Fionnuala McCormack of Kilcoole finished fifth at the Cross Internacional de Atapuerca in Burgos, Spain. Over the 8km course, McCormack finished just 48 seconds behind the race winner Senbere Teferi of Ethiopia who clocked a time of 24mins 45 secs with McCormack 48 seconds behind. Newcastle’s Kerry O’Flaherty was 24th in 27.21, Anne Marie McGlynn of Letterkenny 32nd in 27:37 and Laura Shaughnessy of DSD 40th in 27.52.
In the men’s race, which was won by the Ethiopian Ayalew Aweka running for Bahrain in 25 mins 5 secs, Kilkenny’s Brian Maher was 67th in 27.39, David Flynn of Clonliffe 72nd in 27:51 and Kevin Kelly 104th in 28.43. Barry Keane was 14th in the junior men’s race, with James Fallon 34th. In the junior women’s race Castlecomer’s Lauren Dermody was 21st in 14 mins 16 secs, Niamh Carey of DSD 
23rd in 14.20 and Niamh Corry of Raheny 24th in 14:29.
MULLINGAR’S Mark Christie won the men’s senior title at the Leinster Cross-Country Championships in Tyrrelspass. Just seven seconds behind Christie was Liam Brady of Tullamore Harriers, with this pair the class of the field. Kilkenny’s Thomas Hayes was third and Colin Maher of Ballyfin fourth. Raheny Shamrock, with Ian Conroy sixth and Simon Ryan eighth, took the team title ahead of Tullamore Harriers and Mullingar Harriers; eight clubs fielded teams.
Donore’s Barbara Cleary, who took a surprise bronze medal at the Dublin Cross-Country Championships after a long injury break, won the women’s race. Cleary finished comfortably clear of Kilmore’s Fiona Kehoe, with Catherina Mullen of MSB third. Best of the teams was Liffey Valley, led home by Aileen Gittens in seventh place. Tullamore Harriers were second and Kilmore third.
Philip Marron of Ratoath won the Junior/U19 race from Jack Boylan of Dunleer with only a second in it. Emma O’Brien of Sli Cualann was first of the Junior/U19 women, with Avril Deegan from Ballyroan Abbeyleix second.
IN THE USA, Sarah Collins, who comes from a Cork family but was brought up in Switzerland, finished fourth in the North East Region Cross-Country helping Providence women to victory. In the men’s race, Hugh Armstrong from Ballina finished 13th placing with his team fourth. Siofra Cleirigh Buttner of DSD led home Villanova when she finished seventh at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships, with the Villanova women second team.
Clonmel’s Sean Tobin finished 10th at the South Region Championships helping Ole Mississippi to team victory. All four will compete for their college teams at next week’s NCAA Cross-Country Championships.
CAITRIONA JENNINGS Jennings won the senior women’s race at the Donegal Cross-Country races in Stranorlar. Jennings led from the start of the 5km to win in 18 mins 36 secs just a fortnight after her second place in the Irish marathon championships. Letterkenny beat Finn Valley for the women’s title.
Finn Valley dominated the men’s race, with Chris Johnston winning the race from Eoghan McGinley of Letterkenny , with Finn Vallye first team ahead of Letterkenny and Inishowne. Leading home the Inishowen team in eighth was Pauric McKinney. No sooner had the 51–year–old had led the Irish M50 team to silver at the British and Irish Masters’ cross country International in Glasgow yesterday than he took a flight from Glasgow arriving home in time to run for his club today.
WINNERS of the Remembrance Run 5km in the Phoenix Park were Doheny’s Joe Warne and Rachael Smyth of St Coca’s. In Kerry, Alan O’Shea of Bantry AC led home an entry of 200 at the Eyeries 5 mile setting a new course record of 25 mins 50 secs. Junior Doellken O’Shea was first woman in 32 mins 52 secs.
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