Louise Shanahan from Cork finishes 6th in Youth Olympics in China

A team of five Irish athletes traveled to Nanjing in China for the Youth Olympic Games. They were...Michaela Walsh (Shot Put), Roseanna McGuckian (200m), Eoin Sheridan (Discus), Adam King (Hammer) & Louise Shanahan (800m). Irish results in this earlier post.

L-R...Adam King, Eoin Sheridan, Louise Shanahan, Michaela Walsh & Roseanna McGuckian

Three of the five athletes recorded new personal bests at the Games including 17 year old Louise Shanahan of Leevale AC in Cork. In 2013, Louise won Gold in the 800m at the European Youth Olympic Festival in the Netherlands. At the Athletics Ireland Track & Field Championships in July, Louise won a national bronze medal at a senior level. In the Youth Olympics last Wednesday, she finished 2nd in her heat to qualify for the final on Saturday in which she ran a new PB of 2:08.29 to finish 6th.

Another member of the squad setting personal bests was Adam King of Iveragh AC in Kerry. His throw of 71.91 metres in the Hammer saw him get through to the A final. There was a recent article in the Irish Examiner about Adam and how as a former GAA player, he got into this aspect of  athletics....“I’ve always been into athletics and about four years ago on a summer camp in Castleisland we were given the chance to try out the different events, hurdling, long jump and so on. And that was how I started hammer throwing.” . There could be a lesson in there for other clubs and counties.