This weekend offered something to whet the appetite for athletes across all disciplines, with plenty of strong performances and podium finishes for Newcastle AC.

From the Lurig Challenge in Cushendall to chasing Irish selection in the mountains of Wicklow, with stops along the way in Carlingford for 5K PBs and Dublin for National medals, there was plenty to celebrate. Several athletes also kept the carbon footprint down by staying closer to home and taking on the iconic Seven Sevens in the Mournes.

Carlingford 5K

Friday evening saw several junior and senior club members head to Carlingford for the infamously fast road race. The town was alive with excitement on a perfect summer evening for racing, with events catering for all age groups. Among the many young athletes taking to the cobbled streets was the club’s own Rua Gosling, who powered her way around the 1K route.

For juniors Connor McGeough and Senan Gosling, there was plenty to celebrate, as both young men produced the races of their seasons so far. Despite lining up alongside some considerably taller competition, both showed great determination and focus to come away with new 5K PBs. Connor stopped the clock at an impressive 16:54, while Senan recorded 18:16.

Matthew Sutton also enjoyed a strong evening, cruising to a new 5K PB in 16.48 and adding another excellent performance to the club’s growing list of weekend highlights.

There was success for the senior ladies too, with Kerry O’Flaherty, Ashlene Mussen and Sam McNeilly combining to claim an excellent third place overall in the Senior Ladies Team category.

National Masters Championships

Further down the coastline, Masters athlete Siobhán Grant represented the club at the home of Irish athletics, Morton Stadium in Santry. This year, Siobhán opted to focus on two events — the Hammer and 3000m Race Walk — with the Javelin being the casualty of a busy programme.

Having been unwell in the build-up to the championships, a conservative approach was taken going into the 3000m Race Walk. However, as the race progressed and the final 2.5 laps approached, Siobhán began to find her rhythm. With flawless form, she pushed on to maintain her position and crossed the line just under half a second outside her personal best.

The performance was enough to secure silver, finishing behind Irish international Baiba Varsberga. Perhaps more impressively, Siobhán had taken a remarkable 3 minutes and 20 seconds off her time at last year’s Nationals — a huge improvement over the distance.

With barely a moment to catch her breath, Siobhán headed straight to the Hammer cage, joining the competition late. Following the demands of the race walk, finding her footing and rhythm initially proved difficult, but this is an athlete who is no stranger to digging deep when required.

As the competition reached its conclusion, Siobhán produced when it mattered most. Her final throw delivered a 2-metre personal best, catapulting her into the bronze medal position and bringing the evening to a fantastic close.

Wicklow Weekend

Even further south, Patrick McDaid was undertaking a challenge of a different kind as he made his bid for another call-up to the Irish Off Road Squad, with selection for the Irish team for Italy up for grabs.

The selection process consisted of two challenging events. Friday evening saw athletes take on the Lug Uphill race before returning the following morning for a demanding 22.5km Tinahely Half Marathon route. The combined best times from both events would determine selection in September to represent Ireland in Italy.

Patrick showed his strength and climbing ability on Friday evening, claiming an impressive second place in the uphill-only race and putting himself firmly in contention for selection. He also enjoyed the gorgeous views from Lugnaquilla, described by locals as one of the best evenings of the summer.

He wasn’t the only McDaid to challenge themselves on the Friday night. Younger Brother Donal and Dad, Damien, made sure to make their mark on the Lug Uphill, short course. Donal has consistently proven himself over the past year as one to watch. At only 15 he adds a second IMRA win to his name as he made light work of the 3.5km, 430m ascent with Damien taking third place and an age category win in the same race.

Powered by two Rice Krispie squares and a banana, Patrick lined up on Saturday morning for his adventure through the Wicklow Mountains on a new race route. The course included technical climbs of Mullins Hill, plenty of ferns and some lesser-travelled sections of the Wicklow Way.

Finding a comfortable pace and settling in with fellow athletes for the duration of the race allowed Patrick to push himself on the climbs while also gaining valuable experience of the demands of longer endurance races and race-day fuelling.

He crossed the line in an excellent fourth place overall, backing up Friday night’s result and securing his selection to represent Ireland in Italy.

Lurig Challenge Run

Sam McNeilly also made it a weekend of double racing, swapping her road shoes for her mountain shoes as she travelled to Cushendall to take on the Lurig Challenge.

The Lurig Challenge is one of Northern Ireland’s classic mountain races, taking runners from the village of Cushendall up the slopes of Lurig Mountain before bringing them back down towards the finish in the village. With a steep grassy climb, testing terrain and a fast, demanding finish, the race requires a combination of strength, endurance and determination.

Sam found herself right in contention as she tackled the long grassy climb towards the summit. Her notable endurance and determination once again demonstrated why she is currently regarded as one of Northern Ireland’s strongest mountain runners.

Holding her position through the upper section, Sam powered around the final few bends and back towards the village centre, keeping her eyes firmly on the finish line. She crossed the line in an impressive third place, rounding off another strong weekend of racing and adding yet another podium finish to her growing list of mountain-running results.

 British Transplant Games

Paul Fegan was in Sheffield this weekend representing Northern Ireland at the British Transplant Games, where he claimed an excellent third place in the 5K Race Walk.

A familiar face behind the camera at Newcastle AC events, Paul received a heart transplant last year and has worked incredibly hard in preparation for the Games.

His training has included regular appearances at local parkruns to sharpen his race fitness, alongside dedicated sessions on the track as he prepared for the challenge of representing the Northern Ireland squad.

His bronze-medal performance in Sheffield is a fantastic reward for that hard work and determination, and everyone at Newcastle AC will be delighted to see Paul’s efforts recognised on the national stage.

Seven Sevens

There was also plenty to celebrate at the iconic Seven Sevens, as several Newcastle AC athletes produced outstanding performances on one of the Mournes’ most demanding mountain races.

The Seven Sevens is a true test of mountain running, covering approximately 30.5km and around 2,675m of ascent. Starting and finishing in Newcastle, the route takes runners through the heart of the Mournes, visiting the major summits. With long, steep climbs, technical rocky sections and fast, demanding descents, the course requires a combination of strength, endurance and mountain-running experience.

Tom Crudgington produced a superb performance to take first place, showing his strength across the relentless climbs and technical terrain to claim victory in this iconic Mourne race.

Tom’s recent success and the time he has spent racing in the mountains across the water, combined with his own knowledge of his home mountain range, certainly paid dividends. His familiarity with the Mournes also led to some interesting route choices throughout the race, helping him build a significant advantage over the chasing pack. Tom eventually crossed the line in 3:46, finishing almost five minutes clear of the runner-up.

There was further success for Newcastle AC as Ashley Crutchley also put in an excellent performance to finish in third place. Following his recent success in Australia at the Sydney Ultra Marathon, there was no doubt that the effects of jet lag, combined with the demands of having recently completed a 100km race, would have had an impact on his performance.

Despite that, Ashley produced a fantastic run to come home in 4:01, an impressive time over such a demanding course. To back up a 100km ultra with a podium finish in the Seven Sevens is a testament to his endurance and determination.

Also taking on the gruelling Seven Sevens challenge were David Hicks, who finished fifth, Ian Stevenson in seventh and Ryan Carson in 12th.

Other Weekend Action

Beata Barr continued her preparation for the Ben Nevis Race as she took on the Dambusters 10 Miler on Saturday, while Kieran Morgan also challenged himself over the same distance in Monaghan on Sunday.

With various local races taking place in recent weeks, Frank Cunningham, Sinead Murtagh and Frankey McGivern also produced superb runs in Ardglass and Crossgar, with several performances earning podium spots.

Another busy weekend of racing once again highlighted the depth and versatility within Newcastle AC, with athletes competing successfully across road, track, mountain running and field events. From personal bests and National medals to podium finishes and Irish selection, there was plenty to celebrate across the club.