It was a busy week in athletics, where seven Kildare athletes were part of the international experience.

On Saturday evening at the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon, double Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet became the first woman in history to break the 14-minute barrier for 5000m. The Kenyan clocked a new world record of 13:58. 06.

The Irish senior athletics team were in sunny Slovenia competing in the European Team Championships, trying to keep cool as temperatures soared above 35 degrees.

Ireland's star female golfer Leona Maguire is competing in Kildare this week

Spectators willed Gleeson through each lap, as if they were doing it themselves

With the amount of athletics action on over the past weekend, every man, woman and child surely must have started this week feeling inspired.

Kildare athletes had phenomenal success at last Saturday’s final day of the National Juvenile Indoors. The star performer was Florence Harte (Crookstown-Millview) who set a new championship record in the girls’ u15 Triple Jump.

Kildare’s Patrick Monahan won the men’s wheelchair race in 50 minutes 59 seconds at the Dublin City Half Marathon last Sunday.

 A fantastic achievement

 The star of the National Indoor Championships from a Kildare perspective was Ciaran Connolly

The National Senior Championships has sent an exhilarating bolt of enthusiasm and energy into ensuing indoor races.

As we complete one week of the new year, we wave a firm goodbye to 2024.

The big focus last weekend was on the European Cross Country which took place in Anatalya, Turkey. For most, it was the season climax, a cumulation of the training and racing over the preceding months.

It was one of those weeks in athletics where athletes get a break between Leinsters and the Nationals.

For the second week running, numbers were good in the younger ages but remained somewhat sparse as the age rose

Celbridge also did well

Some clubs around the country cancelled due to the weather

A huge crowd turned out on Tuesday evening in Castledermot to welcome home Paralympic hero Aaron Shorten.

A global Olympic fever has spread across the world like a pandemic. People who have previously never engaged with sports are tuned in to swimming, golf, rowing, athletics and a host of other sports. Ireland already have seven medals to their credit.

Kildare athletes came away with three gold medals and several silver and bronze