[dropcap]F[/dropcap]rom a strong display in Maynooth back in November to an almost perfect performance in Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) at the Irish University Athletics Association’s (IUAA) Outdoor Track and Field Championships on the 7th and 8th of April, DCU Athletics once again proved their dominance of university athletics.
DCU retained all their titles over the weekend as the college racked up a staggering 305.5 points in total, eclipsing that of runner up University of Limerick’s still impressive 144.5 points. DCU claimed the overall best university crown for the 11th consecutive year.
The men took the crown also for the 11th consecutive year with the women going one better and claiming their 12th triumph in as many years. There were also 2 new DCU Club and IUAA records with Stephen Rice in the Javelin (61.18m) and Adam King in the Hammer (63.51m).
DCU also enjoyed tremendous success at the Outdoor Track and Field Championships in February as well as the Cross Country Championships just last month. A lot of the recent success has come from the hard work and dedication of a relatively young Athletics team with many of those athletes eligible to compete in the next academic year.
DCU’s Director of Athletics Academy Enda Fitzpatrick has praised the success and described their togetherness as a crucial factor. “From a success perspective we probably couldn’t do much better. We continue to dominate,” he told The College View.
“The thing that reverberates from the weekend for me is team, team concept is huge,” he said. “Our coaches are very very good, we probably have some of the best national coaches working with our athletes.”
Fitzpatrick also highlighted the long term success is the product of the university’s hard work over the last decade. “This doesn’t happen overnight, this has been happening probably over the last ten years, gradually getting stronger and stronger,” he continued.
A number of athletes involved with DCU over the season will also be hoping to compete for Ireland at the Celtic International Track and Field Championship which will take place on May 27th in Santry.
Gavin Quinn
Image Credit: Enda Fitzpatrick