The first meet of the 36th edition of the Lagan Valley Super 6 got underway this week with an exciting display of speed, strength and determination from some of the region’s top young athletes, including Newcastle AC’s own Aoife Grant and Harry McVeigh.
Harry McVeigh claimed gold in U14 100m and Silver in U14 800m
Competitors took to the track and field across a wide range of events at Mary Peters Track, from sprints and distance races to jumps and throws, all aiming to make an early impact at the opening multi-event meet of the outdoor season. The meet delivered impressive performances and set a high standard for the months ahead, with strong support from clubmates and spectators creating an energetic and encouraging atmosphere throughout the evening’s programme, even drastic changes in weather didn’t dampen or freeze spirits.
With many athletes moving into new age categories, the changing dynamics and strategies added an extra layer of anticipation to each event.
Fast-paced sprints from U10 right through to Senior level got the competition underway, highlighted by an unexpectedly lightning-fast 100m performance from Harry McVeigh in the U14 category. He claimed the first medal of the night for the club, standing out as the only U14 athlete to break the 14-second barrier. Although his main focus was the 800m later in the evening, this victory showcased the impressive short-distance speed he also possesses.
A return to the track over 100m for James Carson highlighted his strength in the shorter distances in the U18 category, while Connaire Óg McVeigh demonstrated significant improvement in his sprinting, crossing the line in 13.66. Daniel O’Connor also took on the U16 100m for his first track experience, competing well in a very competitive field and finishing in 15.38. Lily McMurray marked her birthday with a run of 18.14 in the 100m.
Three of the club’s U12 athletes took on both the 100m and shot put. As temperatures dropped, it proved challenging to stay warm between events after a long day of competition. Toby Mayers continued to showcase his ability as a multi-event athlete, running a strong 15.84 in the 100m and throwing 5.22m for a new personal best in the shot. Sophie Kerr also demonstrated excellent progress, recording 18.38 in the 100m and 3.37m in the shot. Emily McGreevy enjoyed her first track and field competition and performed exceptionally well, finishing the 100m in 19.31 and throwing 2.79m.
Team Kerr out in force
Emily Kerr, fresh from her orienteering success in Scotland at the JK International the previous weekend, took on three events in the U14 girls’ category. With a quick 17.20 in the 100m and a solid long jump of 3.21m, she showed no signs of slowing heading into the 800m. Her determination and strong finishing ability were evident once again as she powered down the home straight to finish in 2:51. Close behind was Ellie Moore, the youngest athlete in the field, who impressed with a time of 3:05.
The U14 boys’ 800m was split into two heats, with Harry McVeigh placed in the first. This left him without direct competition from the fastest entrants, placing the responsibility on him to drive the pace alone. Rising to the challenge, Harry delivered an outstanding performance, winning his heat in 2:16 and setting a significant personal best. He was narrowly edged out of gold by less than half a second by the winner of the second heat, whose race benefited from stronger competition and was from an older age group. Taking silver, Harry’s performance sets a strong benchmark as he looks ahead to the schools’ competitions and a potential second Ulster Schools title this season.
In the U16 boys’ 800m, both Connaire Óg and Daniel faced a highly competitive field featuring many of Northern Ireland’s top cross-country and road runners. Both races were fast-paced, with Connaire Óg continuing his steady progress to finish in 2:19, while Daniel gained valuable experience, clocking 2:41 as he prepares for upcoming schools’ events.
Over in the hammer cage, all female age groups competed together, where the familiar mother–daughter duo of Aoife and Siobhán Grant went head-to-head. Their supportive yet competitive dynamic brought out the best in both athletes. Masters athlete Siobhán claimed silver in the Senior Ladies category, improving by nearly two metres on her previous performance in Letterkenny in March.
Silver in Senior ladies for Siobhan Grant
However, the night belonged to Aoife. Competing in the U16 girls’ hammer event, she arrived fresh from her outing at the National Indoor Championships just a fortnight earlier, where she placed fifth in the 1500m race walk. Building on that momentum and new level of self belief, Aoife produced a superb series of throws, improving by almost three metres from her Letterkenny performance. Her best throw of 24.94m secured a new personal best and propelled her to the top of the podium. In doing so, she reversed last year’s Ulster results, surpassing both athletes who had previously finished ahead of her and sealing victory with her final throw. This win marked her first appearance at the top of the podium, highlighting the rewards of her dedication to training and development across all disciplines.
Aoife tops the podium in U16 Hammer with a new PB
The cage then hosted the men’s event, where Rónán Grant stepped up to the U18 age group and continued to adapt to the 5kg weight. Also achieving a new personal best at this level, he delivered a strong performance to claim third place on the podium against young men older than him.
Ronan Grant takes bronze in U18 boys
With the first meet of the series complete, athletes now turn their attention to the upcoming schools’ competitions at the end of the month. The performances on display here provide a strong foundation to build on, with many already showing the form and confidence needed to compete at the next level. As training continues and momentum grows, Newcastle AC will look forward to seeing these athletes carry their progress onto the schools’ stage and continue to deliver impressive results for Ulster Clubs in June.
As always a massive thank you to everyone at Lagan Valley for another flawless evening of events at the Track. With the event selling out in record time, it is refreshing to see the profile of track and field events growing across the province from Juniors right up to the Master athletes with the youngest competitor of 8 and the oldest in World Record holder, Ernest Tuff, 88, in the Hammer.