Latest news with #Portaferry
Irish Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Euro champ Sarah Healy pays tribute to Ciara Mageean and looks forward to Worlds
Sarah Healy has described Ciara Mageean as "such a fighter" as her Team Ireland colleague continues her cancer treatment. Healy, who won the European Indoors 3000m title in March, was shocked when the beloved Portaferry athlete made the announcement at the start of the month. "Obviously it was such sad news to hear," said the 24-year-old. "And yeah, it's really shocking to hear when someone so young and so healthy faces something like that. "But just sending her support and we know that she's such a fighter and I'm sure she'll, as she said herself, take that fight into what she's facing now. We're all just thinking of her and are behind her. And I guess it really puts a lot of things in perspective." Sadly, Mageean won't be able to compete at the World Championships in September after she won Europeans gold last year and then had her Olympic dream ripped away by an Achilles tear. Healy will fly the flag for Irish women's middle distance running in the 33-year-old's absence after a breakthrough year. Her own Olympic dream also ended in heartbreak, but on the track, as she failed to translate strong form into performances when it really counted in Paris. A mentality change in the aftermath saw her strike gold in the Euro Indoors as she focused more on the enjoyment of competing than the pressure of performing on the biggest stages. Sarah Healy wins the Women's 1500m during the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea, part of the 2025 Diamond League at Stadio Olimpico on June 6 (Image:) Healy has backed that up over a hugely encouraging summer of Diamond League runs - including victory in Rome - that leave her top of the standings with four meetings left. "Which is almost kind of funny," she smiled. "I think it's just because I've won one of them, but it's really cool and I'm going to race in Silesia and then hopefully the final in Zurich. "This year I was lucky enough to just get into the first one and win it - from there you're sorted in terms of getting into the next ones. The women's 1500 is really nicely spaced apart on the schedule." It is suggested to her that a string of PBs confirm that she is in the best form of her life. "It's more the racing than the times," said Healy. "I've obviously run a few of my fastest times ever, which is great, but I've been more happy with my performances and places than my times, to be honest. That's given me more confidence and I'm hoping there's faster in me - and I think there is." The former UCD athlete will be at Morton Stadium in Santry to compete in the National Senior Track and Field Championships this weekend, but in the 800m rather than the 1500m or 3000m events. Olympian Sarah Healy was speaking to media ahead of this weekend's National Senior Track and Field Championships which take place at Morton Stadium across Saturday Aug 2nd and Sunday Aug 3rd (Image: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile) Healy rarely competes at the distance but sees this as a great opportunity to run a fast one. "It will probably be a good quality field at nationals and it's just a good chance for me to challenge myself in a different way," she remarked. "I'm just lucky I was able to do it at home. Normally, running an 800 brings me on a lot in the 1500 so that was my thought process." The Worlds are just six weeks away and Healy is tentatively eyeing up another podium finish. "That's obviously the main goal," she acknowledged. "The big goal would be to make the final, I've never made a (outdoor) final before and in Paris I didn't even make the semi-final, so I'm just taking it one round at a time. "I've improved my world ranking this year to seventh, which is a lot higher than I've ever been ranked before, but obviously it means nothing once you get there. But based off that I do know I have the ability to make a final - and once you make a final who knows what can happen. "At the stage of my career that I'm at now, a final would be huge, a huge step forward and that would be my aim. I know I'm capable. I know I'm the fittest I've ever been and feel confident, but also know that I've got more in me this season. "So I'm still excited to race, I want to race more and I've still got a lot to do. So it's kind of the perfect place to be, I think." Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email .
Irish Independent
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
‘She doesn't leave my mind at the moment' – Sarah Lavin's thoughts with Ciara Mageean following cancer diagnosis
Mageean publicly shared her shock diagnosis on Instagram earlier this month and wrote that she had started treatment. Lavin has been part of numerous Ireland squads with Mageean, including last year's European Championships where the Portaferry athlete won her European gold as well as the squad for the Paris Olympics when Mageean had to withdraw on the eve of her heat with an Achilles injury. Lavin says she was shocked to hear about Mageean's diagnosis. 'Complete and utter shock. Ciara is the queen of our team. She has always been such a stellar person, obviously one of our most prolific athletes ever,' Lavin said. 'She's your safe person that you go to talk to and that you go to before your race and eases you and makes you feel better. She's a very special person. Obviously an incredible athlete and she doesn't leave my mind at the moment. 'Just shock and sending everything possible, well wishes and healing, her way because it's just the injustice of life sometimes isn't it?' Lavin has been working with a new consultant biomechanist this year in an effort to break her national record and run as fast as she can in the 100m hurdles at the World Championships in Tokyo in September. Paul Brice is a former sprint hurdler who competed for Great Britain at junior and senior level and was part of London Olympic champion Jessica Ennis's specialist team. Along with her long-standing coach Noelle Morrissey, Brice is helping Lavin get up to speed sooner for the first hurdle which means altering her take-off point. They reviewed data and noted that her flight time over hurdle one was 0.330 when competitors can do it in 0.2/0.229. With her national record of 12.62 from the 2023 World Championships, Lavin believes she needs to run 12.5 to make the final in Tokyo. 'The biggest thing was I was getting too close to the first hurdle and then skying it so my angle of projection was off, not to get too technical about it. 'But we've pulled me back a little bit so the difference of me taking off at one metre 87 versus two metres is massive with regards to flight time. It's 0.15 on just one hurdle so it's just being able to do that consistently. 'It's really, really wonderful when it's working well and incredibly frustrating when you don't do it right. The first few races, you're trying to find confidence in that also and faith and trust in the change. 'But I do believe we're on the right path and so it's been enjoyable up to this point.' Lavin was the sole Irish winner at last month's European Athletics Team Championships in Slovenia where she won the 100m hurdles in 12.82, just outside her season's best of 12.76. At the National Championships next month, Lavin is likely to double up for the 100m hurdles and the 200m as the schedule might inhibit her doing the 100m and 100m hurdles. If a 400m specialist like Sharlene Mawdsley or Sophie Becker decides to drop down to the 200m, it could make for a tasty head-to-head at Santry. 'I can see me running the 200m and the 100m hurdles. I will be terrified. When you see me on the start line for the 200m, just know that the fear of god is within me. 'If a few of the 400m girls go in it, it'll end up being a really good race.' *Sarah Lavin was speaking at an event to announce SPAR and EUROSPAR as official retail partners to the Olympic Federation of Ireland.
BreakingNews.ie
11-07-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Accused had been drinking before hit-and-run that killed child (12), court hears
A man accused of causing the death of a boy in a hit-and-run collision in Co Down told police he had been drinking in two bars before the incident, a court has heard. Newtownards Magistrates' Court also heard that there is 'significant anger' in Portaferry over the collision which killed 12-year-old Lucas Trainor. Advertisement Lucas was riding a scooter in the Strand area of the town on Tuesday evening when he was involved in a collision with a red Skoda Fabia. He died later from his injuries. Peter Andrew Milligan (51), of Ashmount Park in Portaferry, faced 11 charges when he appeared in the dock of the court on Friday using crutches. He was charged with causing death by dangerous driving, causing death by careless driving, failing to stop and failing to remain at the scene of an accident and failing to report it. Milligan also faced charges over driving without insurance and without a licence and of failing to provide a breath sample to police. Advertisement Milligan appeared at Newtownards Magistrates' Court on Friday (Brian Lawless/PA) He was further charged with failing to stop, failing to remain at the scene and failure to report relating to a second crash which occurred shortly after the collision in which Lucas died. A defence solicitor told the court: 'I have been instructed by Mr Milligan to express his profound remorse and regret to the family of Lucas for the loss of an innocent child.' The lawyer said his client understood the charges. A PSNI detective constable said he was aware of the facts and could connect Milligan to them. Advertisement Following a defence application for bail, the officer told the court that police had responded to a report of a road collision in the Strand area of Portaferry shortly after 11pm on Tuesday. They found Lucas with serious injuries. The officer said the boy had later died despite medical intervention. The officer told the court that witnesses had seen a red Skoda driving at speed, colliding with the boy and then driving off. He said police then responded to a second report around 15 minutes later where a red Skoda had struck the wall of a property around four miles away. Advertisement The detective constable told the court there was damage to the vehicle's front windscreen consistent with a collision other than that with the wall. Milligan was the registered owner of the car. The officer said the defendant was not at home and, following a search, was discovered after 3am less than half a mile from the scene of the abandoned car. He refused to take part in a breath test and was then taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with a fractured foot. Advertisement The officer said: 'A post-mortem examination was conducted and showed that Lucas died due to traumatic head injuries as a result of the collision.' CCTV obtained by police showed the defendant drinking in a bar in Portaferry on the night of the collision. The officer said the images showed him drinking a number of pints of beer before leaving the bar at around 10.30pm. The officer said further CCTV showed a red Skoda travelling at speed through Portaferry, almost colliding with a pedestrian, before colliding with Lucas. He said Milligan had made full admissions during a police interview. The police officer told the court: 'He stated he was drinking in two bars in Strangford and Portaferry, states he had a lift home from his friend, went into his house to check on his mother, before getting into his car to, in his words, 'go for a spin', despite being under the influence of alcohol. 'He states he drove along the Shore Road, collided with the victim, and drove on. He stated he did not know what he had hit and panicked and continued driving.' The officer said police strongly objected to bail on the basis of the risk of further offending. The detective constable said police also objected to bail out of concern for Milligan's safety. He said: 'Being on the ground in Portaferry over the last couple of days and speaking with the neighbourhood officers, there is significant anger in the local community and police fear that violence could be inflicted on the defendant should he be released.' The defence solicitor said it was a 'very tragic accident … the defendant has admitted causing the death and admitted driving'. He said Milligan was the sole carer for his 83-year-old mother, who has dementia. Ireland Boy dies following Co Down hit-and-run Read More The lawyer also raised concern that it could be three years before the case would be ready to proceed at Crown Court. District Judge Natasha Fitzsimons said she believed there were no bail conditions she could impose which could manage the risk of reoffending. She denied the bail application and Milligan was remanded in custody until July 30.
BBC News
11-07-2025
- BBC News
Portaferry: Man in court accused of hit and run killing of child
A man has appeared in court charged with causing death by dangerous driving and driving under the influence of drink or drugs after a 12-year-old boy was killed in Portaferry on Trainor was riding a scooter when he was hit by a vehicle in the Strand area of the town. He was taken to hospital but died as a result of his injuries.A post-mortem examination showed that Lucas died from traumatic head at Newtownards Magistrates' court, Peter Andrew Milligan, 51, from Ashmount Park in Portaferry, was also charged with failing to stop where an accident occurred, failing to remain at the scene and failing to report an accident. The Trainor family were in court watching proceedings. Before the hearing began, a solicitor representing Mr Milligan told the court he would like to "express his profound remorse to the family of Lucas for the loss of their precious child".The court heard that Mr Milligan had been drinking in a bar in Strangford before the hit and run. The court was told he was "driving at speed" when he hit the 12-year-old on The Strand Road in Portaferry. 'Significant anger in area' A detective constable said that he could connect the accused to the charges. He told the court Mr Milligan was "driving at speed when he collided with the child and made off". He said Mr Milligan was "then involved in a second road collision when he collided with a low wall". He then abandoned the car and "made off, but was later arrested", he heard Mr Milligan refused a breath test, but a blood test had found that he had been detective constable told the court that Mr Milligan was "actively trying to evade police" and there was "significant anger in the local area" after the boy's death.A solicitor representing Mr Milligan said his client "got into his car to go for a spin" and that he "did not know what he'd hit but panicked and drove on".The judge said she considered Mr Milligan to be at risk of reoffending, bail was refused, and he will appear again on 30 July.
Irish Times
10-07-2025
- Irish Times
Man charged over hit-and-run in which boy on scooter died
A man has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving following a hit-and-run incident in Co Down . A boy was riding a scooter in the Strand area of Portaferry on Tuesday evening when he was involved in a collision with a red Skoda Fabia. He died from his injuries in hospital. The PSNI said a 51-year-old man has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving and other driving-related offences. READ MORE He is due to appear before Newtownards Magistrates' Court on Friday. —PA
