Jamie Costin receives honorary life membership of West Waterford AC...

From West Waterford AC.......

JAMIE COSTIN RECEIVES HONORARY LIFE MEMBERSHIP OF WEST WATERFORD ATHLETIC CLUB.

After a distinguished career in athletics and having flown the flag for his club and country with pride in many parts of the world the club recently passed a motion and bestowed honorary life membership on Jamie Costin,

Jamie’s sport of race walking saw him qualify for three Olympic games Sydney 2000,Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.He also represented his country in four world championships. Canada, France, Japan and Germany plus European championships in Germany and Spain and a host of European cup of race walking championships in countries like Slovakia, France, Germany and Russia.

On the domestic scene, he is still actively involved with race walking as he is currently coaching younger athletes in the sport.  He also was honoured by the Olympic council of Ireland when made chair of the athlete’s commission prior to the London Olympic Games. He now joins an elite group of two who have been honoured by the club as honorary life members of West Waterford athletic club, the other being John Treacy.

Kate Veale of West Waterford AC wins Youth World Championship

Just out.....8th July 2011.......Kate Veale of West Waterford AC has just won the 5km race walk in the IAAF World Youth Championships in Lille, France.

If I have the stats correct, not only did she beat her nearest rivals by a 15 second margin but she also set a new personal best beating her previous time (22:36) by some 50 seconds.

From the IAAF.......

Girls’ 5000m Race Walk Final - Veale conquers Ireland's first World Youth gold

Lille, France - 17-year-old Kate Veale walked to a new World Youth leading performance of 21:45.59 to claim the IAAF World Youth 5000m race walking title here in Lille.

A disappointing fourth at the inaugural World Youth Olympic Games in Singapore last year, the Irishwoman was determined not to miss out on a podium finish this time around.

With exactly 7 laps to go Veale moved to the front and took the lead from Peru’s Yuli Capcha, the early leader taking the group through the first (4:38.61) and second (8:59.36) kilometres before failing to reach the finish line.

Behind Veale, Italy’s Anna Clemente, the World Youth Olympic champion, and Russia’s Olga Nacharkina looked strong but that was before Veale upped the tempo a further notch. Six laps to go and Veale was still solidly in the lead with Ukraine’s Alina Galchenko and the second Russian in this final Nadezhda Leontyeva making their first appearance at the front.

Veale was timed in 13:12.74 at 3km and with now just 5 laps to go increased her lead dramatically to a good 20 metres on Galchenko and Leontyeva another 10 metres down. Trailing behind the trio of China’s Yanxue Mao, Mexico’s Alejandra Ortega and a not-so-fresh Clemente lagged a further 5 metres behind.

Veale’s rhythm was a class above the rest’s – she led by 40 metres with 4 laps to go, 60 metres with 3 laps to go, 70 metres at the bell… The focus had now fallen on a small group of 5 pursuers who briefly rejoined with 1500 metres to go. Galchenko, Leontyeva, Nacharkina, Ortega and Mao…five women for just two medals…

As Veale cruised seemingly effortlessly to clinch her country’s first gold medal in the history of this competition, the bell rang with Leontyeva and Galchenko neck and neck and Mao, who won the World Youth Olympic silver medal last year in Singapore, just a couple of steps behind.

“It feels really nice to be the World champion,” Veale said after her wonderful performance. “I can’t really realize it. I felt strong during the whole race but until the last lap I wasn’t sure I could be first. I know the Chinese has a good finish and I didn’t know where they were behind me.

“My family was here to support me, they were louder than the Chinese and Russian fans.”





Kate Veale takes Bronze in the European Cup of Race Walking

Kate Veale of West Waterford AC and representing Ireland finished 3rd in the Junior Womens 10km European Cup of Race Walking Competition in Olhao in Potugal on Saturday, the 21st of May 2011.

Kate who is 17 years old recorded a time of 46:32 for the distance.

From the race website....
Veale clawed back the 23-second deficit on Liudmyla Olianovska – who clearly got carried away by the success of her Ukrainian Junior men – bronze belonged to Ireland.
Veale was a delighted medallist and paid tribute to the man who got her there.

In an after race interview, Kate said..."My inspiration is my coach and clubmate Jamie Costin. He’s been to the Olympics four times, and made sure I peaked just right,” she said.
“The key was not to go off too fast, and it worked. I'm suprised and very happy. It's fabulous to be here, in the track, competing with the best of the world. And have this score is even better.
I was 4th in the last youth championships, but i always thought it was a bit soon to try to win a medal in this championships. Fortunately, all went well.

I really enjoyed the venue and the track. It is a bit hot, but i think i have better scores with this kind of weather. Portugal is a very nice place to be, and i will always remember this race."

Full Results HERE



From the European Athletics Website.......
The athlete from West Waterford AC club defeated some top quality opposition when finishing in third place in hot conditions in the Algarve town this weekend, placing ahead of capable walkers from Italy, Germany, Britain, the Ukraine and one of the three highly favoured Russian team members.
“I am surprised but delighted with my performance. It’s fabulous to be here competing against the best in the world, and even sweeter to win a medal. It was very warm but the venue was great and so was the circuit,” said Veale.
Veale now plans to continue her international progression and aim to compete in the European Athletics Junior Championships in Tallinn in July and the World Youth Championships in Lille this summer.

Waterford - Race walker Kate Veale features on RTE News programme...

There was a short but interesting clip on the RTE Six-One News on Tuesday, the 30th of November featuring the race-walker Kate Veale from West Waterford AC. Kate is just 16 years old yet she has already represented Ireland at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore this year finishing in a very credible 4th position. Despite being just outside the medals, she still managed to set a new Irish record for the 5 km.

Please note that the video clip which is available from the RTE Player service will probably not last too long so try and watch it as soon as you can.

Instructions....
1) Go to this link....http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1086024
2) Press play and you'll have to watch the ad's...
3) Once the News starts, click on the box near the bottom right for 'Full Screen'.
4) Note that the News is around 49 minutes long. Drag the slider at the bottom up as far as 41:20 and then wait for the relevant section to start.

Kate was also in action in Derry last Sunday (...running this time!) in the All Ireland Cross Country Championships where she won the U18 race.