January – Sports Personality

JANUARY

MATTHEW NEILL (ATHLETICS)

Matthew is a talented young athlete who is improving with every outing. Earlier this year, he earned a fourth placed finish at the Northern Ireland Senior Cross-Country Championship and he recorded the third quickest time in the history of the Armagh Road Race over 3K in 8.37 minutes. Prior to those stunning runs, he ran the prestigious Seeley Cup 10K in Belfast in 30.56 minutes and finished finish fifth overall in the Greencastle 5 in 25.49 minutes before winning the Lough 5 in 25 minutes dead.

Voting Opens Tuesday 2nd March

2020 Ulster Herald Sports Personality Awards in association with MFC Sports, LIVE winners reveal Wednesday 10th March, 7pm

Matthew was featured in the Ulster Herald on Thursday, March 5, 2020 

Rising athletics star Matthew begins the year with a bang

BY TOMMY NETHERY

MATTHEW Neill is a talented and passionate young athlete who would appear to be going places ……..and fast! In the last three years the Gortin teenager has clinched a number of Ulster track titles at schools and club level, has represented Northern Ireland and Ulster in UK internationals in London and Loughborough and just a few months into the current year has recorded eye-catching victories at the Lough 5 and Armagh 3K.

The Acorns AC runner has exploded out of the blocks in 2020 and in recognition of those outstanding achievements Matthew has been selected the UH Sports Personality of the month of January.

And the rising star of local athletics will celebrate receiving the Herald’s monthly accolade by representing Northern Ireland and Ulster at the UK Inter Counties Cross Country in Loughborough this coming weekend. 

Matthew competes in the U20 men’s 8K race and while he prefers to run on the track or the road he’s determined to make his mark on the Prestwold Hall course. “It’s cross country, which, if I’m honest, is not really my thing but these international events are always good for experience,” said the gifted 18-year-old.

The young South West College student will head to Loughborough quietly confident of making an impression on the back of a number of remarkable performances.

In early December he ran the prestigious Seeley Cup 10K in Belfast in an impressive 30.56m and backed that up by finishing fifth overall at the Greencastle 5 in 25.49m before claiming top spot on the podium at the Lough 5 by stopping the clock dead on 25 minutes.

January brought a fourth place finish in the Northern Ireland senior cross country and just last month Matthew ran the internationally recognised Armagh Road Race and triumphed in the 3K race by sprinting home in 8.37 minutes.

That was the third quickest time in the race’s 20 plus year history and Matthew admitted that the runners had set a blistering pace from the gun. “It was a very, very fast race,” he said.

“We covered the first kilometres in 2.50, that’s fast. There was no breeze, a really still night. There was a pack of 20 in the mix and on the last lap two runners broke clear. I worked hard to stay in touch and with 150 metres to go I was gradually catching them. I went for it and went flying past the both of them. “When I’m competing I hang in there as long as possible and hope that I have something left in the tank to challenge.”

Since the age of 15 Matthew has been catching the eye on the track, road and in cross country. For three consecutive years the former Omagh Harrier struck Ulster gold running the 1500 metres for school and then club and went on to claim bronze at the National Championships in Tullamore.

However he prefers running the slighter longer distances of 3K and 5K and later this year is planning to run both the 1500m and 5000m in the schools’ and club Ulster and the All Ireland Championships.

It would certainly seem Matthew, son of Pete – a member of Omagh Tri Club – and Karen, is a young athlete with a bright future and if his appetite, passion and dedication to training is anything to go by then it’s fair to assume he’s on the right track. “This time last year I adjusted my training to increase the miles I was doing,” he continued.

“Back then I was doing 40 miles a week, now I’m doing around 60. That’s out six times a week with a further three sessions in the gym. “The thing is I enjoy training, it’s that feel-good factor you get afterwards. You always feel good after a hard session.  “If you hit the times in training then you’re feeling really good and confident going into a race. That helps with the motivation, when you hit the times you know you can do it come race day.

It’s very much a mental thing. I nearly always train on my own, that works best for me