Somba and Curley Win Battle of Clontarf

Amid the debris of the Battle of Clontarf  millennium celebration, 334 turned out for the inaugural Battle of Clontarf Brian Boru 10-Mile in St Anne’s Park.

On a glorious spring morning, Peter Brandon Somba, a 21-year-old athlete from Kenya on his first visit to Ireland, was soon pushing the pace. After winning the Connemarathon Half Marathon a fortnight ago, Somba was running his first ever 10-mile and was delighted to come home in just over 50 minutes.

His friend Lezan Kimutai, who won the Dublin Marathon in 2004 (breaking Jerry Kiernan’s long-standing course record) and, most recently, the Connemarathon, unfortunately ran off course midway thorough the race. That left  the way open for  Raheny’s Brian Leahy to take second place and also to win the Leinster 10-Mile title, with Stephen Moore of Crusaders a close second. Kimutai finished fourth and first M40, with Bernard Roe of Raheny fifth.

Anne Curley of Donore Harriers was a clear winner of the women’s title in 62 mins 42 seconds, with Dunboyne‘s Emilia Dan second and triathlete Jennifer Duffy third ahead of Orna Dilworth from Sportsworld.

Battle of Clontarf Brian Boru 10-Mile, St Anne’s Park, Dublin. Incorp Leinster 10-Mile C’ships. www.championchipireland.com.

Men: 1 Peter Brandon (Athenry AC, Kenya) 50.07, 2 Brian Leahy (Raheny Shamrock, M35) 54.23, 3 Stephen Moore (Crusaders) 54.33, 4 Lezan Kimutai Athenry AC, Kenya, M40) 56.03, 5 Bernard Roe (Raheny Shamrtock) 56.34, 6 Ronan Hartnett (M35) 57.35. M35: 3 Paul O’Connell (Sportsworld) 57.45. M40: 2 Dermot Kelly 62.21, 3 Donal McGrath 62.59. M45: 1 Sean Kinnane 63.03, 2 Donald Quinn 63.12, 3 Colm Kernan 66.24. M50: 1 Eddie Newman (Mullingar Hrs) 57.50, 2 Ger Maloney (St Paul’s) 60.19, 3 Philip O’Doherty (Clonliffe) 61.56. M55: Paddy Parrott (MSB) 64.58, 2 Terry Clarke (Rathfarnham WSAF) 67.14, 3 Charlie O’Neill (Donore) 73.40. M60: Ray Carpenter 73.36. M65: Richard Connolly (Clonliffe) 78.02.

Women: 1 Anne Curley (Donore, W40) 62.42, 2 Emilia Dan (Dunboyne, W40) 64.25, 3 Jennifer Duffy (Pirhana TC, W35) 66.00, 4 Orna Dilworth (Sportsworld) 66.29, 5 Jenny O’Sullivan (Raheny Shamrock) 66.48, 6 Olwyn Dunne (Crusaders,W45). W55: Sheelagh Jones (DSD)