01/05/2015
Archived item. This item is published here for historical reasons. The information below may be out of date.
On Thursday, 14th May 2015, South Dublin County Council is holding our 4th Annual Primary Schools Cross Country Finals. This year we have over 2,000 children, between the ages of 9-12 years, participating monthly in their local park, representing their school. The event is targeted at students in 3rd-6th classes across the county.
These children have been participating in the local park, in all kinds of weather, close to their school during the months of February, March and April in venues across Clondalkin, Lucan, Tallaght. After months of training we are bringing all 49 primary schools together to compete at the one venue for finals day on the 14th May…that’s 2,102 children out in our regional park.
The event is about collecting points for your school- so the top 10 children in each race have their points recorded. The event is about fun and participation and each school has been able to send up to 50 children per event. The success of the programme is due to the short yet challenging distances of cross country running; 3rd class run 300m / 4th class run 400m / 5th class run 500m and 6th class run 600m.
The schools have really bought into this programme as a means of increasing children physical activity levels, but also they have reported that attendance at school has increased for some children participating on the programme, and attention levels in class have also improved. The spin off of the event is that children are out at 8:30am before school running around their car park, football pitch or any open space they can find. Although the school can only send 50 children to our event each month there are over 200 children running in some schools each day.
The Primary Schools Cross Country Finals will be held in Corkagh Park, Clondalkin (just off Newlands Cross) on Thursday, 14th May 2015 from 10am – 1.30pm
For further information
Contact: Paula Swanye, Sports Officer at ph 086-8292443 or email pswayne@sdublincoco.ie