In an exact replay of last year’s race, defending champion Bartosz Mazerski from Poland just held off the challenge of Clonliffe’s Gary O’Hanlon to win this morning’s Cork Marathon. His time of 2 hrs 28 mins 38 secs put him just seven seconds clear of O’Hanlon. Peter Mooney finished third – almost four minutes behind.
Last year, Mazerski won in 2:28:29, 23 seconds ahead of O’Hanlon. This time, O’Hanlon, winner of the Newry Marathon just a week earlier, led the race until just before the 19th mile, when the Pole passed him out. O’Hanlon was not prepared to let him got and from miles 23 to 25, the pair were elbow to elbow until Mazerski opened a slight lead with the finish in sight.
First woman and 12th overall was Tullamore’s Pauline Curley who broke her own course record when she finished in 2:43.47. Last year, Curley ran 2:47.47 set after a long period battling injury. Her run underlined her remarkable consistency – most of her marathons are run in times under 2 hrs 45 mins. Not bad for a woman of 45 – who was quick to praise both the course and the support she got on the streets of Cork.
Sergiu Ciobanu of Clonliffe was a comfortable winner of the half marathon in 70 mins 18 secs. In a close battle for second place, Gavin Sweeney made it home ahead of Colin Merritt and John Meade.
FIREFIGHTER Alex O’Shea from Ballineen in West Cork, broke the world record for running a marathon dressed in his full firefighting suit and steel toe-capped boots when he finished in 3 hrs 41 mins 10 secs. That took 58 minutes off the previous world record, held by a firefighter based at Heathrow Airport in London. O’Shea, a firefighter for the past nine years, only took up running three years ago.
Cork Marathon Half Marathon and Team Relay. www.precisiontiming.net
Marathon – Men: 1 Bartosz Mazerski (Lks Zantyr Sztum, M35) 2:28.38, 2 Gary O’Hanlon (Clonliffe Hrs, M35) 2:28.45, 3 Peter Mooney 2:32.35, 4 Trevor Power (Waterford) 2:33.03, 5 Savid Mansfield (Clonmel) 2:35.14, 6 Cathal O’Connell (M50) 2:35.43. M40: Eoin Sugrue 2:39.46.
Women: 1 Pauline Curley (Tullamore Hrs, W45) 2:43.47, 2 Nollaig Hunter (Leevale, W40) 2:50.22, 3 Jill Hodgins (W35) 2:56.44, 4 Janeann Healy (Athenry) 3:00.51, 5Mary O’Leary (W45) 3:06.24, 6 Joan Ennis (Grange Fermoy, W45) 3:08.22.
Half Marathon- Men: 1 Sergiu Ciobanu (Clonliffe) 70.18, 2 Gavin Sweeney (Togher) 71.13, 3 Colin Merritt (Carrig na bhFear, M40) 71.45, 4 John Meade (St Finbarr’s) 71.52, 5 Tim Twomey (Leevale) 72.26, 6 Rory O’Sullivan (St Finbarr’s, M35) 73.09. M30: 2 Shane O’Neill (Rathfranhma wsaf) 73.41.
Women: 1 Emma Murphy (81.34, 2 Anne Marie Costello (Gneeveguilaa) 86.51, 3 Margo Dinan (St Finbarr’s W45) 88.36, 4 Deirdre Nagle (Eagle, W35) 89.06, 5 Nimah Cronon (St Finbarr’s W35) 89.19, 6 Orla Crosbie (St Finbarr’s W45) 92.30.
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