Peter Somba and Laura Buckley made it a Dunboyne AC double at Sunday’s Lucan 5-Mile (September 3).
Up front, Somba caught Mick Clohisey of Raheny Shamrock AC after the pair came off the roads and on to the track and then held on for victory. Somba’s time was 25 mins 5 secs, with Clohisey just one second behind. Third in 25:28 was David Scanlon of Rathfarnham WSAF AC in 25:28.
Laura Buckley finished first woman in 30:35, with Aisling O’Connor of Rathfarnham WSAF AC second in 31:33 and Breda Smyth of host club Lucan Harriers third and first W50 in 34:39.
Just as close as the men’s individual race was the team competition with Lucan Harriers and Raheny Shamrock AC tied on 50 point, with Lucan winning on count-back. Dunboyne AC was third, with twelve teams entered.
In the women’s team competition, Lucan were comfortable winners, ahead of Navan AC and Waterstown Warriors.
Leading home 1,482 finishers at the Waterside Half Marathon in Derry was Kyle Doherty of City of Derry Spartans AC in 71 mins 26 secs. The race incorporated the Northern Ireland and Ulster Championships and an impressive total of thirty-three clubs had entered teams.
Noel McNally of Belfast Roadrunners AC was second and first M40 in 73:01 and Gavin McGlinchey, like McNally a member of City of Derry Spartans AC, third in 73:10. With six finishers in the top twelve, the Spartans took the men’s team prize ahead of Victoria Park and Connswater AC and Foyle Valley AC.
On a good day for the Derry club, Catherine Whoriskey was first woman in 78:56. Second was Caitlyn Harvey of the Belfast-based Roadrunners AC in 82:02 with Elaine McGuckin of Keep ’Er Lit AC third and first W40 in 85:50.
In Belfast, Conall McLean of St Malachy’s AC won the Laganside 10km in Ormeau Park. His time of 30 mins 39 secs put him over a minute clear of the chasers led by Craig McMeechan of North Down AC in 32:02. In a well spread out race, Mathew Lavery of North Belfast Harriers was third in 33:57. First woman was Gladys Ganiel of North Belfast Harriers in 35:50; Ganiel’s clubmate Elisao Crawford was second woman and first W50 in 37:59 and Caroline MacNabb of East Down AC third in 38:10. A total of 755 finished the race in a busy weekend for Northern Ireland athletics.
Local Paralympian Shauna Bocquet, who is well on her way to qualifying for next year’s Paris Paralympics, was first to cross the finish line in the Craughwell 10-mile in Co Galway. Bocquet’s time of 47 mins 16 secs put her over six minutes ahead of the rest of the field, who were led home by Abaas Edris of Castlegar AC in 53: 49. First woman was Amy Schranz of 59:28. In the 10km, Donough McBrearty of Ferbane AC was the winner in 35:26 and Deirdre Gibbons of Galway City Harriers AC first woman in 39:36.