‘CHASE GOLD FOR DOHERTY
Ciaran Doherty gave a small Irish team the best possible finale to the World Master’s Athletics Championships in Sacramento, California when he won the M35 steeplechase title.
Doherty, from Letterkenny, was a comfortable winner with his time of 9 minutes 15.13 seconds putting him 18 seconds ahead of Rau Fernandez-Hernandez, from Spain. In the W45 2000m race, multi-eventer Geraldine Finegan finished second – her fourth silver medal of the week and a seventh for the Irish team.
In the ten days of intense competition at the biggest track and field competition in the world, the Irish consistently punched above their weight.
From the start, the “green Machine” had plenty to celebrate with Evelyn McNelis from Naas second in the gruelling W65 cross-country race, finishing just over a minute behind Mizue Matsuda of Japan. Later in the week, McNelis finished fifth in the 5000m behind GB athletics legend Pat Gallagher.
Finegan, from Newry, was runner-up in three other events apart from the steeplechase – the W45 80m hurdles, the 400m hurdles and her specialist heptathlon, where she finished on 5525 points.
It was a triumphant return for Finegan, who fought hard to clear her name after testing positive for ephedrine at last year’s World Masters Indoors in Canada when she used a nasal decongestant to treat her asthma.
Two more silvers came Ireland’s way when Gary Halpin, based in the UK, finished second in the M45 hammer and shot.
Just out of the medals was Mullingar man John McMullin 4th in the M65 20km walk with a personal best time and 10th in the 10km walk. A pair of California-based Dubliners also made their mark – Eugene Byrne finished 7th in the M50 400m in 56.53 and Gerry Deegan 11th in the M40 cross-country.
One USA exile who opted to compete for her adopted country was Galway woman Christine Kennedy. She won the W55 5000m in 19 minutes 36.56 seconds and followed that up with marathon victory in 3:00.48. Taking W50 team silver with GB in the marathon was pioneering Irish ultra runner Heather Stuart.
At the other end of the age scale, Brian Gregan was winning 400m silver for Ireland at the European U-23 Championships – what a great week for Irish athletics!
HAMILTON STARS AT IRISH RUNNER 5
With road running boom showing no signs of abating, new stars are emerging such as Paddy Hamilton, winner of the Irish Runner 5-Mile race last week.
The Annadale man out-sprinted Irish marathon champion Sergiu Ciobanu in the chase for the line, with Star of the Sea’s Mark Hoey third. Northern Irish runners had descended in force on the Phoenix Park, with Greg Roberts of City of Derry 4th and Alan O’Hara, part of a huge contingent from North Belfast, 8th.
Women’s winner Siobhan O’Doherty from Borrisokane was followed home by Julie Turley of Dromore and Abbey’s Gladys Ganiel O’Neill. DSD’s Sarah Mulligan was fourth ahead of Leevale’s Lizzie Lee.
REGISTER NOW FOR FAMILY MILE CHALLENGE
Taking place on Sunday July 31 (from 10am) at the Farmleigh estate, Dublin is the annual Athletics Ireland Family Fitness Festival – a day of fun events for children and adults.
Launching the day’s activities is the Family Mile Challenge (10am). Entry is free, but registration at www.familyfitnessfestival.ie to give an idea of numbers attending.
After that comes a helter-skelter of events – the Big Toddle for Barnardo’s (under 5 years), the Little Athletics and Young Athletes Challenges (two age groups), Speed Gates fitness testing, and orienteering – the sport that tests the brain as well as the legs.
Put it in your diary now.
IRELAND A FIGHTING SECOND
Ireland finished a fighting second overall behind perennial winners England at the Aviva Schools International held in windy and wet Cardiff. The day got off to a great start when David Cussen and Andrew Heney both cleared 1.90m to finish 1st and 2nd in the boys’ high jump. Other winners were Claire Murphy in the girls’ 300m hurdles, and Alicia Boylan and Evan lynch in the walks. Second places went to David Harper 1500m, Cliodhna Manning 200m, Lily Anne O’Hora 80m hurdles and both 4x100m teams.
BURKE PLODS TO VICTORY
North Laois veteran Aengus Burke had the best run of his life to win the Dublin Mountain Half Marathon Plod. His time of 88 minutes 41 seconds put him over a minute clear of the vastly experienced Eoin Keith. Finishing seventh overall and less than four minutes behind the overall winner was DSD athlete Sarah Mulligan, clearly boosted by her recent performance at the European Championships.
IRISHTOWN WINS FOR FLEMING, MCDERMOTT
A comfortable winner of the BHAA Dublin City Council 5km in Irishtown was Paul Fleming in 16 mins 8 secs, followed by Paul Duffy and Kevin Mulligan. Deirdre McDermott was first woman in 18 mins 21 secs, with Edel Madigan second. Next up for the BHAA are a series of track races starting with the Aviva Charity Mile at Irishtownn on Wednesday July 27 (7.30). All standards welcome.
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