Local talents selected for Celtic Games

FOUR of the all conquering City of Derry Spartans Juvenile squad will be in Athlone this Saturday representing Ulster in the very prestigious Celtic Games against the Scots, Welsh and an Athletics Ireland selection and they could be joined by several more Spartans who have been named among the reserves for the event.

New Javelin talent Natasha Deane will throw in the Girls U16 competition and Aoife Mullan is one of the reserves. Ryan McParland is selected for the Boys U16 200m and Relay while Andrew Bolster is among the reserves in the 200m and 80m Hurdles.

Anna Barr has been rewarded for her recent good form with a Girls U18 Relay spot and is a 300m reserve. In the Boys U18 category Mark McGarvey will go in both the 100m Hurdles and Relay and is a 100m reserve. In the same age group Sean Harkin is deservedly named as reserve for the 2000m Steeplechase.

Other young Spartans named as reserves are Ciara Armstrong, Tamara Boyle, Roisin Laverty and Katie Cunningham all at U16 level in the 100m, 800m, Long Jump and Shot Putt respectively.

The annual Jog in the Bog 5K road race is scheduled for next Wednesday, August 11, at 7 30pm from the Gasyard Centre and there will be a supporting 1K Fun Run for the youngsters who want to have a go. Entries will be taken in the Centre from 6pm on the night and a big turnout is expected for this popular event which uses a spectator friendly three lap circuit in the Bogside/Brandywell area.

Dessie's Run this year on Sunday, August 29, in Gransha, at 12noon, is part of the new Spar 10Krace series and is expected to draw a bigger than ever entry because of that and also of course as a vital pre Waterside Half Marathon run out online entry is now available for Dessies Run - check out www.niathletics.org or www.spar10kseries.com.

See also the City of Derry Spartans website www.sparta-athletics.co.uk and for the Waterside go to www.derrycity.gov.uk/halfmarathon.

Finally in advance of Saturday weeks National League Final in Tullamore some of the clubs men and women track and field specialists will be in Magherafelt next Wednesday evening for a run out at the latest Athletics NI Open Meeting.