Roads: Ssenyange and McCambridge Tops at Charleville ‘Half’. Kenyan Double in Belfast

Ismail Ssenyange and Maria McCambridge came out on top at the Charleville International Half Marathon in Co Cork.

For Ssenyange, who is Ugandan and a member of the Dubai Creek Striders, it was third time lucky – he finished  second in both 2013 and last year.  McCambridge, who is aiming to make the  Rio ’16 qualifying mark at the Frankfurt Marathon on Sunday October 25, was winning  for a third time. Her time of 73 mins 28  secs wasn’t as fast as her course record  of  72:27 secs set last year, but it shows that her training is progressing nicely.

Finishing second overall  was Ian Kiprono, who is assistant coach to Brother Colm McConnell at the famed athletics academy in Iten, Kenya. The pair are in Ireland for a holiday and will give a talk at Eyeries National School  on the Beara Peninsula, Co Cork, next Friday September 25 (7.30).

Also running was Sonia O’Sullivan, who like Kiprono, had run the Sonia 5km in Cobh the night before.

Kenyans dominated both men and women’s races at the Deep River Rock Belfast Half Marathon. So close

were Gideon Kimosop 1st and Dan Tanui second that they were given the same time of 64 mins 24 secs. Third and first local was Annadale’s Paddy Hamilton. First and second women were Mercy Jemitai in 73 mins 36 secs and Rosina Gibionia in 73 mins 47 secs. Rathfarnham Olympian Caitriona Jennings, who has made a comeback to running after serious injury, finished third in 78 mins 58 secs. Jennings won the Kill 10km last week.

RAHENY SHAMROCK ‘S junior men finished seventh in the European  Junior Track and Filed Championships in Leiria, Portugal. Team captain Cillian Kirwan secured top points with victory in a tactical 1500m with a time of 4:13:47. Sean Dowling ran a pb in the 200m to finish 3rd in 22:63 while Fergus McCormack also ran a pb for 3rd in the steeplechase, and Sean Dowling, Cathal O’Cleirigh, Daniel Scully and Cillian Kirwan  set new club junior record of 3:24:50 for 4th in the 4x400m. Good performances also  Luc Bellantani 3rd LJ, Conor Bermingham  3rd PV, also TJ; Eoin Strutt 4th 800 ran 2:01:53,  Cathal O’Cleirigh 400m, Adam Foley 3000m,  Dylan Kirwan 400mH , Ethan Bannon javelin/shot, Conor Walsh hammer (36:61 pb), Rhys Doyle  high jump, Ian Graham discus (30:75m), Mark Smyth  100m (12:11).

Charleville International Half Marathon, Co Cork (1,618 finishers; www.sportstiming.ie)

Men: 1 Ismail Ssenyange (Dubai Creek Striders UGA) 66.04, 2 Ian Kiprono 67.00, 3 Liam Brady 67.03, 4 Ian Walsh 69.37, 5 Ben Thistlewood 69.47. M40: 1 Colin Merrit 71.41, 2 Myles Gibbons (SBR) 72.47, 3 Joe Cunningham 72.57. M45: 1 Tony Kelleher 74.15, 2 Seamus Murphy 81.33, 3 Robert Purcell 82.07. M50: 1 Cathal O’Connell 73.15, 2 Frank Hill 80.48, 3 Martin McCarthy 81.45. M55: 1 Colm Murphy 85.54, 2 James Kenny 84.56, 3 Tony McMahon 85.02. M60: 1 Richard Kavanagh 93.21, 2 Martin Loughnane 94.57, 3 Neil Holland 97.57. M65: 1 Sean Whelan 98.06, 2 Jeremiah Twohig 1:45.01, 3 John Holland (Mallow AC) 1:46.11. M70: Patrick O’Brien 2:00.10. M75: Patrick Collins 2:15.21.

Women: 1 Maria McCambridge (DSD, W40) 73.28, 2 Magin Day 80.49, 3 Anne Marie Holland (Youghal, W40) 83.30, 4 Una Plant (W45) 85.00, 5 Joan Ennis (W50) 85.08, 6 Helen Barry (W40) 85.34. W45: 2 Sonia O’Sullivan (Ballymore Cobh) 88.50, 3 Anna Doris 90.08. W50: 2 Stephanie Ilsley 99.21, 3 Margaret Carlin 99.56. W55: 1 Frances O’Connor 1:47.36, 2 Mags McInerney 1:48.28, 3 Catherine Linehan 1:55.15. W60: Carmel Mac Dhomhnaill 1:44.43.  W65: Padraigin Riggs 2:10.01. W70: Maggie Dunne 2.35.09.