IT was another weekend of high achievement for Carlow competitors at the second phase of the National Community Games finals, sponsored by the Irish League of Credit Unions, at Mosney on Saturday and Sunday.

Athletics formed the major part of the weekend Games while there was also indoor soccer, volleyball, basketball, hurling, camogie, Olympic handball, hardcourt tennis, hockey, draughts and chess.

Carlow emerged with 24 gold medals, seven silver, 45 bronze and two certificates - a really outstanding medal haul for a small county.

The outstanding showing from a Carlow athlete was that of Katie Duggan from St. Mary's (Areas 1 and 4) who won the Girls Marathon Under-17.

A member of St. Laurence O'Toole Athletic Club and a 5th. year student at St. Leo's College, Katie (16), won the 6k event by a clear margin to take gold, having given her best ever personal performance.

There was also gold glory for the Girls U-17 Marathon team which was made up of three scoring members - Katie Duggan (1st.), Marie O'Rourke from Burrin (Areas 2 and 3) who finished 13th., while Aideen Delaney from Bennekerry/Tinryland (Areas 11) finished 18th., giving a total of 32 points. Claire Crowe from St. Mary's finished 26th.

There was a total field of over 90 runners.

Michelle Cummins, aged 9, is the toast of Bagenlstown after winning the gold medal in the Girls Under-10 100 metres final on Sunday.

The girl from Fr. Cummins Park and from Area 15 was 2nd. in her heat on Saturday and third in the semi-final on Sunday. So Michelle was not favourite for the gold but reserved her best sprinting for the big occasion, taking the lead at the half-way stage and breasting the tape a metre in front of her rivals.

MICHELLE CUMMINS from Cummins Park, Bagenalstown, brought honour to her family, Area and county when winning the Girls 100 metres athletics final at the Community Games National Finals in Mosney on Sunday.

It was the third successive year for nine year old Michelle to take part in the national finals, and now Michelle has achieved her goal.

Daughter of William and Sheila Cummins, she started running at the age of four and already has a commendable collection of medals, including a silver one from Mosney in l997.

She has taken part in athletics every season since she first started the sport and has not failed to take home a medal on every occasion to date.

Michelle says she is very proud to represent her county and would like to thank all her coaches, her family and friends, for their support.