Athletics

Head of Boys Athletics: Mr S Johnston

Head of Girls Athletics: Mrs N Taggart

 

The Athletics Club at Ballymena Academy is open to all pupils in Year 8-14 and meets twice a week, Monday at School 3:30-4:30pm and Wednesday at the Antrim Forum 4:00-5:30pm, beginning at the start of the Spring term.

Everyone is welcome to experience the many different events using the school facilities and those at the Antrim Forum.

The NEBSSA and District competitions take place throughout the months of April and May. Due to the limited number of spaces in each event athletes are selected to compete in these. The Ulster and Irish Schools’ Finals take place throughout the months of May and June and participation in these events are based on medalling at the District events.
 
ATHLETICS ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19

NEBSSA

On Wednesday, 15th May, Ballymena Academy pupils competed in the NEBSSA Athletics Finals at the Antrim Forum against 31 other schools.  Approximately 45 athletes, from Years 8 – 11, took part in a range of athletic events achieving some outstanding results and bringing home 11 Gold, 8 Silver and 9 Bronze medals. To add to this, Ballymena Academy won 7 trophies:

  • The U13 (Year 8) Boys’ team finished 2nd
  • The U14 (Year 9) Boys’ team finished 1st overall.
  • The U15 (Year 10) Girls’ team finished 2nd
  • The U15 (Year 10) Boys’ team finished 2nd overall.
  • The U16 (Year 11) Girls’ team finished 2nd

The girls were placed 3rd overall and the boys were placed 2nd overall.

Etain McGuckian equalled the competition record for the U15 Girls’ 200m race, running it in 26.20 seconds.

The District Athletics Championships took place at the Antrim Forum on Wednesday, 8th May with 105 pupils taking part in a range of events from Hurdles to Relay and Triple Jump to Discus.  Jonathan Cochrane, James Wright, Adam Lamont, Joseph Mawhinney, Freddy Young, Conor Drain, Etain McGuckian, Katie Agnew and Adam Kirkpatrick came first in their respective events.

A total of 25 individual athletes and six Relay Teams qualified for the Ulster Finals on Friday, 17th and Saturday, 18th May.

 

Ulster Schools’ Athletics Championships 2019

This year’s Ulster Secondary Schools’ Athletics Championships were held on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th May at the Antrim Forum athletics track. Ballymena Academy had an impressive representation of 25 individual athletes and six Relay Teams taking part. The results from the competition are set out below.

Medallists include:

  • Etain McGuckian – 1st in the Junior Girls’ 100m (12.66 secs) and 1st in the 200m (26.16).
  • Katie McCullough – 3rd in the Junior Girls’ 1200m walk (8 minutes 22 seconds).
  • 1st in the Junior Girls’ Relay (53.15) Rachel Cochrane, Tory Hopkins, Elke Hamilton and Etain McGuckian.  This is the third year in a row that the girls have won at Ulster level.
  • Conor Drain – 3rd in the Junior Boys’ Triple Jump (10.88 metres).
  • Freddy Young – 2nd in the Junior Boys’ Javelin (33.85 metres).
  • James Wright – 1st in the Intermediate Boys’ Javelin (50.65 metres).
  • Jonathan Cochrane – 1st in the Intermediate Boys’ Long Jump (6.21 metres) and 1st in the Triple Jump (12.87 metres).
  • Jamie Paul – 1st in the Intermediate Boys’ Pole Vault (2.20 metres).
  • 2nd in the Intermediate Boys’ Relay (45.18), Taylor Adger, Adam Lamont, Jonathan Cochrane and James Wright.
  • Joseph Mawhinney – 1st in the Intermediate Boys’ Discus (34.88 metres) and 2nd in the Shot (11.72 metres).
  • Adam Kirkpatrick – 1st in the Senior Boys’ Shot (12.18 metres).

Overall the athletes collected a total of 14 medals – 9 Gold, 3 Silver and 2 Bronze.

 

Overall awards

The Intermediate Boys were crowned overall champions in Ulster for their age group, winning the Ulster Schools’ Athletics Cup for the second consecutive year with a points tally of 75 points, with second place having 49 points. This meant that Ballymena Academy Boys’ team was placed 3rd overall in Ulster when the totals from all age group were combined.

 

Irish Schools’ Athletics Champions 2019

Seven individual athletes and two Relay Teams qualified for the Irish Schools’ Athletics Championships at Tullamore Athletics Arena in County Offaly.

In the Junior Girls’ age group (Year 10) Etain McGuckian came 3rd in the 100m with a time of 12.59sec. She followed this impressive performance up with another Bronze medal in the 200m with a time of 25.55 secs.

In the Junior Boys’ age group (Year 10) Conor Drain came 3rd in the Triple Jump with a jump of 11.14 metres.

In the Intermediate Boys’ age group (Years 11 and 12) Jonathan Cochrane (Year 12) came 4th in the Triple Jump with a best jump of 12.95 metres. He came 1st in the Long Jump with a jump of 6.87 metres.

Joseph Mawhinney (Year 12) came 7th in the Intermediate Boys’ Discus with a throw of 33.31 metres and 4th in the Shot with a throw of 12.48 metres.

James Wright (Year 12) came 2nd in the Javelin with a best throw of 53.27 metres. Jamie Paul (Year 11) came 8th in the Pole Vault with a jump of 2.40 metres.

In the Senior Boys’ Shot Putt, Adam Kirkpatrick (Year 14) came 6th with a throw of 12.35 metres.

The Junior Girls’ Relay Team performed exceptionally well, coming 2nd in the 4 x 100m Relay, with a time of 52.43 seconds. This is the second year in a row where this group of girls, Rachel Cochrane, Tory Hopkins, Elke Hamilton and Etain McGuckian, have come second in Ireland.  This meant that the school’s overall medal tally consisted of: 1 Gold, 2 Silver and 3 Bronze.

It is also worth noting that both the Junior Girls and the Intermediate Boys came second overall, on points, in their respective age groups.

Etain McGuckian, James Wright, Jonathan Cochrane, Adam Lamont, Joseph Mawhinney, Jamie Paul and Christian Drennan were elected to represent Ulster at the Tailteann Irish Schools’ Interprovincial Championships at Santry on Saturday, 22nd June 2019.

 

Interprovincial and International Athletics Competitions

Following the success of athletics last season (2017-18) Jonathan Cochrane, Alice Rodgers and James Wright were selected to be a part of the Interprovincial and International Schools’ team. Jonathan Cochrane competed as an intermediate athlete last season. His achievements last season included:

  • Ulster Secondary Schools’ Championships

1st in IB Triple Jump

2nd in IB Long Jump

 

  • Irish Secondary Schools’ Championships

5th in IB Triple Jump

 

  • Interprovincial Championships

2nd in IB Triple Jump

7th in IB Long Jump

 

  • Schools’ international Championships in Scotland

6th in U17 Triple Jump

 

  • English U17 Championships in Bedford

6th in U17 Triple Jump

 

  • UK School Games at Loughborough University

5th in U17 Triple Jump

 

Alice Rodgers competed as an intermediate athlete last season. Her achievements last season included:

  • Ulster Secondary School’ Championships

1st in IG 100m

1st in IG 200m

 

  • Irish Secondary Schools’ Championships

3rd in IG 100m

4th in IG 200m

 

  • Interprovincial Championships

2nd in IG 100m

1st in IG 200m

 

  • Schools’ International Championships in Scotland

6th in U17 100m

6th in U17 200m

 

  • English U17 Championships in Bedford

Competed as part of the Northern Ireland and Ulster team but didn’t qualify for the Finals

 

  • UK School Games at Loughborough University

5th in U17 100m

 

James Wright competed as an intermediate athlete last season.  His achievements last season included:

  • Ulster Secondary Schools’ Championships

1st in IB Javelin

 

  • Irish Secondary Schools’ Championships

9th in IB Javelin

 

  • Interprovincial Championships

3rd in IB Javelin

 

  • UK School Games at Loughborough University

5th in U17 Javelin

Athletics Report 2019

Ballymena Academy pupils took part in NEBSSA, District, Ulster and Irish competitions in what was an enjoyable and successful season of athletics.

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Success at Ireland Athletics

Congratulations to Christian Drennan on qualifying for the Irish Juvenile Athletics Championships at Tullamore in both the 100m (where he finished 3rd in 11.88 seconds) and 200m.

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All Athletics news