HIGHLIGHTS: Ken Nugent and Sorcha Loughnane are CLUB CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONS for 2022. Gavin Curtin produced another fine run in the IUAA CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS. Abdel Laadjel lowered his indoor 3,000m time again at the ECAT INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS in Boston MA. The Fit-4-Life squad went all out in the KINVARA ROAD RACES with Barry Potts 1st M70 in the half-marathon. Anne Gormley was given a special recognition award for her contribution to the sport by the IRISH MASTERS ATHLETICS ASSOCIATION.
The INTERVARSITIES (IUAA) CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS are one of the most keenly contested races on the athletics calendar. This year’s event took place at the Trinity Sports Grounds in Santry on Saturday morning with plenty of the country’s leading athletes on the start line. Gavin Curtin (26.07) representing Athlone IT ran another superb race to place 8th in the men’s 8km race and in the process finished ahead of a host of more experienced athletes. After a fine cross-country season, the 19 years-old former Moyle Park College student will now target the summer track season with loftier ambitions.
Matthieu Proffitt (27.53), the 2019 Dublin novice cross-country bronze medallist, came 38th representing Trinity College. He was followed home by mountain running specialist Rory Burke (28.38) in 55th, Matt Fabbro (29.23) in 64th and Michael Ryan (31.33) in 93rd. The race was won by Keelan Kilrihill (25.21), one of the stars of the successful Irish Under 23 team at the recent European Cross-Country Championships, who was representing DCU. In the women’s race over 5km Rachel Smyth (22.53) came 43rd in the colour of Trinity College.
Report on the CLUB CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS by coach Willie Smith: On a beautiful morning, a small but select group of our men and women faced the starter for our club cross-country championships on the 5th of March. Former Club President and the 1980 winner of the Faugh-A-Ballagh Cup Tony Murphy sent eleven men on their way over 6 miles and nine women over 4 miles. The underfoot conditions on the 2-mile lap (opposite the Pope’s Cross) were very good. With laps of 12.24 and 12.35 ultra-marathoner Sorcha Loughnane had a 36-seconds win over Sinead O’Reilly to claim the Jim McNamara Cup.
In the Faugh-A-Ballagh 6-mile men’s race Ken Nugent followed up his win in the Waterhouse Byrne Baird Shield 10-mile on St. Stephen’s Day with a 39-seconds win over Ryan Aikins who had a very good run. Full results below. Ken joins a small select group who have won the WBB Shield and the Faugh-A-Ballagh Cup in the same cross-country season (October to March). The first was Paddy Byrne in 1915/16, and again in 1918/19. Presentations of the Cups were made in the club lounge. James McNamara presented the Cup introduced in honour of his late father to the women’s winner Sorcha Loughnane. James thanked the club for keeping Jim’s legacy alive. Men’s captain Craig Scott presented the Faugh-A-Ballagh Cup to Ken Nugent.
Willie Smith spoke on the historic nature of the Donore Harriers trophies, and summarized Jim McNamara’s achievements. He also noted that 13 runners faced the starter in the first running of the Faugh-A-Ballagh Cup race in 1907.
Abdel Laadjel ran a PB of 8.07.89 when placing 7th in the 3,000m A race at the EASTERN COLLEGES ATHLETIC CONFERENCE INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS at Boston University indoor track on Sunday afternoon. He ran the opening 2km at the front of the field with his Providence University colleagues Ryan Gallagher and Patrick Thygesen. The trio passed the first kilometre in 2.42.5 and reached the 2km mark in 5.28. 18 years old Laadjel was unable to match the speed of the race favourites over the last 300m as Brandon Olden (8.03.48) of Siena University sprinted to victory ahead of Gallagher and Thygesen.
A group of club athletes, mostly from the Fit-4-Life group made the journey to Co. Galway to compete in the KINVARA HALF-MARATHON and 10KM ROAD RACES. In the half-marathon Fit-4-Life mentor Barry Potts won the Over 70s category when finishing 94th overall from a field of 558 finishers. He was followed over the line by Peter Daly (1.52.14) in 279th, Deirdre Healy (2.00.52) in 396th and Jo Hughes (2.05.17) in 432nd. Alasdair Brown was the first clubman home in the 10km race placing 4th overall. His time of 34.06 was a new personal best by 50 seconds. Next to complete the undulating course that started and finished at the Quays in the village of Kinvara was Julia Hacket (47.00) who was 101st overall and 3rd W50 finisher. The Fit-4-Lifers among the 707 finishers were Neil Maddox (51.30) in 213rd, Melanie Labor (56.26) in 345th, Anna McMahon (1.11.17) in 601st, Paula Morrissey (1.11.56) in 602nd, Blathnaid Hughes (1.11.56) in 603rd and Geraldine Cummins (1.27.39) in 673rd.
The penultimate race in the BHAA XC SERIES was the AIB & NUI MAYNOOTH CROSS-COUNTRY RACES at the St. Patrick’s College Grounds in Maynooth on Saturday morning. Mary McDermott completed the 2 x 1-mile loop in 15.11 to place 15th of 33 finishers in the women’s race. Among the 85 who completed the men’s race over 4 miles were Tom Fagan (26.54) who came 39th overall and 1st in the M50 category; Ian Redican (28.38) who was 51st; Des Gill (32.49) in 72nd spot; and Terry Mee (45.09) 83rd and 1st in the over 70s grade.
On Sunday, the club had two athletes compete in the LUSK 4-MILE ROAD RACE. Audrey Gahan (26.23) was 85th overall and 5th in the W35 category, with J.P. O’Hanlon (27.53) placing 108th of the 514 finishers.
Elaine Verdon (1.24.47) came 236th of the 477 runners who completed the inaugural NAAS 10-MILE ROAD RACE organised by the local Brendan’s Running Club in association with Naas GAA.
In the IMRA FORTH MOUNTAIN 10KM RACE in Co. Wexford on Sunday morning Laura Nunan (59.24) came 23rd of 48 finishers and was the 1st female juvenile.
Club stalwart and regular race walker Anne Gormley was awarded the Tadhg Lynch Trophy at the IRISH MASTERS ATHLETICS ASSOCIATION AGM. The award was given to Anne in recognition of her services to athletics as a competitor, official and administrator. She joins a list of distinguished recipients of the trophy, including our own late, great Jim McNamara. Well done, Anne!
Maura Kearns (18.59) was 3rd overall and 1st woman finisher at the Navan PARKRUN. Juvenile member Dylan McKenna (19.27) was 3rd home at Waterstown. Other parkrun results below.
Results in brief:
IRISH UNIVERSITIES ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS at Trinity Sports Grounds, Santry (05.03.2022)
WOMEN’S 5KM:
43rd Rachel Smyth (TCD) 22.53
60 finishers
MEN’S 8KM:
8th Gavin Curtin (AIT) 26.07
38th Matthieu Proffitt (TCD) 27.53
55th Rory Burke (UCD) 28.38
64th Matt Fabbro (TCD) 29.23
93rd Michael Ryan (TCD) 31.33
124 finishers
DONORE HARRIERS SENIOR CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS at Phoenix Park (05.03.2022)
WOMEN’S 4-MILE for the JIM McNAMARA CUP
1st Sorcha Loughnane (24.59)
2nd Sinead O’Reilly (25.35)
3rd Deirdre MacAnna (27.31)
4th Florence Curley (28.50)
5th Ariana Ball (29.05)
6th Katherine Marsh (31.53)
7th Treasa Ryan (32.11)
8th Sabrina O’Sullivan (32.18)
9th Deirdre Brennan (36.25)
MEN’S 6-MILE for the FAUGH-A-BALLAGH CUP
1st Ken Nugent (34.31)
2nd Ryan Aikins (35.10)
3rd Wayne Waldron (37.16)
4th Emmet O’Briain (37.51)
5th Craig Scott (38.18)
6th Alan Farrell (39.18)
7th Simon O’Toole (39.46)
8th Peter Brennan (40.20)
9th Gavin White (41.27)
10th David McGrath (42.54)
11th Dean Fullston (45.24)
BHAA AIB & NUI MAYNOOTH CROSS-COUNTRY RACES at St. Patrick’s College Grounds, Maynooth (05.03.2022)
WOMEN’S 2-MILES:
15th & 3rd W50 Mary McDermott (15.11)
33 finishers
MEN’S 4-MILES:
39th & 1st M50 Tom Fagan (26.54)
51st Ian Redican M45 (28.38)
72nd Des Gill M55 (32.49)
83rd & 1st M75 Terry Mee (45.09)
85 finishers
LUSK 4-MILE ROAD RACE (06.03.2022)
85th & 5th W35 Audrey Gahan (26.23)
108th & 49th M35 J.P. O’Hanlon (27.53)
514 finishers
45th EASTERN COLLEGES ATHLETIC CONFERENCE INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS at Boston University, USA (06.03.2022)
MEN’S 3,000m ‘A’ RACE: 7th Abdel Laadjel (Providence Uni) 8.07.89 PB
12 finishers
KINVARA HALF-MARATHON in Co. Galway (06.03.2022)
94th & 1st M70 Barry Potts (1.37.41)
279th Peter Daly M40 (1.52.14)
396th Deirdre Healy W50 (2.00.52)
432nd Josephine Hughes W50 (2.05.17)
558 finishers
KINVARA 10KM ROAD RACE in Co. Galway (06.03.2022)
4th Alasdair Brown MS (34.06 PB)
101st & 3rd W50 Julia Hackett (47.00)
213rd Neil Maddox M40 (51.30)
345th Melanie Labor WS (56.26)
601st Anna McMahon WS (1.11.17)
602nd Paula Morrissey W40 (1.11.56)
603rd Blathnaid Hughes WS (1.11.56)
673rd Geraldine Cummins W50 (1.27.39)
707 finishers
NAAS 10-MILE ROAD RACE (06.03.2022)
236th & 51st woman Elaine Verdon (1.24.47)
477 finishers
IMRA FORTH MOUNTAIN RACE in Co. Wexford (06.03.2022)
10KM LONG COURSE:
23rd & 1st Female Juvenile Laura Nunan (59.24)
48 finishers
PARKRUNS 5km (19.02.2022)
BUSHY: 122nd Thomas Halton M65 (33.06)
CASTLETOWN: 56th Joan McTernon W60 (27.58)
MALAHIDE: 80th Angela O’Dea W40 (25.13 PB)
MARLAY: 16th Patrick Moriarty M45 (18.59)
NAVAN: 3rd & 1st woman Maura Kearns W35 (18.59)
WATERSTOWN: 3rd Dylan McKenna M15-17 (19.27)
