Annadale’s Paul Pollock and Mark Christie of Mullingar Harriers lead the Irish entry for the annual Highgate Harriers Night of 10,000m PBs at the Parliament Hill track in London on Saturday May 20.
Other Irish entered include Tullamore’s Liam Brady, Kevin Dooney of Raheny Shamrock, Derry’s Declan Reed, DSD pair John Eves and Killian Mooney, Karl Fitzmaurice of Ennis TC, Kevin Maunsell of Clonmel, and David O’Flaherty and Eoin Totten from Newcastle and District.
Last year, Mick Clohisey of Rahey clocked 29:24.4 for sixth in the elite race; Mark Hanrahan of Leevale was 12th in 29:40.1 and junior Kevin Mulcaire of Ennis TC 17th in 31:12.7.
In the men’s race, Rio 2016 Olympian Andy Vernon and Ross Millington, who won the GB Olympic trial race at Parliament Hill last year, lead the entry. The main elite race will incorporate the British 10,000m Championships, with the 27 mins 45 secs qualification mark for the World Championships in London the target for the top runners.
Five-time Olympian Jo Pavey features along with reigning British champion Jessica Martin, Beth Potter, Sonia Samuels and Portugal’s Jessica Augusto in the women’s entry list. Also entered is Shildon’s Kate Avery who has a 31:45.44 PB for the distance but hasn’t raced since appearing at the Road to Rio meet in Sligo last June.
Anne Marie McGlynn of Letterkenny, QUB’s Emma Mitchell and Danielle Fegan of Armagh are the three Irish entries. The women’s World Championships qualification mark is 32 mins 15 secs. Mitchell is aiming for the Commonwealth Games standards of 33 mins 6 secs; this weekend she competes in Solihull aiming to run under the World Student Games 5000m standard of 16 mins 15 secs with the 15:39 mark for the Commonwealth Games also a target. Last year, Lizzie Lee of Leevale finished 13th in the women’s race at Highgate with a time of 33:22.7
This year’s event will also feature an endurance seminar, with IAAF president Seb Coe and world marathon record-holder Paula Radcliffe among the speakers, and snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan, who is a keen runner, the host.
The event gets under way with an inter-schools relay at 13:30 before race one at 15:15 through to the men’s elite race at 20:15 and the women’s at 21:00. The endurance seminar is scheduled for 18:30. Entry for spectators is fee.
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