Kilkenny AAI Star Awards 2025

Kilkenny AAI Star Awards 2025

The annual Kilkenny AAI Awards for 2025 were hosted on Thursday last in the Set Theatre, Langton House, Kilkenny. The Awards night is a night to celebrate the achievements of the County’s finest athletes across Track & Field, Road Races and Cross Country events throughout the year. To look back and acknowledge the tremendous hard work and talent it takes to not only compete but win honours at County, Provincial and National level. The Star Awards are presented to an athlete who has excelled in their field at various competitions, while the Championship Best Performance recognises those that have set new Leinster Records in Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field. From juvenile athletes to master athletes, new records were set in walks, sprints, middle distance, steeplechase, throws and combined events.

Indoor Leinster Championship Best Record

U13 1000m Walk Ellie May Aylward St. Senan’s 5.43.97

U13 600m Distance Tom Doherty St. Joseph’s 1.39.02

U14 1000m Walk Tadhg O’Callaghan St. Senan’s 5.03.80

U20 3000m Walk Evan Walsh St. Joseph’s 14.13.23

U20 Shot Put Andrew Cooper Gowran 18.20m

Master O35 Shot Put Francis Abbey Brow Rangers 12.38m

Master O75 Shot Put Murty Kelly Brow Rangers 8.98m

Outdoor Leinster Championship Best Record

U13 1200m Walk Ellie May Aylward St. Senan’s 6.47.71

U17 200m Sprint Matias Quaglia Kilkenny City Harriers 22.22

U18 Decathlon James Kelsey Gowran 4107pts

Master O35 3000m Steeplechase Matt Ryan Gowran 14.47.64    

Master O40 Heavy Hammer 10.06m and Throws Heptathlon 3189pts Kieran Kelly Brow Rangers

Master O40 Weight for Height 55lb Sean Maher Brow Rangers 3.8m

Master O45 3000m Steeplechase Graham Bourne Kilkenny City Harriers 11.41.54

Master O50 3000m Walk Maggie Helen O’Connor St. Joseph’s 16.28.54

Master O55 Shot Put 9.54m and Weight For Distance 3.6m Verena Fenlon St. Joseph’s

Master O55 Heavy Hammer 11.85m, Weight for Height 4m and Throws Heptathlon 4524pts Joe Kelly Brow Rangers

Master O60 Heavy Hammer Mary Breen St. Joseph’s 7.79m

Master O70 Throws Heptathlon Murty Kelly Brow Rangers 4550pts

The Star Awards recognise those that have had success in various competitions throughout the year, winning or placing in the top positions in every competition they compete in. Like the Championship Best Records, there were many of the county clubs represented as winners were honoured.

Juvenile Cross Country Daniel Greene Kilkenny City Harriers.

This was Daniel’s 2^nd year to win a Star award, and this year his accolades included winning golds at County, Leinster and National Cross Country levels. 1^st County U14, 1^st County U15, 1^st Leinster U14, 3^rd Leinster U15, 1^st National U14, 8^th National U15

Juvenile Track and Field, Conor Knox Kilkenny City Harriers

Conor Knox is no stranger to the podium, having won numerous medals and podium places in 2025, in many different disciplines. Conor’s Shot Put is one of his strongest events in the combined competitions so far and no doubt one to watch again this year as he competes in the Nationals next month. Conor’s achievements for 2025 are exceptional County Indoors 1^st HJ, 1^st SP, 2^nd 60m, County T&F 1^st 80m, 1^st Hammer, 1^st HJ, 1^st LJ, 1^st TJ, 2^nd 200m. Leinster Indoors 1^st HJ, 1^st SP, 1^st LJ, 2^nd Combined. Leinster T&F 2^nd LJ, 2^nd Discus, 2^nd Combined, 3^rd HJ. National Indoors 1^st LJ, 3^rd Combined, 4^th HJ, 4^th SP. National T&F 3^rd Discus, 4^th LJ, 6^th LJ.

Senior Cross Country Callum Barron Kilkenny City Harriers

Callum Barron had his most successful season in 2025, winning many Leinster titles on the track in the 3000m and 5000m, but his most honourable win was his fantastic 1^st place finish in the National Novice Cross Country in Abbottstown last December. In the most horrendous wintery conditions with lasing rain and howling winds, on a course that saw athletes knee height in muck up from the very 1^st lap, Callum ran a superb tactical race keeping within the top pack before he broke for the gold in spectacular fashion. Callum’s honours include County Junior T&F 3000m 1^st, County Senior T&F 800m 2^nd, Leinster Junior 3000m 1^st, Leinster Junior 5000m 1^st, Leinster Junior XC 3^rd, National Novice XC 1^st, Junior Autumn Open XC 6^th, National Junior 5000m 4^th, National Junior XC 6^th.

Senior Track and Field Shane Power St. Joseph’s A.C.

Shane Power St. Joseph’s certainly sailed to new heights this year as he clinched the double honours in Pole Vault at Leinster Indoors and Outdoors last spring. Shane had a great pole vault season medalling in 4 out of 6 competitions with top 4 placing in all events throughout the year. Leinster Senior Indoors Pole Vault 1^st, Leinster Senior T&F 1^st, National Senior Indoor Pole Vault 3^rd, National Senior T&F Pole Vault 4^th, AAI Indoor Games Pole Vault 2^nd, Cork City Sports Pole Vault 4^th.

Walks Athlete Evan Walsh St. Joseph’s A.C.

Evan has walked his way through the rankings from a promising young juvenile race walker to a record setting Junior athlete who also represented Ireland at the SIAB during 2025. Evan dominated the race walks in 2025 in both the U18 and Junior age categories winning medals at county, Leinster and National levels. Evan won silver at the SIAB for his School and Country during his very successful year. County Indoors U18 1^st, County T&F U18 Walk 1^st, Leinster Indoor U18 1500m Walk 1^st, Leinster Indoor U20 3000m Walk 1^st, Leinster T&F U18 5000m Walk 1^st, National Indoor U20 3k Walk 3^rd, National Indoor U18 1500m Walk 2^nd, National T&F U18 5k Walk 1^st, National T&F U20 3k Walk 3^rd.

 Junior Athlete Rachel Gardiner Gowran A.C

Rachel has won many honours throughout her juvenile throwing career at all levels, and has won her Star Award having competed at Junior age for 20025. Rachel’s preferred throws of Shot Put and Weight for Distance at Indoors and Discus and WFD at Outdoors have proved very successful for her this year, with numerous medals and top 8 National places for her efforts. County Junior T&F 1^st WFD, 1^st Shot Put, 1^st Discus, Leinster Junior Indoor 1^st SP, 1^st WFD, Leinster Junior T&F 2^nd SP, 2^nd WFD, 2^nd Discus, National Junior Indoor 2^nd WFD, 6^th SP, National Junior T&F 2^nd WFD, 8^th SP, 8^th Discus.

Road Athlete James Kelly Castlecomer A.C.

James Kelly Castlecomer is an accomplished athlete in both road races and cross country races, but this year saw him win his Star Award for all his achievements in County, Leinster and National Road races. Competing at various different race distances from 10km to half marathon James won many titles with excellent top 12 finishes at National level to earn his award. County 10km road race 1^st, County Half Marathon 1^st, Leinster MO35 1^st, Leinster Half Marathon O35 6^th, National Road 5km O35 6^th, National Road 10km O35 11^th, National Half Marathon O35 6^th.  

Masters Athlete Graham Bourne Kilkenny City Harriers

Graham Bourne is no stranger to Master competitions and competes in many of the Master events in various disciplines which includes setting a new Leinster Record in the 3000m Steeplechase for the past few years. From the pentathlon to the 400mH and Triple jump Graham has settled himself into the Multi Event category for Leinster’s and Nationals. County T&F O40 2^nd 5000m, 2^nd 200m, 1^st 100m, 1^st 1500m, 1^st HJ, 1^st 800m, 3^rd LJ, 2^nd Jav, Leinster Indoors 2^nd 60mH, 1^st TJ, 1^st PV, 1^st WFD. Leinster T&F O45 3^rd CE, 1^st 110mH, 1^st 400mH, 1^st HJ, 1^st TJ, 1^st 3000m Steeplechase. National Indoors O45 1^st 60mH, 2^nd PV, 3^rd TJ, National T&F 2^nd O45 Pentathlon, 2^nd Heavy Hammer, 2^nd Steeplechase, 2^nd 400mH.

International Athlete Peter Lynch Kilkenny City Harriers

What a year 2025 was for Peter Lynch Kilkenny City Harriers, starting his year off with a notable half marathon time of 1:01.15 to put him at number 5 on the Irish all time list. Peter followed this up with a memorable 10Mile performance in Washington that saw him finish in 7^th while setting a new National 10Mile record of 45.59. On his way to setting the 10Mile record Peter ran a new Personal Best in the 15km in America in March at 42.54. April 2025 proved to be the one of the main highlights of the year as he ran in 3^rd place in the Dusseldorf Marathon whilst also setting a new National Record time of 2:09.36, his second National record of the year and his qualifying time for the World Championships in Tokyo. On Day 3 of the World Athletics Championships Peter ran a well measured race to cross the line in a time of 2:14:12. A solid year in 2025 for Peter Lynch and no doubt we will see him succeed in many more races in this coming year too.