With the spring marathon season already underway, longer races all over the country attracted big numbers over the weekend.
In Omagh, Sergiu Ciobanu of Clonliffe Harriers set a new course record of 64 minutes 48 seconds on his way to victory in the Spar Omagh Half Marathon. Last year, Ciobanu has finished second in the race behind local athlete Stephen Duncan. This time, the Clonliffe man, who is training full time at the moment, streaking into an early lead and by the five mile mark was already a minute ahead of the chasers.
By the finish, he had built up a lead of over three minutes on Duncan who just out-leaned Greg Roberts for second place in 68 mins 17 secs.
With the big names in women’s distance running taking a break last weekend, Monaghan Phoenix veteran Donna Evans was first woman in 83 mins 39 secs, with Julie Balmer of North Down less than a minute behind for second place and Sperrin’s Helena Crossan third. Close to 1,500 finished the race, with another 890 in an associated fun run.
In the west of Ireland, the phenomenon that is the Connemarathon attracted over 3,000 runners, with marathon, half marathon and ultra races on offer.
World 100km champion Giorgio Calcaterra from Italy ran a phenomenal time of 3 hours 56 minutes 56 seconds for the 39.3 mile ultra race, with Irish international Keith Whyte of Ennis a distant second in 4 hrs 21 mins 38 secs and Carol Morgan the first woman in 5:25.51. An equally clear winner of the marathon was George Waugh of Bandon in 2:36.21, with triathlete Wayne Reid second and Clonmel’s Martina O’Mahony first woman.
By far the largest number turned out for the half marathon. Matt Bidwell of Galway City Harriers led home over 2,000 finishers in a very respectable time of 74 mins 30 secs for the tough undulating course from Leenane to Maam Cross.
A large group of Rathfarnham and Raheny athletes headed over the Irish Sea for the Reading Half Marathon, joining an entry of over 13,000. Leading them home was Barry Minnock of Rathfarnham who finished seventh overall in 66 mins 37 secs.
In Liverpool’s Sefton Park, Irish cross-country champion Eddie McGinley had an outstanding run for the winning Liverpool Harriers team at the Northern 12-Stage Relay.
McGinley’s time of 22 mins 37 secs, the fastest for the ninth stage, helped Liverpool to a 96 seconds victory over Salford AC from a huge total of 47 teams.
* More long races over Easter with the Ballyliffen 10-Mile Coastal Challenge in Co Donegal and the Sonny Murphy 10-Mile in Kilnaboy, Co Clare the pick of them.
Fancy running 100m on the London 2012 athletics track? That’s the prize on offer for participants at 100m races at one venue in each of the four provinces, with Santry hosts for Leinster on April 21. Everyone who signs up goes in the draw for one of the four places. Included in the overnight trip to London on Thursday May 3 are flights, an Olympic stadium tour and training with coach Tony Minichiello as well as the 100m sprint at the Olympic stadium. One condition: you must be over 16! See Athletics Ireland website.
Alistair Cragg of Clonliffe Harriers set a new Irish and European road 5km best time of 13 mins 26 secs at the Carlsbad 5000, where he finished sixth behind Ethiopian Dejen Gebremeskel.
Next up for Cragg is Saturday’s Stanford Invitational in California, where he attempts a 1500m and 5000m double. Also at Stanford Fionnuala Britton of Kilcoole will target the Olympic A-Standard of 15 mins 20 secs for 5000m.
 |
| Declan Power |
Clonliffe veteran Declan Power led home almost 300 finishers at the inaugural NBCI 10km over a two-lap course in Dublin’s Phoenix Park. Power’s time of 32 mins 56 secs put him comfortably clear of Eoin Brennan from Tallaght AC. First woman was Mayo’s Paula Prendergast in 42.32, while achieving her target of breaking her winning Women’s Mini Marathon time of 53 mins 18 secs was visually impaired athlete Hilary Casey. Paced by her sister Caroline, Hilary ran an excellent time of 50 mins 22 secs.
Gerard Heery of the local St Brigid’s club not only organised the annual Mullaghmeen hill race, he manged to win it ahead of a record entry of over a hundred. Heery’s time of 17 mins 41 secs gave him a comfortable victory over Star of the Sea junior Rob Tully. Karen O’Hanlon of Dunboyne was first woman.
Kate O’Neill won the women’s two-mile race at the Dublin City Counctil BHAA Road races at St Anne’s Park, Raheny. O’Neill’s time of 10 mins 38 secs put her just ahead of local athlete Lorraine Manning. Winning the men’s 4-mile race in 19 mins 45 secs was Eoin Flynn, back in Ireland after a long break.
* Memories of the legendary Harp BHAA race in Dundalk were revived when close to 500 turned out for the Patsy Kelly 4-Mile on the Ecco Road route. Mark Hoey was the winner in 15 mins 18 secs, with Julie McGrath first woman.
SCHOOLS ATHLETICS
A silver medal for the junior boys proved the highlight of the annual AVIVA SIAB Schools’ Cross-Country International hosted by Strathallan School, in Perth, Scotland.
Josh Kerr of Scotland set a blistering pace from the start of the 4000m race and by the end of the opening kilometre, had built up a 50 metres lead.
A conservative approach paid off for Padraic Creaven of St Mary’s College Galway. He spent the second half of the race making his ay through the field and by the finish, was within half a minute of the winner in an excellent ninth place.
Behind him, the entire Irish team had moved into the top 20 with Jack O’Leary 12th followed by Kevin Mulcaire 13th, Cathal Doyle 15th, Chinnie Izuchukwu 16th, Luke Horgan 17th and Adam O’Brien 19th. It left the Irish a clear second behind England.
Taking bronze was the boy’s inter team, led by Conal Kirk of Sullivan Upper, who produced the best individual result of the day when he finished sixth.
Kirk, with Kyle Larkin of Ard Scoil Ris, Limerick, was never far off the leading pack.
In the final kilometre Kirk he made a huge effort to catch them and almost succeeded, finishing just six seconds behind the winner. Just nine seconds behind again was Larkin, who finished 11th. With the entire team inside the top 30, it was enough for the bronze medals.
First off for the Irish had been the junior girls, with team captain Clodagh O’Reilly of Loreto Cavan quickly into the leading pack. Although a group of five English girls broke clear, Nadia Power of St MacDara’s Community College fought her way through the pack for eighth place. Less than ten seconds behind was O’Reilly in 10th. Despite their efforts, the girls were edged out of third place by Wales.
Dominating the inter girls 4000m was English athlete, Annabel Mason, who streaked into an early lead and was never caught. Leading the Irish home was Linda Conroy of Mercy, Kilbeggan who finished 13th after passing five athletes in the chase for the line.
SIAB Schools’ International Cross-Country, Perth, Scotland.
Results –
Girls – Junior 3000m: 1 Katie Rowe (Eng0 9.21; 2 Sabrina Sinha (Eng) 9.24; 3 Katie Shiel Rankin (Eng) 9.28. Irish – 8 Nadia Power 9.45, 10 Clodagh O’Reilly 9.53, 13 Carla Sweeney 9.56, 24 Amy Hamill 10.18, 27 Zoe Carruthers 10.31, 28 Cara Todd 10.34, 29 Laura Cooke 10.38, 32 Karen Kennedy 11.35. Teams – 1 England 21; 2 Scotland 90, 3 Wales 107, 4 Ireland 110.
Inter 4000m: 1 Annabel Mason (Eng) 12.39; 2 Bronwen Owen (Eng) 13.13; 3 Mari Smith (Eng) 13.16. Irish – 13 Linda Conroy 14.01, 18 Yasmin Wilson 14.08, 21 Paloma Pineda 14.12, 24 Cara Cummins 14.30, 27 Rosie Hynes 14.43, 28 Sarah Fitzpatrick 14.50, 29 Jessica Coyne 14.53, 30 Anna Sheehan 14.59. Teams – 1 England 24, 2 Wales 71, 3 Scotland 102, 4 Ireland 131.
Boys – Junior 4000m: 1 Joss Kerr (Sco) 11.45; 2 Jamie Dee (Eng) 11.51; 3 George Elliott (Eng) 11.53. Irish – 9 Padraic Creaven 12.17, 12 Jack O’Leary 12.25, 13 Kevin Mulciare 12.30, 15 Cathal Doyle 12.36, 16 Chinnie Izuchkwu 12.36, 17 Luke Horan 12.37, 19 Adam O’Brien 12.40. Teams – 1 England 27, 2 Ireland 82, 3 Scotland 111.
Inter 6000m: 1 Scott Halstead (Eng) 16.52; 2 Euan Gillham (Sco) 17.01; 3 Liam Dee (Eng) 17.05. Irish – 6 Conal Kirk 17.11, 11 Kyle Larkin 17.20, 17 Conor Christie 17.39, 19 Ryan Sharkey 17.48, 21 Andrew Wright 17.52, 23 Liam Fitzpatrick 18.00, 28 Peter Gibbons 18.29, 29 Dylan Keegan 18.44. Teams – 1 England 35, 2 Scotland 74, 3 Ireland 97.
No comments yet.