In Tullamore on Saturday, it was a day for almost every school and every town, a celebration of youth's innocent desire to go faster, higher, stronger, and where those with stars in their eyes start their climb for the top.

Qualification, through the Leinsters, Munsters and equivalent, is reminiscent of the US Olympic trials: top finishers only and no exceptions. Around 16,000 had been whittled down to 1,000; and this was showtime.

First to grab the spotlight was Liam Reale, who broke from the gun for the senior boys 800 metres and didn't look back. The only thing to beat was the clock, and it stopped on one minute 51.24 seconds - less than two tenths short of the 19year-old record.

If it wasn't for the wind, Reale would have been celebrating a sub-1:50. That should come soon and the Limerick student, who won the steeplechase last year, will chase further dreams at Providence College in the US from August.

Deirdre Byrne took a 1,5003,000 metre double. No prizes for guessing a previous winner here and Byrne, running for St Mary's, Arklow, will also follow her fortunes Stateside.

Right now, though, Irish sprinting has never been better. Take Joanne Cuddihy from Kilkenny, smooth and tidy when winning the 200-400 metres senior double - the latter in a record-breaking 55.26 seconds. Or Dara Graham from Wicklow, a 100-200 metres senior double and now the fastest boy in Ireland. Or David Gillick's record-equalling 48.54 seconds in the senior 400 metres. But the biggest event of the day was in the field. Eoin Leen, 18 stone of pure muscle, threw the intermediate shot a massive 18.76 metres. The previous record - 18.14 metres - had stood for 14 years under the name Victor Costello, Olympian and rugby international. Leen (who also won the discus) is an all-smiling Tralee student, and there was no more popular winner. Too bad he's going to miss out on the European Youth Olympics because of the ego-squabbling between the AAI and OCI.