East Glendalough School

Since Christmas there have been many athletics competitions, both Track and Field and mountain running. The season commenced with the all-Ireland mountain running championships in Phoenix Park. Ihad thought that the Phoenix Park was a strange place to hold a ‘mountain’ race but the Furry glen proved to be a more demanding course than any mountain one Ihave experienced.

We had an intermediate boys team which were led home by Ben Mangan who finished a creditable 5th. Icompeted in the senior boys race and placed 2nd. The Irish teams for the ‘world youth challenge’ in Germany were to be selected from this event. Iwas selected on this team to Germany and Ben’s great performance in the Inter category was recognised by his being named as a reserve for the team.

The county Track and Field championships were held in Charlesland Greystones. A good team of E.G.S. students competed here. Ben Mangan impressed again with a win in the Inter 800m. Ifollowed that up with 1st in the senior boys 800m.

The next competition was the east Leinster track and field championships in Irishtown Stadium, Ringsend. There was a big jump in the level of competition from the counties but our competitors still faired well. Ben ran in the 800 and mile and came 2nd and 3rd respectively.

Jonathan Phillips