Ciara Mageean showed that she’s coming into shape at exactly the right time for the European Indoors when she won the 800m at the Leinster Indoors in a time of 2:03.73. Mageean completed her first 400m in 62 seconds.
At the Big East in Staten Island, Siofra Cleirigh Buttner ran 2:06.63 to win the women’s 800m and helped Villanova to victory in the distance medley relay. Harry Purcell, also Villanova, ran a time of 48.22 in the men’s 400m, finishing second.
Zak Curran ran a time of 1:48.43 for second place in the 800m at the Big 12 in Ames, Iowa, putting him top of the Irish indoor listings this season. Curran’s best 1:46.78 dates from the Morton Games last summer.
At the Leinster Indoors, Saragh Buggy of St Abban’s rounded off her indoor seaosn with an indoor personal best of 13.31m in the triple jump, which is just 7cm off the national indoor record
STEALING the headlines at the Stormont Cross-Country in Belfast was QUB AC athlete Sinead Sweeney, who won the women’s 3.3 mile race.
Sweeney was at the front of the pack from the start along with emerging English triathlete Sarah Hodgson, Irish marathon and half marathon champion Laura Graham of Mourne Runners, who was running her first competitive cross-country races.Also in contention were North Down’s Rachel Gibson and Ulster Schools champion Rebekah Nixon of Dromore AC.
Sweeny held on to her lead as the race progressed, pulling away from Hodgson, Graham and Gibson. On the final lap, Graham moved into second place relegating Hodgson to third place. Finishing first M60 in the race was “Mr Parkrun Ireland” Matt Shields.
Winning the men’s 4.4 mile race was William McKee of Mourne Runners, who had broken away with Neill Weir of Willowfield Harriers on the second lap. Weir finished second with Neil Carty of North Belfast Harriers third.
48 NOT OUT FOR MCGANN
Martin McGann, originally from Kiltale in County Meath, has completed his 48th consecutive run at the 130th English National Cross-Country races held at 
a muddy Woollaton Park, Nottingham.
Now aged 70, McGann, who ran his first English National in 1970, finished 1,746th from an entry of 2,884 senior men for the 12km course.
“I won’t be hanging up my spikes until I’ve reached my goal of 50. Probably that will be enough to put my streak beyond reach of it ever being equalled or broken,” said McGann, who lives in Manchester and runs for East Cheshire Harriers.
Results
Wicklow Hospice Half Marathon and 10km. www.myrunresults.com
10km (208 finishers): 1 Jason Reilly (Civil Service Hrs) 37.25, 2 Fionnuala McCormack (Kilcoole) 37,26, 3 Alan McCormack (DSD) 37.28.
Fionnuala McCormack
Half Marathon (230 entries) – Men: 1 Mick Byrne (Sli Cualann, M50) 1:2323, 2 Anthony Doyle 1:26.02, 3 Andrew Regan (M40) 1:26.46. Women: 1 Catherine O’Connor (Parnell AC, W40) 1:32.19, 2 Lynne Duffy (Parnell AC) 1:32.57, 3 Anne Marie Henry (W40) 1:34.17.
Duleek and District 5km (292 entries; www.myrunresults.ie)
Men: 1 Valdas Dopolskas (Balbriggan and Dist) 15.40, 2 Barry Donovan (Leevale) 16.11, 3 Simon Ryan (Raheny) 16.19.M40: Ciaran O’Dwyer (Dunshaughlin) 17.23. M50: Chris Keeling (Balbriggan and Dist) 18.57. Women: 1 Edel Gaffney19.44, 2 Mary Hanley (Na Fianna, W40) 20.47, 3 Nuala Reilly (Drogheda and Dist W60) 22.30.
Gas Networks Ireland BHAA 5km, Cork (www.corkbhaa.com)
Men: 1 Sean McGrath (Harty Tax Consulting) 15.27, 2 Eric Curran (FMC) 15.36, 3 Michael Power (guest) 15.55. Women: 1 Lorraine Bolster (Dennis Cronin Electrical, W35) 18.48, 2 Joan Ennis (Avondhu MF, W50) 19.39, 3 Ellen Hanley (Avondhu MF, W40) 19.54.
Streets of Castlebar 5km (2.14 finishers; www.myrunresults.come)
Men: 1 John Byrne (M40) 16.23, 2 Tadgh McGinty 17.23, 3 James Ryan 17.23. Women: 1 Catherine Conway 18.18, 2 Nora Newcombe 18.24, 3 Edel Riley 19.13.
Stormont Cross-Country (www.nirunning.co.uk)
Women’s 3.3 miles: 1 Sinead Sweeney (QUB AC) 19:40, 2 Laura Graham (Mourne Runners) 20:13, 3 Sarah Hodgson (England) 20:22
Men’s 4.4 miles: 1 William McKee (Mourne Runners) 24:14, 2 Neill Weir (Willowfield Harriers) 24:24, 3 Neil Carty (Nth Belfast Hrs) 24:48
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