Irish marathon champion Paul Pollock, of Kent AC, has run a time of 2:17.10 at the London Marathon – just 40 seconds slower than his winning time in Dublin last October. As he had done in Dublin, Pollock set a fast pace from the start, and although he struggled in the final 10km, still finished 14th overall.
On a good day for Northern Irish athletes, Breege Connolly of North Belfast Harriers ran a personal best 2:39.32 – almost a minute quicker than her time of 2:40.25 in last year’s Rotterdam Marathon. Not too far behind was her NBH clubmate Gladys Ganiel with a time of 2:42.35, slower than the 2:40.56 she ran in Houston last year. Ganiel reached the half way point ahead of Connolly in 78 minutes 40 seconds, but faded badly in the final 7km. Connolly by contrast maintained a steady pace throughout the race and went through the half way in 79.02.
A total of 295 Irish finished the race. Overall winners were Ethiopia’s Tsegaye Kebede in 2:06.04 and Priscah Jeptoo of Kenya in 2:20.15.
England-based Stephen Scullion, who took the National 10km title in Dublin last weekend, won the TQ 10km in Belfast. Scullion broke away at the halfway mark to beat Annadale’s Eddie McGinley and Declan Reed from City of Derry. Scullion’s time of 30 mins 42 secs was marginally slower than his winning time of 2011.
In the women’s race, Tullamore veteran Pauline Curley reversed last year’s result when she beat Julie Turley of Dromore by just seven seconds Curleys winning time was 36 mins 29 secs.
* Sergiu Ciobanu beat his Clonliffe clubmate Gary O’Hanlon to win the Inishowen Half Marathon in Co Donegal with a time of 68 mins 5 secs. Pauric McKinney of the home club was third.
* Eoghan McGinley won the K Club BHAA 10km in Straffan, just beating Eoin Callaghan, with Declan Power third and first M40; there were 463 finishers. Winning time was 32 mins 44 secs. Ilona McElroy in 38.26 was first woman followe by Mary Finn 38.50 and Paual Grant 39.24. From all accounts the race was as brilliantly organised as ever – except that the chip timing crashed. Question: does any race with fewer than 500 running really need chipped timing? Just asking…
Results –
Sunday April 21
TQ 10km, Titanic Quarter, Belfast (1,205 finishers; www.athleticni.org)
Men: 1 Stephen Scullion 30.42, 2 Eddie McGinely (Annadale) 31.16, 3 Declan Reed (City of Derry, M35) 32.28, 4 Richard Johnston (City of Derry) 32.33, 5 Scott Rankin (Foyle Valley), 6 Eamonn White (NBH, M40) 32.48. Jun: Ben Branagh (St Malachy’s 33.43. M45: Paul McCafferty (City of Derry) 33.53.M50: Nigel Grier (Dromore) 36.09.
Women: 1 Pauline Curley (Tullamore Hrs, W40) 36.29, 2 Julie Turley (Dromore, W35) 36.39, 3 Julie Balmer (Nth Down, W35) 38.31, 4 Nicola McNamara 39.25, 5 Gillian Burns (Dromore, W40) 39.48, 6 Judith Lowry (City of Lisburn) 39.53.
Great Island 10-Mile, Cobh (611 finishers; www.greatisland10.com).
Men: 1 Philip Harty (W Waterford) 51.32, 2 Sandis Bralitis (W Waterford) 53.02, 3 John Meade (St Finbarr’s) 54.48, 4 Danny Smyth 55.38, 5 Cornelius Marshall (St Finbarr’s) 56.28, 6 Michael Lyons 56.46. M40: 1 Joe Coffey 62.222 Michael Lucey 62.50, 3 Brian O’Connor 65.01. M45: 1 Tim O’Riordan 64.05, 2 Patrick Bruton 64.10, 3 Stephen Devereux 68.10. M50: 1 James Kelleher 64.17; 2 Seamus Rooney (Raheny Shamrock) 67.09, 3 Denis O’Sullivan 68.54. M55: 1 Pat Twomey (Eagle) 67.14, 2 Kevin O’Leary (Eagle) 67.37, 3 Patrick O’Sullivan 71.31.
Women: 1 Anne Marie Holland (Eagle) 63.08, 2 Joyce Wolfe (Leevale) 64.53, 3 Mary Sweeney (St Finbarr’s, W50) 66.03, 4 Jennifer Linehan (W35) 66.17, 5 Margo Dinan (St Finbarr’s, W40), 6 Sonia O’Sullivan (W40) 69.17.
Inishowen Half Marathon Buncrana (367 finishers; www.inishowenac.com)
Men: 1 Sergiu Ciobanu (Clonliffe) 68.05, 2 Gary O’Hanlon (Clonliffe) 68.44, 3 Pauric McKinney (Inishowen, M45) 75.53, 4 John Harkin (Tullamore Hrs, M40) 77.21, 5 Benny McDaid (Inishowen) 79.21, 6 Benny Mullan (City of Derry, M40) 79.48. M50: Gerry Duddy (City of Derry) 85.12. Wheelchair – Karol Doherty 91.20.
Women: 1 Miriam Bridge (City of Derry) 93.00, 2 Ciara Toner (Springwell RC) 93.19, 3 Sarah Marie Doherty (Inishowen) 95.39, 4 Elizabeth McDaid (Inishowen, W35) 98.02, 5 Maria McConalogue Harkin 1:40.13, 6 Sharon McDaid (Inishowen, W35) 1:40.19.
Wexford Half Marathon/10km (www.redtagtiming.com)
Half Marathon (692 finishers) – Men: 1 Ruairi O’Donnell (Ferrybank) 75.45, 2 David Barron (Slaney Oly) 756.43, 3 Tommy McElwaine (SBR, W40) 76.48. Women: 1 Jackie Carthy (Kilmore, W40) 82.06, 2 Angela McCann (Clonmel, W40) 82.20, 3 Donna Dowling (KCH) 91.49.
10km (449 finishers) – Men: 1 Paul Gibbons (SBR) 35.12, 2 Gavin Keogh 35.12, 3 Edwin Keville ( Rathfarnham WSAF, M40) 35.57. Women: 1 Ann Sullivan (DMP, W50) 39.16, 2 Patricia Whiteman (Coral Runners, Arklow, W40) 43.26, 3 Stephanie Culligan 44.33.
Castleisland 10-Mile and 5km (387 finishers; www.precisiontiming.net)
10-Mile (202 finishers) – Men: 1 Julio Cesar F Castro(Kilmurry Ibr NC) 55.30, 2 Donal O’Callaghan 55.35, 3 James Doran 55.58. Women: 1 Maria McCarthy 62.38, 2 Karian Teahan 62.42, 3 Nora Barry (Listowel, W40) 70.03.
5km (387 finishers)- Men: 1 Gavin Dylon (JM) 17.38, 2 William Dennehy (M40) 18.45, 3 Seamus Brosnan 19.26. Women: 1 Mary Barrett 22.27, 2 Tina Donovan (W40) 23.12, 3 Linda Mannic 23.35.
Clanna Gael Fontenoy GAA Beach 5km, Sandymount Strand, Dublin (133 finishers; www.precisiontiming.net).
Men: 1 Thomas Rutten 18.51, 2 Colm Reynolds 20.51§, 3 Paul Campbell 21.21. Women: 1 Elizabeth Wheeler 21.30, 2 Sinead O’Connor 24.31, 3 Triona Murphy 24.32.
Lismullen NS 10km (22o finishers; www.precisiontiming.net)
Men: 1 Robbie Mathews 36.13, 2 Robert Caffrey (St Brigid’s)36.50, 3 Mick Summerville (Dunshaughlin) 37.25.Women: 1 Imelda Clarke (Na Fianna, W40) 41.30, 2 Caitriona O’Brien (Bohermeen) 42.05, 3 Marie McKeown (Tri an Mhi) 43.48
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