Silver Success for Fitzpatrick at All-Ireland Schools Cross Country
St Abban’s AC athletes produced strong performances at the All-Ireland Schools Cross
Country Championships held in Antrim, with Sinead Fitzpatrick claiming an outstanding
silver medal.
Fitzpatrick delivered a superb run in the Junior Girls race to finish second and secure the
silver medal. Her performance also earned her selection on the Irish Schools team for the
upcoming SIAB Cross Country Championships, which will take place in Wales in two weeks’
time. It marks Fitzpatrick’s first international vest, a major milestone in her athletics career.
Earlier in the day, Ella Murray put in a solid performance in the Minor Girls race, finishing in
57th place.
In the Minor Boys race, John Conway represented Knockbeg College as part of their team
and finished 74th overall. The Knockbeg team placed eighth in the team standings.
Laura Ayres was the final St Abban’s athlete in action and produced a strong run in the
Intermediate Girls race, finishing 24th.
Overall, it was a successful day for the St Abban’s athletes competing at the national schools
championships with attention for many now turning to Track and Field events which will roll
around very soon.

Club athletes in University Action
St Abban’s athletes were in action at the IUAA Indoor Track and Field Championships on
Saturday, representing their universities with a number of strong performances across the
field events and distance races.
Grace Fitzgerald, competing for UCD, recorded two solid results in the jumps. She finished
13th in the women’s long jump with a best leap of 4.87m, before going on to place an
impressive fourth in the women’s triple jump with a mark of 11.25m.
Also competing in the triple jump was Katie Baldwin of DCU, who finished seventh with a
best effort of 10.22m.
There was gold medal success for UCD’s Aoibheann McDonald in the women’s pole vault.
McDonald claimed first place with a clearance of 3.00m to take the IUAA title.
On the track, Billy Ramsbottom represented UCD in the men’s 3000m, finishing 33rd in a
time of 9:59.96.
The athletes were representing both St Abban’s AC and their respective universities at one
of the key events in the Irish university athletics calendar, continuing the club’s strong
presence in third-level athletics.