Silver For Whelan At National Champs  

Brendan Whelan contested his first National Track Championships at the Weekend (July 26th / 27th) and won a Silver National Medal in the Irish Sprint Competition

Whelan had made the Track Championships his main goal for the 2008 season - in his last year as a Senior 1 competitor - and was delighted with his result after almost 12 hours of intense Track Competition.

Whelan Qualified for the knockout rounds third fastest, by a fraction of a second behind Track Specialist Michael Mulcahy and National TT Champion Paul Healion.

Brendan faced a tough draw - eventually meeting Medal hope Keith Meghan in the Quarter finals. Whelan won his two rounds - but had been pushed hard, and was visibly slowing throughout the evening.

On the other side of the draw - Michael Mulcahy breezed through to the final - where he would meet Whelan after winning a tough semi final.

Both riders had an unbeaten run to the final - and, although the young Limerick Pursuits rider was the hot favorite - The Lucan camp had hopes of an upset by a rider almost 19 years older than his competitor

However the long day and tough early rounds had taken their toll on Whelan - and he went home with a National Silver Medal for his Stagg Cycles Lucan Club.

Roisin Kennedy was also in action for Lucan - and LCRCs road rider competed well against the Track specialists in two tough days of racing .

Kennedy has been improving on the Track - and she hopes to be more competitive next season. Both riders are now heading to Manchester - where Whelan will contest the European Masters Championships at Manchester Velodrome.