Report
Review 2003 Grand-Prix Series Round 7 - The 800m Track Race
Venue Morton Stadium, Santry
Date Thursday 26th, June  2003
   Round 7 of the 2003 Series took place in a magnificent Morton Stadium (the Stadium enjoying a well deserved face lift for the Special Olympics) on Thursday the 26th of June.   The 800m Track Race was well attended with 23 Grand-Prix athletes as well as a number of guests from Joe Cooper's group in the 'A' race.   The arrangement on the night was for 3 races to be run (A, B, C) with runners classified by estimated finishing time.   The conditions were not too bad, though the weather changed about half an hour before the races got underway and a light rain was falling during the racing.   This may, in fact, have helped as it was quite cool and the air was fresh.   The night was not without incident, while people were warming up in the nearby park, dogs attacked several runners and succeeded in injuring Francis Nic Reamoin and Eoin Cleary.  Despite this, Eoin and Francis ran as guests in the 'A' race.  
  The first race, in addition to the pacier Series competitors, included a number of Club Captain Joe Cooper’s young charges, Paddy Berrigan went through the bell in 62 seconds, leading the race from the starters gun to cross the line well clear of second placed Aidan Creaner. Paddy recording a time of two minutes and 6 seconds. Aidan however recorded a superb PB of two minutes and ten seconds, and one second in arrears following on a super race with Aidan, was Nathan Pearce,  with first lady home and guest in the Series race for the night, Nicola Fallon, in two minutes fifteen seconds.

  The second race was an “all Series affair” and proved to be an excellent race throughout the field. Yellow jersey wearer, Dylan Ahern, led the field through the first 100 to hold a substantial lead as the athletes broke from the stagger. Unfortunately however, Dylan had to pull out of the race at 200m due to a technical hitch (!). Colm Doran headed the field with Declan Murray on his shoulder and as they gathered themselves for the final sprint at 200m, Declan bolted into the lead to come home in two minutes nineteen seconds, just holding off speed merchant, Alan Smeaton, recording a superb 2 minutes twenty one seconds with Ken O’Gorman in third (2:23) and Colm coming home in fourth (2:26).

  The third and final race of the night again featured yellow jersey wearer, Dylan Ahern, who after 100m was neck and neck with Series guest runner Chris Troy. As the race unfolded however, newcomer to the Series Chris Sheals powered into the lead to record what transpired to be an easy victory in two minutes eighteen seconds from Colm Hickey, second in two minutes twenty six seconds and Dylan in third with two minutes thirty seconds.
  After a super job, handicapper Pat Bonass appears to have once again got it just right.   The winner of the handicap after his fine run in the Tom Flood 4 Mile was Jim Cleary, a mere 1 second ahead of Alan Smeaton with Declan Murray in third, a further four seconds in arrears.

  There were more “jokers” around the Morton Stadium than at the recent Cat Laughs Festival in Kilkenny and after some very astute playing of the jokers Jim Cleary doubled his points on the night to forty points, likewise Alan Smeaton doubled his points at 38 points, Aidan Creaner in addition to picking up 5 bonus points for the fastest time of 2 minutes and ten seconds was fourth in the handicap and also played his joker to record a total of 43 points – not a bad return from someone who was unsure whether or not to play or hold.

  The leaderboard after seven rounds is now coming together nicely.  Dylan having scored yet another point is now on 79˝ however Richard Connolly has closed to within 2˝ and Aidan Creaner has come from nowhere to take over third place with 76 points. Sitting pretty in fourth place still with his joker in his back pocket is Michael McFadden on 74˝.  It is interesting to note that Michael is the only athlete in the top thirteen yet to play his joker.

 Afterwards, there was an opportunity for everyone to have a couple of pints and a chat in the Club bar and a strange mixture of Guinness and strawberries, courtesy of David “Titchmarsh” Brennan was the order of the night.
800m Track Results - A race
PLACE NUMBER NAME TIME
1

*

 Paddy Berrigan 2:06
2 239 Aidan Creaner 2:10
3 209 Nathan Pearce 2:11
4 * Nicola Fallon 2:15
5 226 John McHugh 2:17
6 221 Dave Brennan 2:17.5
7 * Eoin Cleary 2:19
8 225 Brian Rankin 2:19.5
9 * Christine Kennelly 2:27
10 * Francis Nic Reamoin 2:34
* (non-Grand-Prix Competitors)
800m Track Results - B race
PLACE NUMBER NAME TIME
1

204

 Declan Murray 2:19
2 229 Alan Smeaton 2:21
3 247 Ken O'Gorman 2:23
4 214 Colm Doran 2:26
5 208 Séamus Greenan 2:29
6 213 Richard Connolly 2:30
7 252 Eddie Bishop 2:32
8 230 Pat Healy 2:35
800m Track Results - C race
PLACE NUMBER NAME TIME
1

261

 Chris Sheals 2:18
2 258 Colm Hickey 2:26
3 244 Dylan Ahern 2:30
4 218 Michael McFadden 2:36
5 215 Pat Devitt 2:39
6 235 Jim Cleary 2:35
7 245 Aimee Ahern 2:56
8 249 Shay Byrne 3:09
10 248 Tony Westby 3:12
11 232 Tom Flood 3:43
   In the Grand-Prix Competition, the Handicap went to Jim Cleary (20pts) with Alan Smeaton second (19pts) and Declan Murray third (18pts).  A number of Jokers were wisely played and it has caused a bit of a change in the Grand-Prix overall points table.   Our thanks to the organisers/officials who helped out on the night, standing in the rain and all.   The Grand-Prix best time of all bonuses went to Aidan Creaner (2:10) 5pts. with Nathan Pearce second (2:11) 3pts. and John McHugh third (2:17) 1pt.   Next race - 10th July 8p.m.  in Malahide Castle for the  Michael Murphy Memorial – 5 Mile around the forest path route - will I need a map this time?  Dylan will again be wearing the yellow jersey - how long can he keep it?
800m Track Race - Morton Stadium - Round 7  Overall Handicap
Thursday 26th, June  2003
PLACE NUMBER NAME H'CAP TIME Points Bonus Actual Time Actual Place
1 235 Jim Cleary* 1:54 20 x2 (40) 2:45 19
2 229 Alan Smeaton* 1:55 19 x2 (38) 2:21 8
3 204 Declan Murray 1:59 18   2:19 6
4 239 Aidan Creaner* 2:02 16.5 +5 x2 (43) 2:10 1
= 245 Aimee Ahern 2:02 16.5   2:56 20
6 209 Nathan Pearce* 2:04 15 +3 x2 (36) 2:11 2
7 226 John McHugh 2:07 13   2:17 3
= 247 Ken O’Gorman 2:07 13   2:23 9
= 208 Séamus Greenan 2:07 13   2:29 12
10 218 Michael MacFadden 2:09 11   2:36 17
11 213 Richard Connolly 2:10 10   2:30 13
12 258 Colm Hickey 2:11 8.5   2:26 10
13 215 Pat Devitt 2:11 8.5   2:39 18
14 214 Colm Doran 2:13 6.5   2:26 11
15 252 Ed Bishop 2:13 6.5   2:32 15
16 230 Pat Healy* 2:15 5 x2 (10) 2:35 16
17 261 Christopher Sheals 2:18 4   2:18 5
18 225 Brian Rankin 2:18.5 3   2:19.5 7
19 221 Dave Brennan 2:19.5 2   2:17.5 4
20 244 Dylan Ahern 2:20 1   2:30 14
21 248 Tony Westby 2:23     3:12 22
22 249 Shay Byrne 2:39     3:09 21
23 232 Tom Flood 2:42     3:43 23
Grand-Prix Leader Board after Round 7
PLACE NUMBER NAME POINTS JOKER Used
1 244 Dylan Ahern 79.5 Y
2 213 Richard Connolly 77 Y
3 239 Aidan Creaner 76 Y
4 218 Michael MacFadden 74.5  
5 229 Alan Smeaton 71.5 Y
6 247 Ken O’Gorman 71 Y
7 204 Declan Murray 68.5 Y
8 209 Nathan Pearce 67 Y
9 249 Shay Byrne 61 Y
10 235 Jim Cleary 59 Y
11 208 Séamus Greenan 57.5 Y
12 230 Pat Healy 53 Y
13 214 Colm Doran 51.5 Y
14 206 Jimmy Bennett 51  
15 221 Dave Brennan 50.5  
16 225 Brian Rankin 46.5  
17 248 Tony Westby 46.5 Y
18 215 Pat Devitt 45  
19 252 Ed Bishop 45  
20 241 John Kearns 42.5  
21 217 Tom Griffin 42  
22 232 Tom Flood 36  
23 233 Seán Pender 35.5  
24 253 Ray McConville 34.5  
25 203 Maurice Ahern 29  
26 214 Frank Devitt 28.5  
27 250 Seán McDonnell 28  
28 219 Paddy Tuite 25.5  
29 226 John McHugh 25 Y
30 252 Pat Byrne 24 Y
31 220 Pat Bonass 23  
32 240 Mick Fennell 20 Y
33 228 Declan Hetherington 20 Y
34 222 Noel Guiden 18.5  
35 223 Michael Kearney 17  
36 256 Peter McDermott 17 Y
37 210 Eugene Coppinger 17  
38 245 Aimee Ahern 16.5  
39 211 Gerry McCabe 11.5 Y
40 237 Colm Coyne 10 Y
41 242 William Stafford 9  
42 258 Colm Hickey 8.5  
43 207 Mags Greenan 7.5  
44 261 Chris Sheals 4  
45 224 Terry Mee 2