WORLD medals for JOY JOHNSON and TONY GARTLAND.

Two of our fellow Sli Cualann athletes have won medals at recent World C/ship events.

The World Masters Mountain Running Championships took place at Janské Láznĕ in the Krkonoše Mountains (Giant Mountains), Czech Republic on 31 August, 2013. Joy Johnson competed in the W40 category. The championship race was over 8.6 km to Černá hora, an uphill climb of over 650 m in warm conditions. The Irish team came third behind the Czech Republic (1,5,8 = 14pts) and Germany (3,14,15=32 pts), with Zoe Melling 10^th, Vanessa Salier 12^th and Joy Johnson 13^th (35 pts) taking the Bronze team medals. Bray Runners extends its heartiest congratulations to Joy on this fine achievement on the World stage..

At the 19th World Transplant Games held in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa from 28^th July to 4^th August, Tony Gartland (Slí Cualann) was one of three Irish athletes to win four medals. In the M50-59 category Tony took Gold in the 5,000 m race walk event. To this he added a Silver medal in the 5K road race championship, and two Bronze medals in the 800 m and 1500 m. An active participant in sport in his youth, at age 19 Tony was diagnosed with active chronic hepatitis. A decade of ill health followed. Tony became the first person in Ireland to undergo a liver transplant in St. Vincent’s 20 years ago.

Tony competes in all the Co. Wicklow Championships, Leinster Championships and Athletics Ireland National Championships. He supports all the local road races and Fit4Life events. Tony Gartland is an inspiration to all of us. All at Bray Runners congratulate Tony on his outstanding success.