Fionnuala McCormack finished a disappointed fourth at the Antrim International in Greenmount Campus after losing a shoe with a kilomotre to go of the 5.6km race.
By the end of the opening lap, former African junior champion Caroline Kipkirui of Kenya and Ethiopians Gotytom Gebreslase and Birtukan Adamu along with McCormack had broken clear of the field.
On the second lap, Kipkirui quickly opened a 30 metre gap over the chasing pack, gliding over the mud and ignoring the wind and rain. She continued to push the pace and by the finish had a 42 second lead over Gebreslase.
Despite losing a shoe so late in the race, McCormack only narrowly missed out on third place in the race after Adamu beat her by a second Of the other Irish, DSD’s Maria McCambridge finished 11th beating Irish national champion Shona Heaslip in a sprint for the line, with Laura Shaughnessy of DSD just a second behind again. First for Northern Ireland was Fionnuala Ross of Armagh AC in 16th place.
The men’s race came down to a sprint for the line between Rio Olympic steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto of Kenya and fellow Kenyan, Abraham Cheroben who runs in Bahrain colours. England’s Andy Vernon ran a determined race to finish third. Best of the Irish men was Tullamore’s Liam Brady in 11th place. Newcastle’s Seamus Lynch was 13th ahead of Conan McCaughey, with Cillian Mooney of DSD 15th, and Conor Duffy of Glaslough Harriers 16th.
In the women’s U17 race, Jodie McCann of DSD was a clear winner ahead of her clubmate Abi Taylor.
Antrim International Cross-Country, Greenmount Campus (full resultwww.athleticsni.org)
Women- Senior International: 1 Caroline Chepkoech Kipkirui (KEN) 18.53, 2 Gotytom Gebreslase (ETH) 19.35, , 3 Birtukan Adamu (ETH) 19.38, 4 Fionnuala McCormack (IRL) 19.39, 5 Pippa Woolven (ENG) 19.50, 6 Claire Duck (Eng) 1957. Other Irish: 11 Maria McCambridge (DSD, W40) 20.44, 12 Shona Heaslip (IRL/Riocht) 20.48, 13 Laura Shaughnessy (IRL/DSD) 20.49, 16 Fionnuala Ross (NIR/Armagh AC) 21.15, 19 Fiona Clinton (DSD 21.44, 20 Jessica Craig (NIR/Nth Down) 21.48, 22 Gladys Ganiel (NIR/Nth Belfast Hrs) 21.57
Men – Senior international: 1 Conseslus Kipruto (KEN) 24.36, 2 Abraham Cheroben (BRN) 24.37, 3 Andy Vernon (GBR) 24.56. Irish: Liam Brady 26.30, Seamus Lynch (NIR/Newcastle) 27.00, 14 Conan McCaughey (NIR) 27.07, 15 Cillian Mooney (DSD) 27.35, 16 Conor Duffy (NIR/Glaslough Hrs) 27.37.
Other results:
Women – U20 3600m: 1 Ellie Wallace (Westbury) 14.01, 2 Sophie Burnett (Nth England) 14.07, 3 Katy Whiteoates(Nth England) 14.17. Irish: 6 Isaeble Carron (Skerries) 14.43. Team – North England
W17: 1 Jodie McCann (DSD)14.09, 2 Abi Taylor (Ireland Dev/DSD) 14.31, 3 Charlotte McKenna (Giffnock Hrs) 14.46. Team -1 Ireland development, 2 Springwell RC, 3 Clonliffe Hrs. W15: 1 Lily-Jane Evans-Haggerty (Victoria Park Glasgow) 13.35, 2 Mia Roberts (Deeside) 13.51, 3 Heather Barnes (Giffnock Hrs) 13.56. Teams- 1 Giffnock North, 2 DSD, 3 Blaenau Gwent. W13: 1 Anna Hedley (Fife AC) 6.04; 2 Valencia Wright (Victoria Park Glasgow) 6.15, 3 Anya MacLean (Garscombe Hrs) 6.23. Team – 1 City of Lisburn 37, 2 DSD 71, 3 Armagh 102
Men – M20: 1 Jonathan Shields (Nth England) 18.12, 2 Hugo Milner (Nth England) 18.22, 3 James Edgar (City of Lisburn) 18.24. Other Irish: 7 Sean O’Leary (Clonliffe), 10 Ruadhan O Grada (DSD), 12 Christian McKenna (DSD), 13 Luke McCann (DSD), 17 Sean Carrig (Clonliffe) 18 Alex Gibbons (Clonliffe), 19 Joseph Hession (Clonliffe), 22 Greg Hosseny (Clonliffe)Teams – 1 North England, 2 DSD, 3 Clonliffe Harriers.
M17: 1 Matthew Willis (Wrexham) 18.47; 2 Keelan Kilrehill (IRL/Sligo) 19.02, 3 Dominic Smith (Swansea), 19.05. Team – 1 Ireland Dev, 2 DSD, 3 St Malachy’s. M15: 1 David Down(Cambridge/Coleraine) 12.28, 2 Hamish Armitt (Giffnock)12.43, 3 Micheal McCaul (St Colman’s) 12.47. Teams – 1 Giffnock North, 2 DSD, 3 Clonliffe Harriers. M13: 1 Dylan McBride, (Willowfield) 6.44, 2 Joel Chambers (Ballydrain)5.57, 3 Victor Esoza (St Joseph’s Drogheda) 7.01. Team – 1 Westport AC 27, 2 St Joseph’s Drogheda 60, 3 City of Derry Spartans 74.
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