First Tyrone Championships in 50 years to take place today

THE first Tyrone Athletics Championships in 50 years will take place at Youth Sport Omagh this morning and one of the main orgainsers, Trev McGlynn cannot wait for the first race to get underway.

He and Mark McBrearty organised a launch event two weeks ago, which they feel have left them much better prepared for Sunday.

“We’re looking forward to it, the build up has been great,” McGlynn beamed.

“The warm-up event went as planned. We had about 40 athletes at it, just nice and easy for a run through and we got our eyes opened to one or two things that we needed to address before Sunday, which we have done.”

Since launching, the organisers have been delighted with the number of entries they have received from a wide variety of clubs.

“We have had a good response, with close to 100 people entered, so we’re nearly full,” McGlynn added.

“We have clubs from Donegal, Letterkenny, Inishowen and Finn Valley, we have runners from Tattyreagh GAA club, Beragh GAC as well, Omagh Harriers, Mid Ulster from Cookstown, Carmen Runners and interest from Galway, Drumboyne, they are coming from all over and it’s not just open to athletes.”

The Championships last took place in 1972 when Mickey Joe Doherty was the outstanding athlete, winning five titles.

And it is fitting that two perpetual cups will be awarded at this year’s Championships in honour of Mickey Joe and well-known coach Gerry McDonnell who was chair of the county board in 1972.

The men behind the relaunch of the event are top class performers in their own right, Sprint Academy Ireland’s Trev McGlynn and Mark McBrearty who still excel on the track, in the field and as coaches too.

Having enjoyed running a track and field meet at Omagh’s Youth Sport Omagh last year, which was widely applauded by all who took part, the pair decided to reform the Tyrone County Board and relaunch the Tyrone Championships.

Since then they have drawn up a schedule which features events for a host of abilities and one that is a blast from they past – the 100 yards sprint – ordered and received medals and perpetual cups named after MJ Doherty and Gerry McDonnell.

The event is ‘open’, so anyone from anywhere can enter it but only people from Tyrone can be crowned county champion. It will be held at Youth Sport Omagh on May 22nd, getting yunderway at 10am with the 100 yards, followed by the 800 metres, 200 metres and miles for a range of paces,m 3,000 metres and 4×100 metres. Entries open between 9am and 10.30am, with pre-registration available via WhatsApp on 07921221427 or via PayPal – sprintacademyireland@gmail.com.