Silver for Sommer Lecky as Bridget McDyer breaks record for bronze at National Indoors

Sommer Lecky soared to silver and Bridget McDyer bagged bronze on day one of the National Senior Indoor Championships.

The Finn Valley AC duo earned podium spots at the National Indoor Arena with Lecky taking high jump siLver and McDyer winning bronze in the weight for distance thanks to a record-breaking throw.

Lecky cleared the bar at 1.79m for silver.

The Castlederg woman was beaten by Daena Kelly of St Abban’s, who arched over at 1.82.

Lecky successfully got over the 1.79m bar on her third go at the height. The former World U20 silver and Commonwealth Youth gold medallist had a fine start to 2024, including a 1.81m jump in Nantes last month.

Lecky settled for silver on Saturday with Ciara Kennelly from Killarney Valley claiming bronze thanks to a 1.76m leap.

Lecky’s club colleague McDyer threw a significant new personal best, reaching out to 6.50m in the weight for distance to get the podium’s third step.

McDyer’s mark represents a new Ulster and Donegal record in the event.

Kotyrna Pacerinskaite of Fanahan McSweeney AC won gold with am excellent 7.20m throw while Nenagh Olympic’s Laura Frawley throwing to 6.97m for silver.

Four-time European medallist Mark English has side-stepped the National Indoors and will skip the World Indoors next month as he hones in on an attempt to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

In the absence of English, Donegal will still have a representative in Sunday’s 800m final.

Oisin Kelly of Cranford AC booked his final spot when going 1:52.95 for third in his heat.

Kelly won the 800m at the Irish Universities Championships last weekend and will go again in search of something on Sunday.

In the same heat, Finn Valley’s Oisin Toye ran a new PB of 1:56.55 for fifth.

Eimear McCarroll will compete in the 1500m final on Sunday. The Finn Valley AC woman, who will go to the United States on a scholarship later this year, finished her heat in fifth, crossing the line in 4:38.72.

Eoin Kelly of Letterkenny AC bowed out of the 400m when fourth in his semi-final in 50.72 seconds having ran a 50.49-second heat.

Finn Valley’s Ciaran McCarroll ran 53.59 for fourth in his 400m heat and Ethan Dewhirst from Tir Chonaill AC was fifth in 52.18.

Arlene Crossan made a return to competitive action in the 400m, with the Finn Valley AC woman exiting despite a pretty encouraging 56.20-second run.

Janine Boyle of Finn Valley AC (25.71) and Olympian YAC’s Sophie Parlour (25.89) did not come through their heats.