Tyrone Championships relaunched after 50 years

TWO north Tyrone men have relaunched the Tyrone Athletics Championships which 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 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, who McGlynn feels are more than worthy of such recognition.

“MJ Doherty was a coach of mine and his father, also MJ was his coach, they were both All-Ireland champions, both Ireland internationals, stalwarts of athletics and both from Strabane,” explained McGlynn who is the new Tyrone County Board president.

“Mickey Joe Doherty was Irish 100 yards champion, which is why that event is included, it’s a memorial event and because it’s been 50 years since the Tyrone Championships were held in Dungannon.

“And the two main cups, the Mickey Joe Doherty Cup, which is for the male champion and thew Gerry McDonnell Cup is for the female champion. We have asked family if that’s OK and they are all for it.

“Gerry was a former Tyrone County Board president, he was Ulster president and Athletics Ireland honorary president, he was a big stalwart in athletics and he used to coach me and the two Mickey Joes as well and a founder of athletics in Strabane, so it’s good to be able to honour him too.”

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 on the day, with pre-registration available via WhatsApp on 07921221427 or via PayPal – sprintacademyireland@gmail.com.