UCD’s Mark English set a new Irish 800m indoor record of 1:46.82 at the Woodie’s DIY Open Games in Athlone, breaking Daniel Caulfield’s 13-year-old record of 1:47.21. The time was also inside the World Indoors qualification mark of 1:47.00.
After pushing the pace from the start, English finished second behind Thijem Kupers of Netherlands, who won in a time of 1:46.78.
In her first 800m race since last July, Ciara Everard, also UCD, finished a fighting second in the women’s 800m in 2:04.69. Winner was Anna Rostkowska of Poland in 2:04.01 who passed Everard in the closing stages of the race. Everard is aiming for the world qualification mark of 2 mins 3 secs in the next few weeks.
David McCarthy of West Waterford staked his claim for World Indoors selection when he clocked a personal best time of 3:39.14 in the 1500m – comfortably inside the 3:41 he needed. Race winner was Jakub Ouolusa of Czech Republic in a new national record of 3:38.79 with MSB’s John Coghlan third in 3:43.31.
Best of the Irish in the men’s 3000m was Kilkenny’s Eoin Everard who was fourth in 8:14.45. Spanish athlete Alberto Sanchez, who runs with Sligo AC, was second in 7:57.63 behind his compatriot Adel Michaal, a clear winner in 7:52.29.
Amy Foster from City of Lisburn ran 7.40 secs when winning the 60m from Bandon’s Phil Healy, who equalled her personal best with a time of 7.43 secs. The woeld indoors qualification mark is 7.32 secs.
Other notable results in Athlone came from pentathlete Kelly Proper of Ferrybank winning the 200m comfortably in 23.90 secs, and DSD’s Sinead Denny who set a new stadium record of 54.52 secs in the 400m.
Calry’s Alex Wright, who has recently declared for Ireland, was a clear winner of the 3km walk. Brendan Boyce of Letterkenny was second and Leevale’s Luke Hickey third.
Elsewhere, in Hobart, Tasmania, Riocht’s Laura Crowe ran 4 mins 13 secs to finish third in the women’s 1500m. At the same event, Paul Robinson of St Coca’s finished third in the 5000m in a personal best time of 13:54.34. Finishing seventh was Mark Hanrahan of Leevale in 14:05.82.
Siofra Cleirigh Buttner
* At the European Clubs Cross-Country Championships in Albufeira Portugal, Siofra Cleirigh Buttner finished fourth in the junior women’s race, with the Dundrum South Dublin team also fourth. Ella Fennelly was 14th, Sarah Miles 16th, Isablle Odlum 17th, Sorcha Humphries 20th and Clare McCarthy 26. In the men’s junior race, DSD was also representing Ireland and the team finished 10th with Patrick MacGabhann 34th, Rick Nally 40th, Killian Mooney 43rd, Liam Fitzpatrick 47th, Andrew Cullen 62nd and Adam Dunne 69th.
Running against the top 14 clubs in Europe, Raheny Shamrock’s women finish 7th, with Aoife Talty first scorer in 29th place. She was followed by Fiona Roche, Kate Cronin and Elish Kelly, who finished 37th, 38th and 39th; Annette Kealy 51st and Maria O’Sullivan 57th.
Clonliffe Harriers finished a creditable 9th in the men’s senior race led home by Alistair Cragg in 21st place. A late drop-out from the team was Mark Kenneally who is still injured. Sergiu Ciobanu finished 34th, Gary O’Hanlon 49th, Jayme Rossiter 51st and Colm Rooney 65th.
* Hollie Gernon of Lakeshore Harriers won the fourth and final Women’s Meet and Train league race hosted by Sportsworld at Bushy Park, Dublin. Gernon, who has won three of the four races this season , was pushed hard in the later stages of the two-mile race by Claire Ni Fhaircheallaigh of Dunboyne and Donore’s Karen Behan. Overall, Donore A finished top team in the gold division with 86 points, putting them comfortably clear of Dunboye A and Sportsworld A. Sportsworld won the B division and Fingallians B were tops in the bronze section ahead of 15 other teams.
A record number have turned out for this year’s league, including teams from Brothers Pearse, Lakeshore Striders and representatives of virtually every running group in Dublin, plus a few from Meath, Kildare and Wexford. Newcomers always welcome – come along to the Summer League meeting in the Donore Sports Centre, Chapelizod on Monday March 2 (8pm) and introduce yourselves ! Full results at www.womensmeetandtrain.blogspot.com
* On Saturday, Shauna Moore and Simon Ryan were the winners at the North Country Farmers BHAA Cross-Country on the drenched Ballyheary fields at Swords. Truly everyone who finished this race was a hero – as were all those who turned out for Parkruns an hour earlier and got frozen and socked.
* Denis Kelleher and Rachel O’Callaghan had the honour of leading home the men and women at the inaugural Clonakility Parkrun. In Westport, Collette Tuohy of Mayo Ac became the third woman in three weeks to win an Irish parkrun, following Donore’s Barbara Clancy in Marlay and Aoife Talty in St Anne’s Park. Conditions were truly miserable – at least in Marlay, as you can see from this pic.
* A stunning 305 runners turned out for the second IMRA Winter League round at Ticknock, which must be some kind of a record. So heavy was the traffic that the race slowed to a crawl on its narrower stretches. Winner of the race was Seamus Lynch of Newcastle AC in 38 mins 08. East Cork’s Diarmuid Collins was second and Adrian Hennessy of Kilfinane third. First “local” was 3ROC’s Eoin McCullough, followed by Letterkenny’s Gary Crossan, who was first M40. Fastest of the women was orienteer Niamh O’Boyle of CNOC in 47 mins 5 secs, followed by Emma Hand and UCD’s Laura Shaughnessy.
Results –
North County Farmers BHAA Cross-Country, Swords, Co Dublin, www.bhaa.ie
Women’s 2.5m (35 finishers): 1 Shauna Moore (Primary Teachers) 16.28, 2 Vanessa Sallier (Mercers, W40) 16.34, 3 Niamh Corby (Revenue, W35) 16.49, 4 Orla Gormely (Aer Lingus, W45) 16.56, 5 Emma Harding (W35) 17.02, 6 Marion Doherty (Gardai) 17.07, 7 Sheelagh Jones (Sec Teachers, W55) 17.11, 8 Mairead Mulligan (W35) 17.21.
Men’s 5m(130) : 1 Simon Ryan 26.01, 2 Michael Carmody 26.32, 3 Mark Hoey (Grassroots Landscaping) 26.50, 4 Gavin Keogh (BNY/Mellon) 27.27, 5 Tony Reilly (M40) 27.48, 6 Lynchnad (System Dynamics, M40) 27.52. M35: William Morris (DCC) 28.59, 2 Patrick Moriarty (FTI Cons) 29.09, 3 Anthony Malone (Gardai) 30.00. M40: 3 David Hipwell (An Post) 29.28. M45: 1Dave Carrie (An Post) 29.02, 2 Phelim Gylnn (Eircom) 29.07, 3 PJ Carroll (Cemex) 29.42. M50: 1 Aidan Brennan 29.20, 2 Bruce Phillips (DCC) 30.50, 3 Aidan O’Gara (Eircom) 32.09. M55: 1 Chris Keeling (Sanbra Fyffe) 30.25, 2 Tom Loftus (Dublin Bus) 32.05, 3 John McHugh (OxygenCare) 32.13. M60: 1 Noel Hanratty (Sec Teacher) 31.50, 2 John Todd (Cadbury) 32.15, 3 Vincent Clohisey (Dept SFA) 33.35. M65: 1 Peter McDermott ( DIT) 36.43, 2 Ray McCormack (Enterprise Ire) 41.20, 3 Tom Turner (LWP) 43.50. M70: Terry Mee (Dublin Taxis) 38.21. M75: Tadgh Twomey (Dublin Newspapers) 46.12. Women: 1 Aoife Quigely ( St John of Gods) 33.54, 2 Angela Charlton (W40) 46.56.
Parkrun 5km.
Malahide Castle (272 finishers) – Gerry Redmond (Raheny Shamrock) 18.17, Helen Carr (Raheny Shamrock, W35) 21.03. Marlay Park Rathfarnham (271) – unknown, 2 Gerry Doyle (Rathfarnham WSAF, M50) 17.31, Sonya McConnon (Rath WSAF) 18.56. St Anne’s Park Raheny (175)- Jamie Killeen 17.56, Maria Murphy (W35) 22.00 (PB). Griffeen Park, Lucan (110) – Conor Burke (Celbridge AC) 17.57, Sharon Phelan (Raheny Shamrock, W40) 22.15. Clonakility (82 ) – Denis Kelleher (M45) 19.02, Rachel O’Callaghan (W40) 22.24. Castle Demesne, Macroom (32) Diarmuid Holand (M40) 19.31, Ciara Santry 24.41. Westport (41) – Collette Tuohy (Mayo AC, W45) 19.38, James Walsh (M40) 19.56.
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