2024 Ulster Track Championships. 29th July 2024.
Monday evening saw the wrap-up of the 2024 Track season, somewhat sooner than hoped for; however, the finale of the Ulster Track League, and the Ulster Track Championships made for an entertaining and close evening`s racing.
Square Wheels regular Ciara McCool dominated the Under 10 Girl category all season, with Beau Benson taking the Gold medal in the U10 Boys category.
In the under 12 Boys, Leo Gallagher (Orchard Whs.) has been in top form all year and won all three counting events to give him the Gold medal ahead of Jake McKee (VC Glendale) and Daniel McKeegan (Team Madigan), whilst in the Girls category there was a close tussle between Sophie Rankin (Titanic) and Ruby Millar (Square Wheels) with the latter coming out the winner.
The Under 14 Boys saw Josh McClune (Team Madigan), fresh from a podium in the British Track Championship, dominating all the events to easily take the title, with the fight for medals close between clubmates Olly Millar and Rory McCool (Square Wheels). 0.4 and 0.7 of a second separated them in the timed events, with Millar best in the bunch race to take overall Silver and McCool Bronze.
In the Girls event Foyle`s Clodagh Quigley won two out of the three races to give her the title ahead of Aoife Craig (VC Glendale).
The Under 16 Boys category has been closely fought all season, and again Monday evening was no different with 0.4 of a second separating the three medalists in the Flying 200metre Time Trial and 0.5 separating them in the 500metre event. The bunch race went the way of Curtis McKee (Spelman Port) to give him Gold, with Elliott McKeegan (Team Madigan) taking Silver from James Armstrong (VC Glendale).
Emer Heverin (All Human Velo Revolution) dominated the U16 Girls races, with Poppy Hamilton (Spelman Port) finishing runner up.
In the Senior Categories, it was good to see the return of national Track riders Fearghal Kelly (Phoenix CC) and Helen McParland (Longcourt). Each won their respective category, with newcomer Oisin Hughes taking Silver in the Men`s.
A similar close battle ensued in the Masters races, with Gary McKeegan (Team Madigan) winning the Flying 200m time trial and scratch race to take Gold, whilst Joe Henry`s (Velo Café Magasin) win in the 500m time trial was enough to give him Silver ahead of Derek Finnegan (Square Wheels).
A great evening`s racing to round off the year, and congratulations go to all medal winners, particularly the Millar Family (Gold & Silver), the McCool family (Gold & Bronze), the McKee family (Gold & Silver), and the McKeegan family (Gold, Silver and Bronze).
The Cycling Ulster Track Commission wishes all Youth competitors the best of luck in the forthcoming National Track Championships in Dublin later this month.
U10. Boys
Gold. Beau Benson.
U10 Girls
Gold. Ciara McCool.
U12 Boys
Gold. Leo Gallagher
Silver. Jake McKee
Bronze. Daniel McKeegan
U12 Girls
Gold. Ruby Millar
Silver. Sophie Rankin
U14 Boys
Gold. Josh McClune
Silver. Olly Millar
Bronze. Rory McCool
U14 Girls
Gold. Clodagh Quigley
Silver. Aoife Craig
U16 Boys
Gold. Curtis McKee
Silver. Elliott McKeegan
Bronze. James Armstrong
U16 Girls
Gold. Emer Heverin
Silver. Poppy Hamilton
Senior Men
Gold. Fearghal Kelly
Silver. Oisin Hughes
Senior Women
Gold. Helen McParland
Masters Men
Gold. Gary McKeegan
Silver. Joe Henry
Bronze. Derek Finnegan
