Sharon honoured

Super Sharon scoops top award

Westport’s high jumper sweeps the boards again

Daniel Carey

HIGH jumper Sharon Heveran was named Athlete of the Year at The Mayo News-sponsored Mayo Athletics Awards at the Welcome Inn Hotel, Castlebar on Friday night. The Tourmakeady native also picked up the Senior Athlete of the Year and International Athlete of the Year awards on a memorable night.
“2007 was definitely my best season so far,” she told MC Denise Horan, Editor of The Mayo News. “I got a new coach, who’s over with me from Cardiff. I’ve put in a lot of hard work, I’m training full time, and it showed in the results.”
The second ranked ladies high jumper in Ireland, Heveran is the reigning All-Ireland U-23 champion, British U-23 champion and British Universities champion both indoors and outdoors. Although she has now finished her studies in Cardiff, she has remained on in the Welsh capital and is now coaching a few athletes herself. But the Westport Athletic Club member hasn’t forgotten her roots, and made a special presentation to club stalwarts Seán Langan and Ernie Deacy. She has had bad luck with injuries in recent months, but has vowed to ‘come back strong’ for the outdoor season and says ‘the sky’s the limit’ for 2008.
Seán Langan, President of Westport Athletic Club, was honoured with the Hall of Fame award. He received a warm tribute from Ernie Deacy, who told the crowd that Seán’s life in athletics began by accident in 1968 at an inter-county athletics meeting in Claremorris. Fr Des Fahey had spotted him in the crowd, and asked him to fill in for an injured 400 metres runner. The young Aughagower man promptly won the race, and so began a lifetime in running.
Seán Langan said it was ‘a privilege’ to be honoured, but added: “A little bit of this trophy should go to Tomás Hanley”, who played a pivotal role in securing a track for Westport AC before his untimely death. Speaking to the younger generation, he said he hoped to see athletes who were present in the Welcome Inn represent Ireland at the Olympic Games one day.
It capped a wonderful night for Westport AC, who won Overall Club of the Year and Track and Field Club of the Year as well as picking up a number of other individual awards. The Junior Athlete of the Year award was accepted by Karen Hughes on behalf of her niece Pamela, the reigning Irish U-19 and U-20 high jump champion. Katie Hyland, who won five All-Ireland medals in 2007, was named Juvenile Female Track and Field Athlete of the Year. Two Westport athletes shared the Juvenile Male Track and Field Athlete award – Cian McManamon, who won U-17 race walking indoor and outdoor gold medals, and Laimonas Ruibys, who achieved a similar double in the U-16 shot putt.
The sizeable contingent from Swinford Athletic Club had something to celebrate when the Juvenile Female Cross-Country Athlete of the Year award went to Aoife Mulroy, who performed superbly throughout 2007.
Ballina Athletic Club picked up the Cross-Country Club of the Year award, and the Juvenile Male Cross-Counry Athlete of the Year went to Ballina AC member Ciaran Treacy, who put in some fine runs all over the country. The huge travelling support from Ballina were in fine voice again as Ernie Caffrey took the Masters Athlete of the Year award. The former senator, who only took up running two years ago, has enjoyed success in sprinting and shot putt events.
Joan Geraghty of The Mayo News, who interviewed Ernie Caffrey for her book ‘Anyone Can Run’, said that getting involved in running had ‘opened up a whole new world’ to her, and extolled the virtues of exercise for older people.
Paul McNamara, Regional Development Officer of the Western Region, said that about half the members of the Connacht Development Squad are from Mayo. “There’s an incredible amount of talent in this room,” he said. “We have a very special sport and the future is very bright.”
Paddy Kelly, Chairman of the Mayo Athletics Board, said he was ‘delighted’ to hear that Claremorris AC had got permission to develop an indoor arena. He called on clubs to pool their resources to ensure athletes at all levels get access to proper coaching.
Before the citations (prepared by Marion Mattimoe) were read by Audrey Maughan and George Bell, Mayo’s Special Olympics athletes were the recipients of a special presentation to recognise their achievements in Shanghai. Teresa Ward of Western Care said that the eight athletes – Deirdre Garvin, Ian O’Donnell, Mary Henry, Patricia McNicholas, Edel Hannon, Edel Doyle, Gary Diamond and Jack Jones – had done themselves, their families, their county and their country proud. “They have brought us all over the world, and it’s a pleasure and a treasure to be associated with them,” she said.