PASTOR TIM TAKES BRITISH MASTERS’ TITLE
Tim shows off his gold medal |
If a certain Danish lager company did weekends, they could not have
organised a better one for Derry City Track Club. A champion and runner up at
the British Masters’ Indoor Championships, a victory in the premier Donegal road
race of the weekend, a good performance at the Irish Universities Cross Country
and the coach even managed a podium place at the Valley 5K Trail Challenge.
Tim Shiels wrote another chapter in a short but brilliant
career to date when he scored a gun to tape victory in the 800m at the British
Masters’ Indoor Championships in Lee Valley.
But the Omagh-based pastor nearly did not compete after feeling ill on
his arrival in London and it was very much a last minute decision to don his
racing spikes. However, the 39-year-old showed no sign of any sickness when he
struck the front from the gun in the M35 800m and led all the way to win in a more
than creditable 2:03.53.
“I felt totally weak on the night before the race but after
talking to my coach [Malcolm McCausland], we decided that I would warm up and
see how I felt before making a decision on whether to run or not,” explained
Shiels. “In the end I decided I would give it a go. I felt really challenged on the second lap
but I was able to build up a lead and hold on comfortably to the finish. In fact I felt I had loads in hand at the
end.”
Shiels who is Irish champion in his age group over 800m both
indoors and outdoors will now complete his recovery this week in advance of defending
his indoor title this Sunday in Athlone.
Last year he had the crowd on its feet as he came from four metres back to
snatch victory on the line after a dramatic lunge at the tape. The result had to be decided by the photo
finish equipment and it was only after an anxious wait that the DCTC athlete
was given the decision by a mere four-hundredths of a second. His time on that occasion was 2:01.97 which
no doubt he will hoping to better on the fast Athlone Institute track facility
this Sunday.
Darragh receives his prize at Milford |
Earlier Cathal McLaughlin was bitterly disappointed to have
the gold medal snatched from his grasp at the death in the M45 1500m. McLaughlin had run the perfect tactical race
before taking the lead on the penultimate lap.
He quickened the pace on the final circuit and still had the advantage
as he entered the short homestraight. Inexplicably his concentration waned and
his pace slackened, allowing Enfield & Haringey athlete John Scott to take
the title in 4:20.92 with the McLaughlin having to be content with the silver
medal in 4:21.49.
Closer to home and Darragh Crossan returned to what is rapidly
becoming a happy hunting ground for him in north Donegal. Last autumn the
Raphoe man, who now lives off the Crescent Link, scored his first victory on
the Donegal Grand Prix circuit when he won the Ards 5K Trail Race. On Saturday, he travelled to the Milford 5K
and was rewarded with an emphatic win in 17 minutes and 10 seconds. After
running with the pack for the opening 400m, Crossan decided he did not like the
company and went away to win by over half a minute. Clubmate Shaun Deery posted
a new personal best of 18:02 in sixth place, fitting reward for the work the
art teacher has put in over the last 12 months.
Valley Trail Challenge 5K |
Meanwhile Hannah McGowan continued to impress in Dublin City
University colours at the Irish Universities’ Cross Country Championships at
Clongowes Wood College in Kildare. The
Eglinton young woman was a member of the crack DCU squad that finished level
with rivals University College Cork but lost out on the gold medals because the
Cork fourth scorer finished in front of her DCU counterpart. Hannah finished just behind former Ulster
Schools champion Laura Fitzpatrick in 39th spot to round off her
cross country season before concentrating on her preparation for the Irish
Universities’ track and field championships in Belfast next month..
No comments:
Post a Comment