While the drama continues at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, club athletes are turning to the roads, with the Dublin Marathon at the end of October the next major event on the athletics calendar.
Efrem Gidey of Clonliffe Harriers produced the road race performance of the weekend when winning the Kilcock 10- Mile from 10 (mile) in Co Kildare on Sunday (August 20).
Gidey’s sensational time of 47 mins 11 secs saw him finish over five minutes clear of the chasers, and is the seventh fastest time ever. Gidey could have been even quicker had he not lost up to 20 seconds when he took a wrong turning on the course. John Treacy is still the fastest ever Irishman over the 10-mile distance with his time of 46:25 dating back almost thirty years to October 1993. Gidey will make his half marathon debut at the Great North Run on September 10.
Second was Irish marathon champion Martin Hoare of Celbridge AC in 52:29, while third in 52:53 was Stephen Fay of Raheny Shamrock AC, who had won the 5000m at the National Track and Field League final only a week earlier. Local athlete Alexander Wallace of host club St Coca’s AC was fourth and first M450 in 53.28.
First woman in 61:39 was Niamh Devlin of Dundrum South Dublin AC, followed by Noreen Brouder and Aoife O’Leary of Sportsworld AC who were second and third in 61:46 and 61:50 respectively.
Raheny Shamrock, led by Fay were clear winners of the mean’s team prize ahead of Drogheda and District AC and Blackrock AC. St Coca’s made it a home win in the women’s team competition, beating Dunboyne AC and Drogheda and District AC.
IN MUNSTER
In Munster, the Cork City 10-Mile, which incorporated the final round of this year’s Peugeot Road Races Series was taking place with the overall winners already decided.
Like Gidey, master athlete Michael Harty of East Cork AC broke 50 minutes to win in 49 mins 39 secs – and like Gidey he finished well clear of the pack, with Killian Mooney of Dundrum South Dublin AC almost four minutes adrift for second place in 53:27. Third in 53:40 was John Durcan of Togher AC.
First woman in 60:41 was Dee Grady of Ennis Track Club. Leevale AC’s Lisa Hegarty was second and Catherine Murphy of Eagle AC third and first W45 in 64:10. First team was Clane AC, who finished runners-up behind Dundrum South Dublin AC in the overall Peugeot team standings. Eagle AC was second and Togher AC third. Teams consisted of three men and three women.
A day earlier, David Glynn of Waterford AC led home almost over 2,800 finishers at the Dublin Race Series Frank Duffy 10-Mile, held in the Phoenix Park.
Glynn finished in 52 mins 39 secs, with Mick Clohisey of Raheny Shamrock AC second in 53.00 and Peter Somba of Dunboyne AC third in 53:34. Clohisey was leading Raheny Shamrock AC to Dublin Championship team victory ahead of Crusaders AC and Donore Harriers.
First woman in 60:24 was Caitlyn Harvey of the Belfast-based Road Runners RC, who had won the Corkagh Park 5-Mile earlier in the series. Donegal woman Maria Ní Mhaolagáin was second in 61:10 and Yuliya Tarasova of Clonliffe Harriers third in 64:53.
In the team competition, Donore Harriers, led by Grace Kennedy Clarke, finished first ahead of Clonliffe Harriers and Crusaders AC.
Winning both over 35 team titles were Crusaders AC. Brothers Pearse AC and Raheny Shamrock AC were second and third of the women, with Clonliffe Harriers and Dundrum South Dublin AC second and third of the men. In the over 50 age group, Brothers Pearse AC were best of the men, with Clonliffe Harriers second and Blackrock AC third. Raheny Shamrock AC took the women’s title.
OTHER ROAD RACES
Leading home an entry of 484 at the Stryker BHAA 4-Miler, Carrigtwohill, Co Cork on Wednesday (August 16) was Denis Hegarty in 20 mins 12 secs. Eric Curran was second in 20:35 and John Meade third and first M40 in 20:49.
Hannah Steeds was first woman in 23:11, followed by Michelle Kenny in 23:22 and Carol Finn in 23:50. Host club Stryker won the men’s A and B team categories with Dept of Education best of the grade A women. Next Cork BHAA race is the Martin Lawlor Memorial 5km organised by Cork Mental Health staff at Little Island on Wednesday August 30 (7.30pm). Next Dublin BHAA race is the Pfizer 5km at Grange Castle on Wednesday August 23 (7.30).
Colm McKenna of East Breffni AC and Laura Williams were the winners at the Run the Racecourse 5km in Navan also Wednesday (August 16), while Colin Beades and Michelle O’Neill came out on top at the third round of the Longford 5km Trail Series at Derrrycassin Wood.
At the Rathkenny 5km in Co Meath, on Friday (August 18) Gary Crummy in 15 mins 19 secs was the winner and Fiona Nevin of Moynalty AC first woman in 20:26. Newry AC was first men’s team, with Navan AC best of the women.
Winning the Man O War Round 7km, in Co Dublin on Thursday (August 17) in 23 mins 24 secs was Ian Conroy of Raheny Shamrock AC, with his clubmate Carmel Ward first woman in 28:14.
ON THE TRAIL
Derek Crammond of Parnell A was a clear winner of the Run the Ridge 10km which incorporated the Wicklow Off-Road Championship in Laragh on Saturday (August 19).
Crammond’s time of 40 mins 57 secs put him over two minutes clear of Padraic O’Flynn who finished second in 42:32. Third and first M40 in 42:37 was Liam Mooney of Lakeshore Striders AC. Finishing fifth and first woman in 44:14 was Sheila O’Byrne of Parnell AC .Catherine Devitt of Glendalough AC was second and first W40 in 48:52 and Emily Ryan of Parnell AC third in 49:05. Parnell AC won both the men and women’s Wicklow team titles.
Winning the Run the Ridge 20km across Derrybawn mountain was Edward O’Connor of Brothers Pearse AC in 89 mins 8 secs. David Power of Rathfarnham WSAF AC was second in 91:32 and Emanuele Sacchi of Sky Lario Runners third in 95:41. Fourth, first M40 and first Wicklow athlete was Michael Dowling of Parnell AC in 98: 27.
First woman in 1 hrs 53 mins 43 secs was Karen Wilton of Jog Lisburn RC. Lorraine Creane of Glendalough AC was second woman and first Wicklow finisher in 1:56.17, with Hannah Carroll third in 1:57.50.
ULTRA RUNNING
Cathal McParlan notched up a total of 115km to win the Montalto Festival of Running twelve hour endurance run at the Montalto Estate over the weekend (August 19-20). Second with 85 km was Colin Simms of Jog Lisburn. First in the six-hour challenge was Michael McGlade with 60km.
MASTERS ON TRACK
Feargal Delany of Armagh AC won the M40 3000m in 9:27.80 at the Northern Ireland Masters’ Track and Field Championships, Mary Peters Track, Belfast on Saturday (August 19).
Kieran Scullion of Ballymena Runners was first M45 in 9:37.47, while Patrick O’Grady of Drogheda and District AC won the M60 3000m in 10:27.18 and the 1500m in 4:31.42.
Over 800m, former Irish international athlete, Keely Neely of City of Lisburn AC won the W45 in 2:22.79. Dean Ryan of Newborn RC was fastest of the men overall, winning the M35 title in 2:01.65. He also won the 1500m in 53.8
Caitriona Devine of Finn Valley AC proved fastest in the women’s 1500m with a time of 5:09.67. Gareth Lyons of North Belfast Harriers was fastest of the men in 4:19.51.
Over the shorter distances, Adina Gheorghiu of Dundrum South Dublin AC was a clear winner of the W45 100m in 12.89 secs, also winning the 200m in 26,57 secs.
Edel Maguire of Clonliffe Harriers won the W60 100m in 14.59 and 200m in 29.24. In a good outing for DSD AC, Shane Sheridan won the M60 100m in 13.39 and the 200m in 27.37, while Kevin Byrne won the M50 110m hurdles and was second in the high jump. Trevor McGlynn of Omagh Harriers won the M45 110m hurdles.
In the field, John Dwyer M40 of Templemore AC was the out standing performer, winning the hammer with a mighty throw of 50.8m. Dwyer also won the shot with 12.43 and the discus with 39.389. Mary Barrett of Loughrea AC won the W60 shot with 9.75m.