European Clubs Cup - Men's Report

Liz McDonagh
10 hours ago
4 min read

A championships like this is never just about the athletes competing on the track. It takes an enormous team effort behind the scenes, and the DSDAC men’s team are hugely grateful to everyone who helped make the trip possible.

A massive thank you goes to our physios, Aidan and Colleen, who worked tirelessly throughout the weekend to keep the squad healthy, prepared and ready to compete. Their support across the championships was invaluable and helped us to claim points we may have otherwise not got!

To our coaches — Avril, Ken, Peter, Mary, Meghan, Rob, Lucy and Kevin — thank you for the countless hours, energy and belief you invest into athletes year after year. Your commitment to developing athletes and creating a high-performance environment within the club is what made weekends like this possible. It was especially special to have coaches there not only supporting, but in some cases competing alongside the team as well.

A special thank you also to Rachel, captain of the women’s team. Having both the men’s and women’s teams competing together at the European Champion Clubs Cup made the occasion even more memorable. Growing up in DSDAC, the women’s team regularly competed at these championships, I was always jealous! Watching the standard they set over the years helped drive the ambition within the men’s team to one day qualify and compete on this stage ourselves.

The biggest thank you of all goes to Sharon, whose work behind the scenes was extraordinary. As team manager, Sharon put an incredible amount of time, effort and care into organising every aspect of the trip, ensuring everything ran smoothly for athletes and staff alike. Much of the work that makes a championships successful happens long before the first event begins, and we are hugely grateful for everything she did for the team not just for this event but for the last several years. To put it simply we really wouldn’t have been there if it wasn’t for Sharon!

Thank you as well to Alan McGilton for all of his help and support with organising travel and flight details in the lead up to the championships.

Finally, thank you to Dundrum South Dublin AC itself — for years of support, belief and investment into athlete development and high performance. Opportunities like this are built over many years through the dedication of coaches, volunteers, supporters and athletes all pulling in the same direction. And of course, thank you to every athlete who competed for the club and made the championships such a memorable experience. Every point mattered, every performance counted, and the team spirit shown across the weekend was exceptional. A special mention must go to those athletes who stepped into unfamiliar events for the good of the team — your willingness to put the club first captured exactly what DSDAC is all about.

The men of Dundrum South Dublin AC proudly represented Ireland at the European Champion Clubs Cup this weekend, taking on some of the strongest club teams in Europe in Castellón, Spain. Competing against professional Olympic athletes and world champions, the squad showed the grit, resilience and togetherness that has become synonymous with DSDAC.

Led throughout the weekend by Club Captain Ciaran Carthy, the team dug deep across every discipline, with athletes stepping up for the club at every opportunity and battling for every point. From the opening sprint events through to the closing relays and field competitions, the men wore the striped singlet with enormous pride.

A huge part of this journey belongs to Willem Geuskens. Willem played a massive role in getting the club to these championships in the first place, contributing hugely throughout the National League Rounds last year and helping drive the team onto the European stage. That made it all the more heartbreaking to see him pick up an injury during the competition. The entire squad was gutted for him, knowing the work, commitment and passion he poured into helping DSDAC reach this level. Even sidelined, Willem remained a huge presence within the group and embodied the team spirit that carried the club through the weekend. All of us are wishing Willem a speedy recovery and the best of luck as he prepares to move back home to Belgium and start the next chapter of his life. You’ll always be one of us!

The championships once again highlighted the standard of European club athletics, but also showed that DSDAC belongs on that stage. Every athlete who travelled contributed to an unforgettable experience for the club, gaining valuable experience while continuing to build the reputation of Irish athletics abroad.

Representing your club at a European Championships is a rare privilege, and the DSDAC men can return home proud of the fight, camaraderie and commitment they showed throughout the competition.

(Report by Ciaran Carthy, Track Capt.)