Westport athletes took home a total of 12 gold, 6 silver and 3 bronze medals at the Connaught Indoor Championships over the weekend of February 21st and 22nd.  In addition to this haul of individual medals, the impressive U12 girls 4x100m relay team of Leila O’Malley, Lilas Houalet, Sarah Mulroy and Claire Conway also romped home in style in 1st place.  The state of the art indoor arena of AIT was the venue for these championships.  This is truly a magnificent arena which all young athletes should cherish the experience of sharing with international calibre athletes. 
The younger athletes took centre stage on the Saturday.  In the high jump, Leila O’Malley took gold in the U12 event.  Sarah Mulroy took silver in the U12 long jump with Lilas Houalet coming close behind in 3rd place.  In the boys U12 long jump, Finley MacEvilly finished a very creditable 4th.  In the shot putt, Laura Moran and Maggie Chambers both threw personal bests of 9.7m and 8.7m respectively to take gold and silver medals in the girls U13 event.   Not to be left out, Harry Sheridan also threw a PB of 10.5m to take gold in the boys U13 event.  A super showing by these talented athletes. 
In the track events, Roisin O’Brien ran an impressive race to take gold in the U13 600m.  Sarah Mulroy added to her haul by coming 3rd in the U12 60m hurdles.  The U13 girls 4x100m relay team of Roisin O’Brien, Laura Moran, Katie O’Grady and Sophie Scahill just missed out on the bronze medal after a gutsy performance.  
It was the turn of the U14s and older athletes on the Sunday.  The surprise performance of the day came in the 1K walking race where Rossa Horgan (U14) and Eanna Geraghty (U15) both took gold in their first competitive outing.  Although they have both been walking since they were toddlers, they never considered this sport as a possible route to fame and fortune - until now!  Rossa also entertained the large contingent of Westport supporters with his Usain Bolt rendition on the podium.  Rossa wasn’t finished just yet as he took 4th place in the U14 boys high jump. 
Despite illness, Malcolm MacEvilly (U14) bravely ran in the 60m race but was unable to run his favourite 800m race.   Arguably the best performances of the day came in the U15 800m events where Saoirse O’Brien easily dismantled the field in her customary outstanding performance.  In the boys event Oisin Ryall won the hard way by racing clear in his heat from the off and running against the clock to take gold.  In a very impressive performance for Westport AC, Oisin was followed in 3rd place by Ethan Lloyd, in 4th place by Rossa McAlister and 5th place by Tim Campion.  Joshua Lally also put in a strong performance in a race dominated by this very talented group of Westport athletes.  The same group of lads were unlucky to lose out on another medal when they came 4th in the 4 x 200m relay.  
The shot putt delivered another 2 gold medals.  One for Adam Sheridan in the U15 event, matched by Kate O’Malley in the U17s.  Aisling Halpin Fahey (U16) took home an impressive haul of silver medals in the 60m, 200m and long jump events.  
Anna O’Rian (U16) was very unlucky to miss out on a bronze medal in the 1500m, just being passed on the home straight.  In the U16 boys event, Luke Dawson ran a strong race to win silver, with Thomas Devaney also impressing in 4th place.  Aoife O’Brien (U18) continued her recent impressive form by taking gold in both the 800m and 1500m events.   
Other Westport athletes who did themselves and the club proud over the 2 days were Lucy O’Connell, Fionn Oruain,  Ryan Mulchrone and Ben Doyle (all U12), Emilie O’Connell and Jack Mulchrone (both U13), Alisha Eade Kalala and Ted Horan (both U14) and Eimhear Corduff and Kian Moore (both U15). Their time will come again.  Our only senior representative, Cain Moore, put in a gallant effort in both the 60m and 200m but missed out on the medals on this occasion. 
All in all it was a most satisfying weekend for Westport AC.