From the UTMB to the roads of Ireland, via some of Europe’s premier track events. Lindie Naughton has your top Irish results from this weekend. 

Biggest road race of the weekend was the Waterside Half Marathon in Derry where Kyle Doherty of City of Derry Spartans AC led 1,482 finishers in a time of 71 mins 26 secs. The race incorporated the Northern Ireland and Ulster Championships, which ensured a strong entry from over thirty Ulster clubs.

Noel McNally of the Belfast-based Roadrunners AC was second and first M40 in 73:01 and Gavin McGlinchey, like McNally a member of City of Derry Spartans AC, in 73:10. With six members in the top twelve the Spartans took the men’s team title ahead of Victoria Park and Connswater AC and Foyle Valley AC.

On a good day for the Spartans, Catherine Whoriskey was first woman in 78:56. Second woman was Caitlyn Harvey of Belfast 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.

Matthew Lavery of North Belfast Harriers was third in 33:57. First woman and first W45 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 on a busy weekend for Northern Ireland athletics.

A Dunboyne Double

In Leinster, Peter Somba and Laura Buckley made it a Dunboyne AC double at Sunday’s Lucan 5-Mile (September 3).
After the race turned off the road and on to the Lucan track, Somba worked hard to catch Mick Clohisey of Raheny Shamrock AC , passing him with about a hundred metres to go and and then holding 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.

In the team competition, it was Lucan Harriers on the double, with the men beating Raheny Shamrock on count-back and the women clear winners ahead of Navan AC

In the west of the country, 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 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.

A busy Saturday

A day earlier at the Seamie Weldon 5km in Ardee, Co Louth, on Saturday (September 2), Aaron Hanlon of Drogheda and District AC comfortably won the race in 15 mins 16 secs. Second and first M50 was Declan Toal of North East Runners in 16:00, while third and first junior in 17:20 was Jack Garvey of Boyne AC.

First woman in 18:08 was Nichola Sheridan. Meabh Eakin of Dunleer AC was second and first junior in 18:29 and Karen Costello of Dunleer AC third woman and first W40 in 18:53.

Darragh Green of Dunleer AC in 32 mins 53 secs and Bronagh Farrell in 48:06 were the 10km winners.

John Meade of St Finbarr’s AC led home 1,474 finishers home at the Dingle Half Marathon on Saturday (September 2) with a time of 73:17. First woman was former Irish marathon champion Aoife Cook of Eagle AC in 84:52.

In the marathon, a further 661 finished, led by Donal Moran of Mornington Chasers in 2:43.19. First woman in 3:17.35 was Aisling O’Connor.

Winner of the Waterford Greenway Half Marathon was Pat Fitzgerald of Waterford AC) in 72:29. First woman in 84:15 was Erika Dowling. Team winners were the West Waterford AC men and the Kilkenny City Harriers women.

James Moran won the Ireland West 3/4 marathon in Swinford, Co Mayo by over three minutes in 2 hrs 2 mins 4 secs. Isabel Oakes of Sligo AC was third overall and first woman in 2:05.39.

In the 5km, Pearse Gallagher (Swinford AC) was the winner in 16:23 with junior athlete Jennifer McCarthy (Galway City Harriers) first woman in 19:15.

Earlier in the week

On Friday (September 1), Jordan Heron (Larne AC) won the GRC Coastal 5m from Carnlough to Glenarm in 15:23. Gemma McDonald (Ballycastle Runners AC) was first woman in 17:31.

Evan Reid made it a home win at the Portmarnock Beach 5km in Dublin on a wet Thursday evening (August 31), winning in 16 mins 45 secs. Second in 17 minutes exactly was Stephen Butler of Raheny Shamrock AC while third and first M40 17:50 was Conor Fitzpatrick, also of Portmarnock AC .

Eighth and first woman was local resident Annette Kealy of Raheny Shamrock in 18:56, followed by her Raheny clubmate Zoe Quinn in 19:08 and Ciara Peelo of Clonliffe Harriers in 20:15.

Winners at the Cork Mental Health 5km on Wednesday (August 30) were Darragh Mulcahy in 15 mins 1 sec and Lizzie Lee, who was eighth overall in 16:33.

Second of the men was Eric Curran in 15;12, followed by Kristaps Liepien who was leading Stryker to A grade team victory in 15:41.

Lee was followed home by Hannah Steeds in 16:51 and Michelle Kenny in 17.13, with Kenny’s Department of Education first team.

Track time

Sarah Healy of UCD AC finished seventh in the women’s 1500m at the Diamond League Xiamen in China on Saturday (August 2). Although Healy’s time of 4:01.48 was slower than the 3:59.86 she ran at the World Championships, she was in the thick of the race from the start. Freweyni Haile of Ethiopia was the winner in a meet record time of 3:57.65.

At the Diamond League Weltklasse in Zurich, Switzerland two days earlier on Thursday (August 31) , Brian Fay of Raheny Shamrock , making his Diamond League debut, finished sixth in the mens’ 5000m with a time of 13:24.61. Winner was pre-race favourite Yomif Kejelcha of Ethiopia in 12:46.91, with the field well spread out.

In the men’s 1500m, Andrew Coscoran of Star of the Sea Ac was 14th in 4:47.25.

At the BMC Regionals races in Gillingham on Saturday (September 2), Paul Robinson of St Coca’s AC finished second in the men’s 800m A race in a season’s best 1:47.12; Robinson’s lifetime best of 1:45.86 dates back to 2013. One place behind was Harry Purcell of Trim AC in 1:47.63.

Photo: James Rhodes

At the Meeting Citta’ Di Padova in Italy Ciara Mageean ran a 2:00.88 800m to finish second behind Sinclaire Johnson of the USA and Brian Fay clocked a PB in the 1500m with a 3:36.52 for 10th. Sophie O’Sullivan also ran 4:07.66 in the 1500m.

Mountain Running

Ireland’s top mountain runner Zak Hanna of Newcastle and District AC finished 34th in Saturday’s Vertical Nasego, in Italy – a 4.5km race with a lung-busting kilometre of climb in the Brescian Alps – for a fourth time.

His time was 41mins 27 secs, some way off the time of 34.21 Hanna ran a year earlier when he had finished second for a second time in the race.

Patrick Kipngeno of Kenya, winner last year in 33:41, was again first home albeit in a slower time of 34:25.

Dave Gowan of Dundrum South Dublin AC set a new record of 3 hrs 56 mins 26 secs for the Dublin 7 Summits Challenge on Saturday (September 2). Starting at the Kilmashogue forest gate, Gowan headed for Seahan taking in Fairy Castle, Prince William’s Seat, Knocknagun, Glendoo, Kippure and Seefingan along the way. Total distance is about 31.22m with 1, 313m climb depending on the route taken.

Photo: Pol O Mhuchu

Ultra-running

At the annual UTMB World Series of trail running in Chamonix, France, Aoife Mundow of Drogheda and District AC finished the TDS (153.5 km with 9,316 m elevation) in 29 hrs 20 mins 53 secs despite incredibly challenging conditions. Her time put her 12th woman overall and first W40. First woman was Maryline Nakache of France in 23:37.57.

Also among the 998 finishers were Mark Shannon M40 29:49.46, Kevin Shannon M35 29:49.49, G. Brian Hutchinson third M55 in 31:58.53, Jason Monaghan M40 35:58.51, Luke Nelson M40 36:41.02, Sean Nickell M50 40:07.51, Ian Healy M21 41:36.15, Brian O’Grady M55 42:21.51 and Adolfo Garcia 44:16.54.

David Ryan and Gav Byrne finished really close together after both ran a strong race around Mont Blanc. Photo: Robbie Britton

In the UTMB itself, a gruelling 170km race from Courmayeur in Italy to Chamonix in France via Switzerland, which started late on Friday evening, Gavin Byrne finished 55th and 15th M35 in 26 hrs 8 mins 16 secs. Not far behind was David Ryan, 57th and 16th M35 in 26:09.40.

Of the women, Esther O’Sullivan finished ninth W40 in 33:54.38 and Ellen Vitting of Kenmare AC 13th W35 in 35:55.41. Other Irish finishers were Lonan O’Farrell M40 in 31:34.24 and Sam Hand of Kilmallock AC M35 in 31:34.26; Oran Finnegan of Glenmore AC M45 34:35.10, Peter Linney M20 38:48.55 and Gordon Kavanagh M50 45:47.16.

In the 100km CCC, Richard Wynne finished fourth M40 in 13 hrs 8 mins 5 secs.

First of the Irish in the 57km OCC was Shaun Stewart M35 in 6 hrs 35 mins 46 secs, followed by Pól Ó Murchú of Drogheda and District AC in 7:55.58. Aoife Ní Mhaolaoin of Cairngorm Runners was 23rd W35 in 8:45.10.