It’s always one of the highlights of our calendar year, “The Turkey Trot”…… a great occasion with parents, athletes and club members getting together to enjoy the festivities and take a well deserved break after another long, enjoyable and successful twelve months. This year was no different as the club grows from strength to strength both on and off the field. Academy coach, Ronan Browne, “aka Turkey”, got the festivities under the way with the now customary 1 mile Turkey Trot.
MC for the day, Paul Walshe, was right on cue announcing the various age category winners leading up to the main awards. Annalie McMahon, James O’Brien and Sarah Healy scooped the Overall Athletes of the Year prizes. Their performances, dedication and above all determination to improve in each and every session were just some of the endless list of attributes for these three worthy winners. The talented duo of Isabel O’Brien and Lucy Schwer were deserved winners of the Mary O’Connor trophy. Both girls train in the U14 age group.
This year, we also had the honour of sharing in Sarah Healy’s outstanding European victory in the 1500m at the EYOF championships in Gyor, Hungary and the club acknowledged this with a special piece for her.
Gerry Flaherty was this year’s unanimous choice for club person of the year and was paid a glowing tribute by Peter Cosgrove at his presentation this week. A nice surprise for Gerry who has made an immense contribution on and off the track over the last eight years in the Senior section.
We added an additional prize this year with a Team recognition award going to Grace O’Connor, Libby O’Gorman, Annalie McMahon, Ruby Mullen and Joanna Dunne to highlight the importance of team events in Juvenile athletics and in this case, the girls have had relay success over the last four years.
The Roll of Honour for 2017 is as follows:
– Overall Club Athlete of the year: Sarah Healy
– Female Athlete of the year: Annalie McMahon
– Male Athlete of the year: James O’Brien
– Outstanding international performances: Sarah Healy
– Mary O’Connor Trophy: Joint winners Isabel O’Brien & Lucy Schwer
– Club person of the year: Gerry Flaherty
Age Category Awards: Kate Sengupta, Emelle Vioreanu, Matthew O’Donnell, Eoin Fitzpatrick, Kayla Sexton, Elsa Mooney, Abbie O’Connor, Jack Mulsow, David McMahon, Libby O’Gorman, Sean O’Riagain, Grace Naughton, Pouria Khoddam, Anna Smyth, Ruben Bolger, Anna Axellson, Caoimhe Naughton, Beth Sweeney, Kristina O’Connor, Aoife Linnane and Luke Reynolds
Sorcha Martin and the team also deserve a special mention for their great work serving up drinks and snacks to the sizeable crowd.
