Mayo athletes on Ireland juvenile team for international meet

Athletes from Westport AC and Swinford AC in Mayo have been included on the Irish juvenile team for the Home Countries and Celtic Cross Country Championships on Saturday, February 7, at Parliament Hill in London.

Twins Freya and Holly Renton of Westport AC are on the Under 17 girls team, while Rory Gruddy of Swinford AC has been added to the Under 17 boys development team.

After the success of Ireland's Under 20, Under 23 and senior teams at December’s European Cross Country Championships in Portugal, the juvenile committee of Athletics Ireland have selected four teams for the London meet next month.

For some it will be their first time to represent Ireland, and they earned their place following their runs at the 123.ie National Cross Country Championships in Derry last year.

“The Home Countries and Celtic Cross Country is a great building block in the development of our juvenile athletes, giving them a chance to mix it with the best,” said Mark Connolly, chairman of the Athletics Ireland Juvenile Committee.

The teams are as follows: Under 17 girls team - Freya Renton, Holly Renton (both Westport AC), Ally Duffy (Tullamore Harriers), Madison Welby (City of Lisburn AC); Under 17 girls development team - Lily Walsh (Mullingar Harriers), Beth Reamsbottom (Mid Sutton AC), Lydia Jordan (Ratoath AC), Robyn Kennedy (Blackrock AC, Dublin); Under 17 boys team - Darragh Whelan (Limerick AC), David Frazer (Craughwell AC), Ruby Devereaux (Youghal AC), Thomas Coy (North Belfast Harriers); Under 17 boys development team - Cillian Galvin (Mullingar Harriers), Ryan Vickers (Farranfore Maine Valley AC), Rory Gruddy (Swinford AC), Adam Noone (Donore Harriers).