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14th June 2010Smyth's Stunning Sprint Record in Superb Athletics Weekend

If speedster Jason Smyth's stunning new NI 100m record of 10.32s at Antrim on Saturday quite rightly grabbed the headlines for the Eglinton Flyer, lets also flag up Tom Carey,s and Aaron Crawford,s 400m Hurdles and Javelin Ni/Ulster Championship Golds ,the brilliant National League Premier Division first round runners up performance by the City of Derry Spartans mens squad and an impressive Division 1 third place effort from their female counterparts,as Antrim hosted a real quality weekend double header.

The big performance clearly was Jason Smyth's 100m clocking of 10.32s,a new NI record ,beating the 10.35s set back in 2003 by former Irish Olympian Paul Brizzel of Ballymena. Having posted a wind assisted 10.39s in his semi final the Spartan knew he was up for the challange and with a legal wind reading in he final,he destroyed the field and the record with a stunning run.

Clearly his recent trainig spell in Florida where he ran 10.41s and 21.09 for 200m, plus his hard winter workouts had produced a stronger,faster athlete and on Saturday in Antrim he duly delivered.No doubt there is still more to come and he may now look to extend his season into October as the weekends clocking should have booked his ticket to the Commonwealth Game in Deilhi in the autumn!

Jason's clubmate Tom Carey came in from his Southampton base to claim the 400m Hurdles gold,also on Saturday. His 53.34s clocking was impressive in the blustery conditions--not conducive to good hurdling--and the tall Spartan was delighted to claim the crown. He returned on Sunday with the red vests National League squad to bang out a winning 52.71s clocking and claim the scalp of the Clonliffe athlete who has been selected ahead of him on the Irish mens team travelling to Budapest this weekend for the European League Div 1 match.

He also contributed a 110m Hurdles victory towards the Spartans 113 points total which saw them finish second,8 points behind defending champions Clonliffe Harriers but significantly clear of Raheny,North Down,Ballymena/Antrim,Athletics Meath,Crusaders and Lisburn. A gteat start for the red vests in the Mens Premier Division,the product of an immense collective effort and a big step towards qualification for the August Final in Tullamore.

Back to Saturdays action and Strabane Track Clubs Aaron Crawford threw 56m 68cm to lift the Javelin gold and complete the triple gold collection for the Norh West!!