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Post date: Aug 08, 2016 8:57:27 AM
(By Shay O'Toole - Sun. 7th August 2016)
The Leinster Youth championships were staged in Kilmessan today and it proved to be a great day out for the Lakeside Wheelers team. Representing the club were Aoife O’Brien in the Under 12’s, Tommy Hogan and Caoimhe O’Brien in the Under 14’s with Sean Kennedy and Aaron Wade flying the club colours in the Under 16 event.
Although Conor Farrell is carrying a serious elbow injury since crashing in Donegal recently, it was great to see him there supporting his team mates so well done to you Conor. After all races were completed there were some very notable results for the young Wheelers which is surely a sign that all the hard work and sacrifices which these young athletes and their mentors put in is most definitely paying off.
Both Tommy and Caoimhe performed very well in their race and despite not getting on the podium they were both delighted with how the race went. Next up was Aoife who finished in a very respectable 3rd position in the Under 12 race. This is a great result for the younger of the O’Brien girls and will no doubt inspire her to improve even more in the coming years. Well done Aoife.
The Under 16 race proved to be even better for team Wheelers with both Aaron and Seán riding the race of the season and coming home with a fantastic one-two as Aaron pipped Sean on the line. This was an amazing performance by the two lads and one which they and the club should be very proud of.
Aaron Wade (left) in action at the 2016 Leinster Youth Championships in Kilmessan
In a cruel twist of fate however, the commissaire deemed Aaron to have broken the rules by removing his hands from the bars to celebrate as he crossed the line and subsequently disqualified him from the race. This was a very harsh decision on young Aaron but as the saying goes, “rules are rules” so in the end Seán was awarded first place. Regardless of the outcome both Seán and Aaron rode a super race and have now well and truly put themselves on the radar of Irish youth cycling.
Well done to all competitors and also to their trainers and support team in what was an extremely successful championship for Lakeside Wheelers.
Seán Kennedy accepts the trophy for Leinster Youths Champion 2016
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