Braga update

European Masters Athletics Indoor Championships in Braga, Portugal 20th-27th Feb. 2022

Irish Masters Athletes had, by far and away, their best ever European Championships with a total of 59 medals won (previous highest total was 41 from World Indoor Championships in Torun in 2019) by the 87 Irish athletes who competed. This resulted in Team Ireland achieving 7th place on overall medals table - their highest ever ranking (ahead of countries with much larger populations including Poland, Netherlands, Denmark, Austria) out of the 43 countries participating (2361 competitors).

The Irish Team's medal breakdown was: 24 Gold 18 Silver 17 Bronze Some truly outstanding individual performances including: Triple Gold in W55 Category for Anne Gilshinan Slaney AC (Wexford), originally from Virginnia, Cavan. 800m 1500m 3000m Double Gold and 1 Silver, in addition to Gold in 4x200m W40 Relay for Annette Quaid of Leevale (Cork) 400m 800m 1500m (Silver) Double Gold for Denise Toner, Clones AC in 1500m and 3000m. 2 Golds each (Individual and Team) in Cross-Country for Mother and Daughter combination of Eileen Kenny (W70, Mullingar Harriers) and Michelle Kenny (W40, Leevale). Team Ireland's eldest athletes did not disappoint, with the following medals won in M75 category: Sean McMullin (Mullingar Harriers, age 75) - Double Gold in 5k Road Walk and 3,000m Track Walk Evelyn McNelis W75 - Double Silver in Cross Country and 3000m Michael Kiely (Rising Sun AC, age 77) - Silver in 800m and Bronze in 1500m Hugh McSweeney (Eagle AC, Cork, age 77) - Silver 400m. Michael and Hugh (who had last competed in Europe, 31 years ago in Budapest) also won Gold in the 4x200m Relay - dropping down to the M70 category to assist Mick Priest and Matt Slattery achieve this outstanding result, setting a new Irish Record in the process. Joe Gough (M65), no stranger to World and European podiums, won Gold in 1500m and Bronze in 800m. Paul Forbes from Great Britain had won the 800m and had broken Joe's 1500m World Record just a few weeks previosuly, but ultimately Joe's superb race tactics won the day in an enthralling 1500m race. All the more remarkeable as Joe is just a feww months shy of his 70th birthday. Team Ireland entered a total of 7 teams in the 4x200m relays (its highest number of teams ever in sprint relays) and came away with 6 medals in M70 (Gold), M45 (Bronze) and W50 (Gold), W45 (Gold), W40 (Gold) and W35 (Silver). Special mention to joint Team Managers Anne Gormley and Patrick Crossan who put in a trojan amount of work over the full week of competition. Also to Ian Egan, Physcial Therapist, who travelled out at his own expense and tended expertly to all the niggles and injuries of the Irish athletes. Finally it would be remiss not to acknowledge the generosity of all the Masters athletes from Team Ireland who made a special collection amongst themselves and raised €2,000 cash plus additional gear and clothing which was presented to the Ukrainian Masters athletics team. These athletes from Ukraine are still stuck in Portugal, unable to return home to thier partners and children due to the conflict in their country. In a very emotional and poignant presentation the Ukrainian athletes expressed their deep gratitude to all those still present. We can only hope and pray that they can return safely to their families as quickly as poissible. Full list of medals winners: Gold Eileen Kenny - W70 Cross-Country Michelle Kenny - W40 Cross-Country Sean McMullin - M75 3k Walk Sean McMullin - M75 5k Road Walk Ciara Kearns - W35 Long Jump John Dwyer - M35 Hammer John Dwyer - M35 Weight Throw Annette Quaid - W40 400m Annette Quaid - W40 800m Anne Gilshinan - W55 800m Anne Gilshinan - W55 1500m Anne Gilshinan - W55 3000m Mary Horgan - W35 800m Denise Toner - W40 3000m Denise Toner - W40 1500m Eoin Everard - M35 3000m David Hayde - M55 60m Joe Gough - M65 1500m Team - W40 Cross-Country (Michelle Kenny, Aoife Parella, Donna Evans) Team - W65 Cross-Country (Eileen Kenny, Noreen Bonner, Evelyn McNelis) Team - M70 4x200m Relay (Hugh McSweeney, Mick Priest, Michael Kiely, Matt Slattery) Team - W50 4x200m Relay (Moira Groome, Dara Carr, Carol Kearney, Linda Nally) Team - W45 4x200m Relay (Maggie O'Connor, Annette Durkan, Leanne Wellings, Mary Scanlon) Team - W40 4x200m Relay (Avril Dillon, Kathryn McDevitt, Annette Quaid, Sinead O'Regan) Silver Irene Clements - W60 Cross-Country Irene Clements W60 3000m Noreen Bonner - W65 Cross-Country Evelyn McNelis - W75 Cross Country Evelyn McNelis - W75 3000m Hugh McSweeney - M75 400m Matt Slattery - M70 400m Carol Kearney - W55 400m Michael Kiely - M75 800m Geraldine Finegan W55 Pole Vault Geraldine Finegan W55 Javelin John Corr M50 60m John Dwyer M35 Discus Emma Conway - W35 Weight Throw Catriona Devine - W45 1500m Annette Quaid - W40 1500m Avril Dillon - W40 60m Hurdles Team - W35 4x200m Relay (Katherine Markey, Gemma Thompson, Ashling Matthews, Emily Waldron) Bronze Aoife Parella W40 Cross-Country Mick Priest M70 High Jump Mick Priest M70 800m Mary Barrett W60 Discus Joe Gough M65 800m Avril Dillon W40 60m Moira Groome W55 60m Geraldine Finegan - W55 Pole Vault Geraldine Finegan - W55 60m Hurdles Geraldine Finegan - W55 Pentathlon Sinead McConnell - W50 3k Track Walk Sinead McConnell - W50 5k Road Walk Michael Kiely - M75 1500m Carol Kearney - W55 200m David Hayde - M55 200m John Corr - M50 200m Team 5k Road Walk - W50 (Sinead McConnell, Maggie Helel O'Connor, Anne Gormley) If more info is required contact Ronan Gately on 086-8289296. Also see this Flickr link for lots of photos (please credit Patrick Crossan if using any of these photos): https://www.flickr.com/photos/193118786@N07/albums