A new name and a new look for the RSA Terenure 5-Mile – the race formerly known as the Dublin 5-Mile Classic – paid off when over 1,100 registered for the race last Sunday and of those, 936 finished.
Leading them home was Rathfarnham veteran Paul Fleming in a time of 26 minutes 3 seconds. Pat McCartan of West Limerick was a close second, followed by Tallaght’s Eoin Brennan. Although every member of Sportsworld had worked on the race, a few were selected to run and leading them home was Paul O’Connell, who just outsprinted his clubmate Paul Duffy for fourth place.
In a neat coincidence, Paul is a nephew of Emily Dowling, who, with husband Mick, founded the race 28 years ago.
Raheny Shamrock dominated the women’s race, taking the top four places. Aoife Talty, fresh from her course record at the RTE 5-Mile, was first home in 28.03, followed by Fiona Roche and Annette Kealy. In fourth place was Barbara Sanchez who runs the Copenhagen Marathon next week.
Helping on the sidelines were members of the South Dublin Special Olympics Club who will benefit to the tune of over €10,000 from the race.
Although he’s a 400m specialist, Barry Cryan was one member of the club who ran, with mother Lynn keeping him company. For the last mile, Barry was paced by his coach, Ailish Smyth, the former Olympic marathon runner who is also a member of Sportsworld.
Inspired by the Special Olympic athletes, Ruth McGann, another Sportsworld regular, persuaded her neighbours Pat Lyons (who won a spot prize) and Ann Mulhare to take part in their first ever race. They finished in style.
With over 27 years experience in race organisation, Sportworld members know what runners want from a race. Every inch of the course was supervised by club members in hi viz jackets with the help of the local Gardai and all finishers got the standards technical t-shirts expected at races of this calibre.
Back at race HQ in Terenure College, a huge spread of tea, sandwiches, cake and biscuits helped maintain the party atmosphere while the results were compiled.
A full year of hard work by the large team from Sportsworld went into this race underlining yet again that when it comes to putting on a good show, club races organised by dedicated volunteers take some beating.
At the Run Kildare Marathon, Half Marathon and 10km, the first two men in both the marathon and the 10km were sent the wrong way with 300m to go. The result was that Peter Mooney won the marathon and Pat Byrne of Tinryland the 10km. First woman in the marathon and fifth overall was Pauline Curley of Tullamore. Clonliffe athletes dominated the half marathon, with Sergiu Ciobanu and Gary O’Hanlon the first two men and Ailish Malone, followed by Fionnuala Doherty, the first two women. Only a few days earlier, O’Hanlon had won the Dundalk Half Marathon.
Mairead Murphy set a new Irish heptathlon record when finishing fourth at the Big 12 Conference, Kansas. She scored 5399 points (100m hurdles 13.88, high jump 1.63, shot 11.31, 200m 24.61, long jump 5.66, javelin 31.59, 800m 2:18.8) adding five points to the previous record held by Sharon Foley. A team of eight
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| Nadine Lattimore |
Irish Paralympic throwers will compete in the IPC Athletics European Championships in Staadskanal, Holland from June 23-29 – the last major Paralympic track and field event before London 2012.
Medal hopes include Paralympic veteran Catherine O’Neill, the reigning F51 discus champion, and Orla Barry, who set a new European discus record last year. Also competing will be Eoin Cleare, shot put, Ailish Dunne, discus and shot, Nadine Lattimore, discus and shot, James McCarthy shot, Ray O’Dwyer discus, javelin and shot, and Lorraine Regan, javelin and shot.
John Travers of Donore won the 121st the Clonliffe 2-mile last week – Ireland’s oldest road race.
From the start in Finglas, the pace was hot, with Travers and Raheny Shamrock’s Kevin Moriarty hitting the mile mark in 4 minutes 20 seconds. Travers then pulled away to win in 8 mins 56 secs.
A close third was Doheny’s Joe Warne, followed by Clonliffe junior Ian Guiden. First woman in 10 mins 42 secs was Barbara Cleary, with Raheny veteran Annette Kealy second and her clubmate Sheila Coyle third.
Next up for BHAA runners and indeed anyone who likes a well-organised race off the beaten track is the annual ESB Beach 5km on Sandymount Strand next Tuesday (7.30pm). Entry costs just €10 for BHAA members and €15 for guests, with registration at the Fontenoy Clanna Gaels clubhouse on Sean Moore Road.
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