Finn Valley AC athletes Odhran McBrearty and Stephen Slevin won golds at the National Juvenile Indoor Championships in Athlone at the weekend.
Odhran won gold in the U19 1500m with Stephen topping the charts in the U19 high jump.
At the TUS Arena, Odhran, a multiple medallist in national cross country events, broke four minutes, surging to gold in 3:58.47, lowering his personal best by five seconds in the process.
The Drumkeen lad has transitioned well from cross country to track this year and will be looking forward to the outdoor season now.
The St Columba’s College, Stranorlar student, who is coached by Dermot McGranaghan, śaw off Cai Lewis (Crusaders AC), who was second in 3:58.65, and Conor McGuirk (Lusk AC), who left with bronze, clocking 3:59.89.
This was his first national gold on the track and bodes well for a successful summer.
There was a first national gold for Stephen, who arched over at 1.75m to take gold in the high jump.
Stephen, who is coached by his mother Ann, saw off Peter Bellew (Cushinstown) and James Kelsey (Gowran) for gold.
All three got over 1.75m, but when the sums were analysed, Slevin got over on his first attempt at 1.75m and left with gold. Bellew took silver and Kelsey left with bronze.
The Finn Valley AC U13 boys won bronze in the 4x200m relay. The FVAC quartet of Miller McCrossan, Ruairí Moss, Shay McHugh and Zach McKinley clocked 1:55.65 in a race won by Metro-St Brigid’s in a championship record of 1:53.50.
Ceola McGlinchey placed fifth in the U13 high jump, her 1.35m leap just 0.03m from a medal place.
In the U12 boys 4x200m relay, Finn Valley AC were fifth in their heat, the team of Byron Boyle, Harry Houston, Darragh Irwin and Luke Scanlan clocking 2:03.50.
It was a similar placing for the Finn Valley AC U12 girls – Erin Moy, Eimear Moy, Caitlin Gillespie and Annie O’Mahony finishing in 2:10.26 – the U15 girls – Jasmine Barrett-Doherty, Caoimhe McNeill, Ciara McCusker and Aoibhinn Greene, who finished in 1:58.41 – and U13 girls Fiadh Venzon, Eve Maguire, Fia McNulty and Ceola McGlinchey, who clocked 2:02.66.
Finn Valley AC athlete Arlene Crossan has been confirmed on the Ireland squad for the 2026 World Athletics Relays in Botswana.
In 2025, Arlene competed in the Irish vest at the European Indoors and the European Teams Championships.
Since the turn of 2026, Arlene twice lowered the Donegal indoor 400m record and also set a new Finn Valley AC indoor 200m record.
Arlene is on the list for the women’s 4x400m and the mixed 4x400m in Botswana with the World Relays to take place on May 2-3.
Some Finn Valley AC athletes braved the elements on Friday evening at the Milford 5k.
FVAC’s Shaun Bannigan was third overall in 17:02 with the race won by Charlie ‘Postie’ O’Donnell of Rosses AC in 16:28 ahead of Milford AC’s Paddy Ryan.
Darren Toland placed 13th, going 18:05 and there was a category win for Noreen Bonner who finished in 24:50 while Michael Penrose clocked 21:52.
Gavin McLaughlin from Convoy, who competed with distinction in the Finn Valley AC colours before moving to Australia, reached the final of the shot put in the Australian Senior Championships.
At Olympic Park in Sydney, Gavin threw a best of 16.70m in qualifying and finished 10th overall. Gavin holds the Donegal discus record, his 44.34m occurring in 2020.
Finn Valley AC athlete Dean Leeper was fourth on Sunday in the javelin at the National Spring Throws. Dean threw a best of 42.35m.
In the United States, Finn Valley AC athlete Sadie Thompson and her Union Catholic team placed fifth in the women’s 4x800m at the Arcadia Invitational.
UC were fifth in 9:07.66 with Sadie running the anchor leg. She was joined on the team by Aubrey Devers, Kayla Devine and Eden Solorzano.
Also across the Atlantic, Finn Valley AC athlete Cara Laverty won the women’s 1 mile at the Friar Invitational. A scholarship student at Providence College, Cara won in 4:44.79, winning from Grace Weigele of Stony Brook (4:47.56) and Lily Saul (4:48.16).