HIGHLIGHTS: Sorcha & Ide NicDhomhnaill 1st & 3rd in the TITANIC 10KM at Belfast. Kane Collins broke 70 minutes in the BARCELONA HALF-MARATHON. Under 16 boys relay team took bronze on Day 3 of the NATIONAL JUVENILE INDOORS. Club athletes were at MANCHESTER & PARIS MARATHONS and the BERLIN HALF-MARATHON. Ariana Ball & Ruby Kelly placed at the MAYNOOTH 5KM & 10KM respectively.

REPORT: <by Gerry Naughton, Florence Curley & Leonie Newman> Sorcha and Ide NicDhomhnaill were the outstanding competitors in the TITANIC 10KM ROAD RACE in Belfast on Sunday morning. The popular race with a 3.15km loop followed by a 5.3km loop around the docks and airport region saw a quality contest with the first four women finishers inside 35 minutes. The overall race was won by Aaron Woodman (32.28) of Willowfield Harriers, with Sorcha NicDhomhnaill (33.55) leading the women home ahead of runner-up Jessica Craig (34.02) of North Down AC. Ide NicDhomhnaill (34.23) was the 3rd woman finisher having almost half-a-minute to spare over Catherine Whoriskey of City of Derry AC. Both Sorcha and Ide ran personal bests. There were more than 700 finishers.

Kane Collins broke the 70-minutes barrier for the first time in the BARCELONA HALF-MARATHON early Sunday. The picturesque city-centre route took the runners from the Arc De Triomf and past the old towns to the Plaza Catalunya. Then it went along the famous Ramblas and down the Avenida Del Parallel. It also included the Parc de la Ciutadella and the Torre Agbar, one of the most striking buildings in the city – then along the beach again before finishing close to the Arc De Triomf.
Collins, who recently had his training hampered by injury, returned a personal best time of 1.09.15 to place 57th in a high-quality international field. Coached by Lee Van Haeften, the Cork native was “delighted” with his run and splits of 16.41, 16.17, 16.33, 16.30 and 3.18 are indication of more-to-come from the much-improved Donore Harriers athlete.

The club had two members compete in the MANCHESTER MARATHON – also on Sunday. David McConn was hoping to break the 2.40 mark, but cramp in the latter stages of the race slowed his progress – and he had to settle for a 9-minutes personal best of 2.43.04 and 269th position. Ray Armstrong (3.00.33) narrowly failed to join the sub-3-hours club despite a PB of 8 minutes. He placed 1,330th of the 13,406 finishers.

There was also a personal best for 57 years-old Dean Fullston in the PARIS MARATHON when he finished in a time of 3.26.17 for 5,686th place from 24,251 finishers. This was a fine effort from Fullston who passed the halfway mark in 1.40.48 and was on target for a 3.22/23 time until the 35km point in the race.

Simon O’Toole (1.28.21) was the club’s lone competitor in the BERLIN HALF-MARATHON. He placed 1,205th of 13,813 male competitors.

In the MAYNOOTH 5KM & 10KM ROAD RACES on Sunday Ariana Ball placed 15th overall in the 5km and was the 2nd woman finisher. She dipped under 20 minutes for the first time with a new PB time of 19.49. In the 10km race Tony Griffin (43.16) came 47th of 303 finishers, with junior athlete Ruby Kelly (44.54) placing 61st overall and 3rd in the women’s category.

Four club members were among the 237 finishers in the BUSINESS HOUSE DCC 4-MILE ROAD RACE at St. Anne’s Park in Raheny on Saturday. Tom Fagan (27.11) narrowly won the tussle with his regular training partner Peter Nugent (27.14) as they occupied 41st and 42nd positions. Next came Mary McDermott (30.50) in 84th place – with Des Gill (31.24) crossing the line in 89th spot.

The Under 16 Boys team of Paddy Nolan, Alex Leonard, Rory O’Farrell and Ciaran O’Farrell stepped up their game to take bronze medals in the 4 x 200m event on 3rd day of the NATIONAL JUVENILE INDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS at Athlone Arena on Saturday. The quartet qualified to the final by placing 3rd in Heat 2 in a time of 1.41.83. They were over a second quicker in the final to claim 3rd place in 1.40.83 relegating Ratoath AC to 4th position. In one of the best races of the day Celbridge AC (1.38.30) narrowly won ahead of Templemore AC (1.38.46). The Donore Harriers team were almost left as spectators! With a late withdrawal it was to the credit of Ciaran O’Farrell (and his mother Natalie) who hightailed it to Athlone so that he could take his place in the team. Kudos also to Rory O’Farrell who raced despite a niggling foot injury. The Under 17 Girls team also made the final by placing 3rd in Heat 3 of the 4 x 200m relay with a time of 1.53.40. The quartet of Isabella Jackson, Isabella Kelly, Eve Conroy and Roisin Kirby were out of contention for medals and had to settle for 6th place in a time of 1.53.86.
The Under 17 Boys team (1.42.28) came 4th in Heat 1 of the 4 x 200m and failed to progress. The team consisted of Rory O’Farrell – who was taking the opening leg for the first time, Oisin Cummins-Weiss – more familiar with the Shot Putt event, Alex Leonard and Romeo Omozee. In field events Oisin Cummins-Weiss threw a best of 10.50m to place a creditable 5th in the Under 17 Boys Shot Putt. Romeo Omozee (8.61m) came 13th in the same category. Roisin Kirby placed 13th in the Under 16 Girls Long Jump with a best of 4.24m.

Audrey Gahan (1.30.31) competed in the IRISH MOUNTAIN RUNNING ASSOCIATION TINAHELY event over 13.5km on Sunday. She placed 18th overall and 3rd woman from a field of 57 finishers.

Best results in this week’s PARKRUNs came from juvenile members Dylan McKenna and Lucas Collender who were 2nd and 3rd finishers at Waterstown Park. Other results below.

Results in brief:
NATIONAL JUVENILE INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY 3 at ATHLONE ARENA (02.04.2022)
U/16 GIRLS LONG JUMP FINAL: 13th Roisin Kirby (4.24m)
U/17 BOYS SHOT PUTT FINAL: 5th Oisin Cummins-Weiss (10.50m), 13th Romeo Omozee (8.61m)
U/16 BOYS 4 x 200m HEAT 2: 3rd Donore Harriers <Paddy Nolan, Alex Leonard, Rory O’Farrell, Ciaran O’Farrell> 1.41.83 – qualified to final
U/16 BOYS 4 x 200m FINAL: 3rd Donore Harriers <Paddy Nolan, Alex Leonard, Rory O’Farrell, Ciaran O’Farrell> 1.40.74 – BRONZE
U/17 BOYS 4 x 200m HEAT 1: 4th Donore Harriers <Ciaran O’Farrell, Oisin Cummins-Weiss, Romeo Omozee, Rory O’Farell> 1.42.28 – did not qualify
U/17 GIRLS 4 x 200m HEAT 3: 3rd Donore Harriers <Isabella Jackson, Isabella Kelly, Eve Conroy, Roisin Kirby> 1.53.40 – qualified to final
U/17 GIRLS 4 x 200m FINAL: 6th Donore Harriers <Isabella Jackson, Isabella Kelly, Eve Conroy, Roisin Kirby> 1.53.85
BHAA DDC 4 MILE ROAD RACE at St. Anne’s Park, Raheny (02.04.2022)
41st Tom Fagan M50 (27.11)
42nd Peter Nugent M50 (27.14)
84th Mary McDermott W50 (30.50)
89th Des Gill M55 (31.24)
237 finishers
THERME MANCHESTER MARATHON (03.04.2022)
269th David McConn (2.43.04 PB)
1,330th Ray Armstrong (3.00.33 PB)
13,406 finishers
PARIS MARATHON (03.04.2022)
5,686th Dean Fullston M55 (3.26.17 PB)
24,251 finishers
BARCELONA HALF-MARATHON (03.04.2022)
57th Kane Collins (1.09.15 PB)
11,148 finishers
BERLIN HALF-MARATHON (03.04.2022)
1,205th Simon O’Toole (1.28.21 PB)
13,813 male finishers
TITANIC 10KM ROAD RACE at Belfast (03.04.2022)
14th & 1st woman Sorcha NicDhomhnaill (33.55 PB)
17th & 3rd woman Ide NicDhomhnaill (34.23 PB)
734 finishers
MAYNOOTH 5KM & 10KM ROAD RACES (03.04.2022)
5KM:
15th & 2nd woman Ariana Ball (19.49 PB)
191 finishers
10KM:
47th Tony Griffin (43.16)
61st & 3rd woman Ruby Kelly JNR (44.54 PB)
303 finishers
IMRA TINAHELY 13.5KM MOUNTAIN RACE (03.04.2022)
18th & 3rd woman Audrey Gahan (1.30.31)
57 finishers
PARKRUNS 5km (02.04.2022)
ARDGILLAN: 13th Joe Murphy M40 (24.36)
BUSHY: 80th Thomas Halton M65 (32.48)
CASTLETOWN: 30th & 8th woman Joan McTernan W60 (27.28)
GRIFFEEN: 68th Charlie O’Neill M65 (26.53)
MALAHIDE: 187th Angela O’Dea W40 (30.51)
POPPINTREE: 73rd Eilish Joyce W40 (33.53)
TOLKA VALLEY: 5th Owen Robinson M35 (20.08)
WATERSTOWN: 2nd Dylan McKenna M15-17 (20.05), 3rd Lucas Collender M11-14 (21.03)