Report by Phil Hodge

Back to Ambleside two years in a row, though last year was for the scaled back Home Countries International U18.

No complaints from us, Duncan Richards puts on a great event with the help of Niki Rylance, treating the team to excellent accommodation and a fantastic course.

Four Newcastle AC athletes had been selected to represent NI & Ulster, Tom Crudgington, Ethan McMullan, Ciara Savage, all for another representation on the team, but joined this year by Yasin Brannigan, making his International Debut taking one of three Development Athletes spots on the squad.

In a two race format, the U17s started first, with Yasin Brannigan running steadily throughout the fantastic course. Going sub 30, this was an excellent run, giving Yasin an insight into the standard at this level, and something to train for next year, when he tries out for selection to the team. Continue reading →

As a club, Newcastle AC has created a name for itself as a successful running club. Yet the name clearly indicates that Newcastle is an Athletics Club and it is a club that has nurtured the track and field talents of its members from an early age and has been represented by athletes at the highest levels.

Yet this nurturing of talent all begins on a Monday Evening, in the grounds of Shimna Collage with our junior squad.

As a club dedicated to its members, it equally invests in its coaches with regular opportunities to complete certified coaching courses and attend various CPD events to ensure that our members, young and old, receive the best possible training available across all disciplines.

On Friday, 38 Junior members attended a joint coaching day in conjunction with the Athletics NI, StarTrack Programme. We welcomed Eilish Ward and her team of Athletics NI coaches to Newcastle where the groups had the opportunity to embrace a multi event programme across the day. Continue reading →

Report By Siobhan Grant

As June came to a close and we look forward to what will hopefully be a wonderful summer of laughter and fun, the Newcastle AC Junior Squad reflected back on what has been a very eventful year, from our youngest to our oldest members.

Tentatively returning to training this year with a change of venue at the start of the year to facilitate the Covid-19 restrictions, the Junior Coaches set up camp every Monday Evening at the Flood Lit grounds of Donard Park instead of their staple venue of Shimna Integrated College.

It was lovely to have some form of normality return to life and although the coaching team was always very cautious, our junior members relished the opportunity to get together with their friends and club mates, embracing each and every session. The Year 8 and over Saturday endurance training in Tollymore Forest rolled out again also under the watchful eye of Ian Brannigan.

The Junior training is broken up into three groups each week. Ian Bailey leads the Year 8 and over mountain runners. This year they have utilised every track, trail and pathway in every sort of weather up, down and along Donard Wood from the Granite Trail to Drinnahilly and as far up Donard you can go in 40minutes! This has without a doubt led to notable performances in competitions at home and as far away as Italy with both the girls and boys impressing in all events. Continue reading →

Report by Siobhan Grant

The McVeigh Clan changed their recent Thursday night routine and swapped watching Daddy at Hill and Dale for the home of Athletics NI at Mary Peters Track for the Firmus Fab Five.

With U11 the youngest category on offer and numbers for the 600m event requiring 2 heats before the overall winners could be decided both Connaire Og and Harry toed the line representing Newcastle Juniors.

The race announcer declared to the spectators that young Harry, who is due to make his Holy Communion at the end of the month, was the youngest competitor in the line up.

Looking across the start line of the U11 race, Harry was head and shoulders smaller than many of the other athletes toeing the line. Yet his confidence soared above those other boys as he left the majority of the field in his dust, just being pipped to the post by hundreths of a second to take second place. Connaire Og showed his determined to not be upstaged to place 5th in his heat. Once the results where collated, it was clear that Harry, at the age of 8, had beaten over 25 competitors, 3 years his senior to take 3rd place overall and Connaire Og secured and impressive 9th place overall.

They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, however I have a feeling that these particular apples will grow to be much more spectacular trees, overshadowing the already impressive tree that has grown before them.