EOIN O’Callaghan was crowned Irish U18 heptathlon champion in style – he set four new personal bests and a championship record on his way to the national title.
The Bandon AC athlete (16) had won silver in this event last year, but 12 months on he stormed to the top of the podium after a dominant display.
He won six of the seven events in the U18 heptathlon at the 123.ie National Indoor Combined Events at the Sport Ireland National Indoor Arena (NIA) in Abbotstown.
O’Callaghan won the 60m by 0.07 of a second, then stormed to win the long jump by 55cm, before another dominant victory in the shot put, as he threw almost three metres further than his closest rival. There was no stopping him now as he also took wins in the 60m hurdles (8.32), pole vault (going 30cm higher than anyone else) and 1000m (winning by 18 seconds). The only event he didn’t win was the high jump; he finished second here. His PBs came in the 60m sprint, 60m hurdles, 1000m and shot put.
The Hamilton High School student finished over 1000 points clear of his nearest challenger with 4602 points.
It also follows on from his success in 2023 when he won four national titles in the U18 decathlon, U17 high jump, U17 discus and intermediate boys’ schools’ combined events, as well as silvers in the U18 indoor heptathlon and U17 indoor hurdles. There were also national bronze medals in the U17 indoor pole vault and U17 outdoor pole vault.
Elsewhere, Bandon AC’s Ruby Cummins won silver in the U18 heptathlon and Aoife Callan was fourth, while Lily Anna Clover finished fifth in the U14 pentathlon.
