Tipperary Women make history with National Athletics League 3-in-a-Row

By Gerry Donohue

Tipperary's women etched their names into the record books on Sunday when they secured a historic third consecutive National Senior Track & Field League title, capping another outstanding team performance at the league finals at Morton Stadium, Santry.

Led by captains Katie Bergin (Moyne AC) and Laura Frawley (Nenagh Olympic AC), the Premier County once again demonstrated the strength and depth that has made them the dominant force in Irish club athletics in recent years.

The foundations for victory were laid early on the track with Frawley producing a superb performance to win the 100m hurdles in 14.70s. She would go on to play a pivotal role, adding further victories in the long jump with 5.89m and the weight for distance with a throw of 7.52m, underlining her status as one of the most versatile athletes in the competition.

Track captain Katie Bergin was equally impressive, completing a sprint double for Tipperary. The Moyne AC athlete stormed to victory in the 100m in 12.00s before returning to claim first place in the 200m in 24.53s, securing maximum points for the county.

There was further success in the field events as Cara Ryan (Clonmel AC) claimed victory in the high jump with a clearance of 1.63m, while Niamh Madden (Nenagh Olympic AC) topped the shot put standings with a best effort of 10.21m.

Tipperary's strength across the disciplines was evident throughout. Ella Ryan (Nenagh Olympic AC) delivered a strong run to finish second in the 400m hurdles in 1:09.27, while Emer Brennan (Clonmel AC) produced another excellent performance to take second place in the 400m in 57.61 seconds.

In the middle-distance events, Jennifer O'Leary (Nenagh Olympic AC) finished third in the 1,500m in 4:54.73, Aoife Delargy (Nenagh Olympic AC) placed fourth in the 3,000m in 10:51.54, and Leah Berry (Newport AC) battled bravely for fifth place in the 800m in 2:28.87.

Niamh Clarke (Clonmel AC) contributed valuable points with a fourth-place finish in the 2,000m walk in 8:46, while Ludmilla Podzimkova (Clonmel AC) continued her excellent season by finishing second in the 2,000m steeplechase in 8:13.26.

The throwing events yielded more crucial points for Tipperary. Emily Stapleton Borrisokane AC produced a personal best throw of 42.67m to finish second in the hammer, while Jade Barry (Carrick-on-Suir AC) secured second place in the javelin with a throw of 29.93m.

Sara Bartley (Carrick-on-Suir AC) also made a significant contribution, finishing second in the triple jump with a leap of 10.40m.

The relay teams rounded off an excellent day for the Premier County. The 4x100m quartet of Laura Frawley, Sophie Walker, Hannah Larkin and Emma Beresford Miller combined to finish second in 49.39s. The 4x400m team of Emer Brennan, Sophie Walker, Orla Pamplin and Leah Berry also claimed second place, clocking 3:58.15.

With victories from Bergin, Frawley, Ryan and Madden, supported by a series of top table finishes and valuable points across every discipline, Tipperary once again showed why they remain the benchmark in Irish league athletics.

The achievement of three consecutive National Senior Track & Field League titles is a testament to the dedication of the athletes, coaches and clubs throughout the county. Drawing athletes from Moyne AC, Nenagh Olympic AC, Borrisokane AC, Clonmel AC, Newport AC, Carrick-on-Suir AC and Templemore AC, the victory highlighted the strength of athletics across Tipperary.