The cross country season in its last month and the BHAA Garda cross country races in the Phoenix park were a popular option for the Donore runners who are well used to the magazine hills.  In the ladies race, the ever improving Aisling Swaine had a super performance coming 3rd (and not far off 2nd).  Cliodhna Carthy was 1st W40.  Fergal Whitty was an excellent 9th and 1st M40 in the men’s 4 mile race.  There were unusually big numbers competing, the races incorporated the Lord Mayor 5 alive challenge.

Full results:

Ladies 2 mile (266 finishers)
Aisling Swaine 3rd
Cliodhna Carthy 12th 1st W40
Mary Murphy 43rd
Catherine Mckeon 47th
Ann Woodlock 91st 1st W75
Pauline fagan 95th

Men’s 4 mile (246 finishers)
Fergal Whitty 9th
Philip Hennessey 18th
Tom fagan 68th
Peter Nugent 73rd
Barry Potts 90th 2nd m65
Tommy Halton 213th

Meanwhile, 4 Donore runners braved the unbelievably gruelling cross country course that is Parliament Hill Fields in Hampstead Heath London, the traditional home of the sport in England.  They competed in the South of England cross country championship in the colours of Herne Hill Harriers in a field of 1000 runners. The race was 15k so it was the best part of an hour’s intense running. Michael McMahon was an impressive 69th, John dunne a minute back in 90th, Ciaran McCarthy 181st and Aogan Macdhomhnaill 211th.  By all accounts, the group found it a fantastic experience!

Junior and U23 track indoor nationals

Donore Harriers has a new national champion in Ailbhe Healy who recently won the junior pole vault event at the national junior and U23 championships athlone with a jump of 2.75 metres.  At the same event, Zak Higgins contested the junior 400m in 52.9 sec and Adam Halpin ran 56.9 in the U23 400m.

National indoor league

The men’s and women’s teams both reached the final in Athlone this year and came agonisingly close to medal positions, but had to settle for 4th place apiece.  There were some great performances and a number of new faces on both teams.  Finishing top 3 in their events were Lynda Tcheudji, Ailbhe Healy, Lara O’byrne (2 events)and Mimi Agargbo in the ladies competition and there were PBs for Sinead Lambe and Karla doran in the middle distance events.  In the end, the ladies were only a few points off bronze.  In the men’s event, Paul McDermott, Rolus Olusa and Darragh Fitzgibbon got top 3 positions, there were many good performances from new team members like Emmet o’Briain and Gabhan O’Tighearnaigh and in the end the result in one of the jumps events went to count back leaving Donore an agonising single point off bronze with 54( winners were Clonliffe, Galway city harriers, followed by Leevale).  Roll on the outdoor league for these two fine teams and thanks Leonie Newman and all the team supporters for their hard work.

Full results
Ladies

Men

(Guest athletes Cara Brennan 8.16 60m, Anna O’Reilly 3.87 long jump, max Carey 200m 24.17, Adam Halpin 55.84)

AAI games

The day after the national league final, 2 of the ladies team were back out in the Athlone arena to contest the AAI games 800m.  Karla Doran had a super race finishing 3rd in 2.20.23 and Sinead Lambe in an impressive 2.24.19.

IUAA championships

At the universities national indoors, Lynda Tcheudji continues an impressive season with bronze in the triple jump 11.01.  Mael Lambert came 9th in the 3000m in 9.01.  Rolus Olusa competed in several events as part of the combined events incorporated.

US indoors

John Travers continues his run of competition in the American indoor circuit with 4.02 in the Armory invitational mile where he finished 8th.  But the week after he got a PB over 3000m indoors and a 2nd place in the Boston university David Hemery invitational meet where he finished in 7.55.

Back in the outdoors, there was another great win for Louis O’Loughlin.  In Santry Demesne at the  Leinster schools Athletics cross country junior race he was the clear victor.