HIGHLIGHTS: Gavin Curtin won a silver medal in the DUBLIN JUNIOR MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP. Under 18 athlete James Bolton placed an excellent 5^th in the same race. Barbara Cleary and Kane Collins were leading Donore Harriers athletes in the DUBLIN SENIOR XC CHAMPIONSHIPS. Cillian McCooey (U/13), Lorraine O’Connor (U/15) and the Under 15 Girls team were victorious in the DUBLIN UNEVEN AGES CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS. Abdel Laadjel (Providence Friars) had another fine race to place 24^th in the BIG EAST XC CHAMPIONSHIPS in Indiana. Barbara Murray 2^nd in the W45 category in the ARMAGH 10-MILE ROAD RACE.

 

REPORT: Gavin Curtin has finally arrived onto the podium! Two years ago, Curtin placed a distant 6^th in the Dublin under-18 cross-country championship. On Sunday he ran his best race to date to place 2^nd in the DUBLIN JUNIOR CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS at the Trinity Sports Ground in Santry. Curtin gave early chase to the pre-race favourite Scott Fagan of Metro St. Bridget AC. As the race progressed Fagan, who is an Irish underage international and a winner of the Celtic U/17 International XC, opened a gap on Curtin – who in turn put some distance between himself and 3^rd placed runner Adam Condon of Raheny Shamrocks AC. The order stayed the same for the remainder of the 6km course, with Fagan (18.20) the winner, ahead of Curtin (18.35) and Condon (18.47). Now a student at the Athlone IT, the Donore Harriers athlete is well respected by his coaches and peers for his sheer dedication to training and his racing tenacity. Curtin said afterwards: “I am happy with that run. Scott is a great athlete, so to finish 15 seconds behind him is a good benchmark to reaching the next level”. Not too far behind the front 3 was 17 years-old James Bolton (19.10) in 5^th position – and 4^th in a very competitive Under-19 contest. Bolton was stepping-up an age-group and has two years left in the junior category.

In the SENIOR WOMEN’S RACE, also over 6km, Barbara Cleary (21.23) came 10^th. Cleary, a W45 athlete, held 7^th place with just 200 metres remaining – but she didn’t have the natural leg speed to counter the late challenges from younger athletes. Ultra-distance Irish international Sorcha Loughnane (22.31), another masters athlete, came 22^nd in a field of 47 finishers. The race was won by Meghan Ryan (20.27) of DSD AC.

Donore Harriers also had two competitors in the SENIOR MEN’S 10km RACE. Kane Collins (32.23), running in only his 2^nd cross-country competition, came 13^th and is another athlete who continues to make steady progress. Masters’ category athlete Emmet O’Briain (36.52), who had a recent injury lay-off, put in a steady performance to finish 52^nd in a field of 65. The flat course with sticky underfoot conditions and tight corners made it a stern test for all the athletes. The race was won by Sergiu Ciobanu (30.52) of Clonliffe Harriers.

Earlier in the day the DUBLIN JUVENILE UNEVEN AGES CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS were held at the same venue. The race of the day was surely the Under 13 Boys over 2,500m. Exciting talent Cillian McCooey took an early lead, only to be caught by a Lucan Harriers athlete at mid-race. As the race reached the closing stages the two front runners were being chased hard by an athlete from Blackrock AC. Then with 200 metres remaining the young Donore Harriers athlete put in a sprint finish to win by about 20 metres, with the Blackrock AC athlete gaining to finish in 2^nd. Newcomer Conor O’Neill came 37^th.

There was plenty for Donore Harriers to cheer about in the Under 15 Girls race over 3,500m. Lorraine O’Connor and Emily Bolton ran stride for stride thru the open 2,000m. O’Connor then gained the advantage over Bolton – who was stepping up in age-grade. O’Connor went on to record a fine victory, with Bolton placing 3^rd. Eva Crowe pulled away from her pursuers after one kilometre and ran on to finish in 4^th position. With 3 in the top 4 it was down to Eleanor Hopkins to ensure team gold in 20^th place. It was a tight call! Donore Harriers scored 28, with Lucan Harriers just two-points behind. The other team members were Ava Hoare who placed 39^th and Hannah Eustace who came 42^nd.

In the Under 11 Boys race Olyver Whelan narrowly failed to make the top 3 after 1,500m. Whelan, another good prospect, timed his sprint too early. He got up to 3^rd but was unable to keep pace and had to settle for 4^th. Mark Nunan came 18^th in the same race, with Leo Garry 44^th, Max Henleywillis 52^nd and Alan Maddox 79^th.

In the Under 11 Girls race (1,500m) Annabella Omozee came 18^th, Siun Costello 51^st, Tess O’Donohue 62^nd, Robyn McCluskey 80^th and Hannah Kelly 89^th. The team finished outside the medals.

Liam Morris, the Under 14 champion, stepped up an age group to place 6^th in the Under 15 Boys 3,500m race. His team-mates Lucas Collender and Aaron Callanan came 42^nd and 54^th respectively.

Thomas Bolton and Oliver Hopkins contested in a front group of 9 athletes in the opening 2 kilometres of the Under 17 Boys race over 5,000m. Bolton, stepping up in age, eventually came home in 6^th place with Hopkins two places further back. Dylan McKenna, who was also stepping up in age group, came 21^st.

Special mention to Lily Clarke-Hanrahan in the Under 13 Girls and Cadel Senyk in the Under 9 Boys. Both are newcomers to the sport and got caught in the fast start melee in their respective races. Lily eventually came 56^th in her race and Cadel came 55^th. Both young athletes will have learned from the experience and will become key members of team Donore. Apology, but I don’t have a result for Anna Garry in the Under 9 Girls race.

Abdel Laadjel stepped up in class and distance to line out for the Providence Friars team at the BIG EAST CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS at Carmel, Indiana on Friday last (29.10.2021).

The Donore Harriers man finished the 4 laps, 8-kilometre race in 24^th place from a field of 87 starters, almost all being older and more seasoned athletes. Overnight rain meant that the undulating course was soft underfoot with pools of water adding to the toughness of the race. Laadjel made a good start and was well placed in 16^th spot after 3 kilometres, but the 18 years-old freshman found it increasingly difficult to stay the pace as the race progressed. He later commented: “8 kilometre is so much different than 6K in cross. I need more time to adjust to the longer distances”. His race time of 25.25.8 was almost a minute and a half behind winner Simon Berard (23.58.6) of Butler University. Abdel was the 4^th scorer on the Providence Friars team that placed 4^th of 9 teams.

The US TRACK & FIELD and XC COACHES ASSOCIATION named Abdel Laadjel the NCAA DIVISION I MEN ‘Athlete of the Week’ (w-end 24.10.2021). Here’s what they posted on their website…

Providence Freshman | Lucan, Ireland.

Abdel Laadjel didn’t take long to top the podium.

Running in only his second collegiate meet this past weekend, Laadjel picked up the win at the CCSU Mini Meet. He covered the 5k course in 14:41.1, nearly 11 seconds faster than his next closest competitor, and helped the Friars finish third in the team standings.

This is the first time in program history that a male athlete from Providence has been named National Athlete of the Week during the cross-country season.

We reported in the aftermath of the NATIONAL MARATHON CHAMPIONSHIPS (03.10.2021) that team and age-grade medals would not be awarded due to the race having a limited number of entries. An announcement by Athletics Ireland on the 28.10.2021 confirmed that senior team medals will be given to the top three men’s and women’s team. The short announcement read: Following the recent National Senior Marathon Championships which took place in conjunction with Belfast City Marathon, Athletics Ireland has confirmed that Senior men’s and women’s teams will be awarded the respective National Senior Marathon Championship medals for first, second, and third place. So, congratulations to the Donore Harriers women’s team of Sorcha Loughnane, Anne Curley and Grace Kennedy-Clarke on winning team silver – official! See result below.

In Sunday’s ARMAGH 10-MILE ROAD RACE Barbara Murray (1.07.33) placed 85^th from more than 300 starters. Murray was 6^th woman overall and came 2^nd in the W45 category.

In this week’s PARKRUNs Sinead Lambe (19.07) was first overall finisher at Navan.

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BIG EAST CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS at Carmel, Indiana (29.10.2021)

MEN’S 8KM XC: 24^th Abdel Laadjel (25.25.8)

87 finishers

DUBLIN JUVENILE UNEVEN-AGES CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS at the Trinity Sports Grounds, Santry (31.10.2021)

U/9 GIRLS 800m: Anna Garry result not to hand

U/9 BOYS 800m: 55^th Cadel Senyk

U/11 GIRLS 1,500m: 18^th Annabella Omozee, 51^st Siun Costello, 62^nd Tess O’Donohue, 80^th Robyn McCluskey, 89^th Hannah Kelly

U/11 BOYS 1,500m: 4^th Olyver Whelan, 18^th Mark Nunan, 44^th Leo Garry, 52^nd Max Henleywillis, 79^th Alan Maddox

U/13 GIRLS 2,500m: 56^th Lily Clarke-Hanrahan

U/13 BOYS 2,500m: 1^st Cillian McCooey, 37^th Conor O’Neill

U/15 GIRLS 3,500m: 1^st Lorraine O’Connor, 3^rd Emily Bolton (step-up), 4^th Eva Crowe (step-up), 20^th Eleanor Hopkins, 39^th Ava Hoare, 42^nd Hannah Eustace: TEAM 1^st Donore Harriers <O’Connor, Bolton, Crowe, Hopkins) 28, 2^nd Lucan Harriers 30.

U/15 BOYS 3,500m: 6^th Liam Morris (step-up), 42^nd Lucas Collender, 54^th Aaron Callanan

U/17 GIRLS 4,000m: No competitor

U/17 BOYS 5,000m: 6^th Thomas Bolton (step-up), 8^th Oliver Hopkins, 21^st Dylan McKenna (step-up)

U/19 MEN 6,000m: 4^th James Bolton (step-up)

DUBLIN SENIOR & JUNIOR CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS at Trinity Sports Ground, Santry (31.10.2021)

JUNIOR MEN 6,000m: 2^nd Gavin Curtin (18.35), 5^th James Bolton U18 (19.10) – 32 finishers

SENIOR WOMEN 6,000m: 10^th Barbara Cleary (21.23), 22^nd Sorcha Loughnane (22.31) – 47 finishers

SENIOR MEN 10,000m: 13^th Kane Collins (32.23), 52^nd Emmet O’Briain (36.52) – 65 finishers

ARMAGH 10-MILE ROAD RACE (31.10.2021)

85^th, 6^th woman & 2^nd W45 Barbara Murray (1.07.33) – 313 finishers

NATIONAL MARATHON CHAMPIONSHIPS at Belfast (03.10.2021)

WOMEN’s SENIOR TEAM RESULT: 1^st North Belfast Harriers (8.36.50), 2^nd Donore Harriers <Sorcha Loughnane 2.52.52, Anne Curley 3.07.33, Grace Kennedy-Clarke 3.18.33> (9.18.58), 3^rd Brothers Pearse AC (9.21.01) – 40 teams

PARKRUNS 5km (30.10.21)

BUSHY: 128^th Thomas Halton M65 (34.56)

MARLAY: 316^th Anna McMahon W35 (33.23)

NAVAN: 1^st & 1^st woman Sinead Lambe W35 (19.07)

TOLKA VALLEY: 20^th Owen Robinson M35 (25.19)

WATERSTOWN: 6^th Paul Graham M55 (21.09)