 February – note change of date from that published last week - more details soon and see also www.spanglefish.com/eastdownac . Members are asked to keep the date free.



Joe Quinn

30 November 2008