Our most Improved Athlete of The Year Award was also presented in early January and this year’s very worthy recipient was Rachel Butler. Having only joined the Club in 2011 Rachel really made her presence felt in 2012 – she too began the year at the All Ireland ‘B’ Cross Country Championships where she finished 6th in the U11 event and was also a part of the Club Team that finished 2nd and the Country Team who finished 1st. From there Rachel focused her attentions on the Track & Field Season where she finished 3rd in the 60mts at the County Indoors and also finished 3rd in the 60mts at the County Outdoors. It was clear that Rachel’s passion of running lay in the Cross Country Circuit and it was here that her season was really set alight. She finished 1st in the County Cross Country Championships U11 and 6th in the U12 competition and was also part of the U11 & U12 Club teams who finished 2nd at these championships. Rachel then moved on to Munster and finished 4th at the U11 competition and 11th in the U12 event and so qualified to represent Munster at both National Cross Country Championships. Rachel really impressed at both events finishing 7 th in U11 and 4th in the U12 competition and was also part of the Munster Teams that finished 1 st U11 and 2nd U12. What a year Rachel had particularly on the Cross Country scene where she made her mark by competing admirably with the best athletes in Ireland and therefore deservedly so Rachel was presented with the 2012 ‘Most Improved Athlete of The Year’ Award by Club Chairman Paddy Doyle.
