Wins by Abdel Laadjel and John Travers
The Christmas and New Year period is a busy one for road racing around the country. A popular one to start the year for Donore Runners is the Tom Brennan New Year’s day 5k hosted by neighbouring club Liffey Valley AC. On New Year’s day the morning was dull and cold but there was no wind and the rain held off for this 2 lap course – starting and finishing at different points on the Furze Road. The lap turns on to Ordnance Survey Road and back on to Chesterfield Avenue.
Back from the USA for a couple of weeks holiday from his athletics scholarship in Providence, Abdel Laadjel (still a junior) was keen to make an impression here on the same race he did so well in in 2020. This was in fact Abdel’s second time only to run 5k on the road. In the 2020 race he ran 15.19 and it was very much his breakthrough race. Here in 2023 he was always confident of a win , but it was nip and tuck up top in the race where Clonliffe’s Stephen Cashin, Ballyfin’s Colin Maher were also vying for the top spot – national marathon champion Martin Hoare (Celbridge) and Peter Arthur of the home club were also in the mix for a while. Abdel prevailed in the end and won the race in 14.54 from Cashin 14.55 and Maher 14.56 so an exciting finish and 25 seconds faster than in 2020.
Next in for the club was Emmet O’Briain coming offwell from his close second in the WBB race on St Stephens Day – he finished in 22nd place in 16.39 and 3rd M45
Next was Diego Martinez in 16.52 and 25th place originally from El Salvador now living in Ireland and making an impressive competitive debut for the club.
The trio were only 3 points off winning the men’s team title (Raheny Shamrocks got the top spot).
Next in was Stephen Dawson followed by Florence Curley the first female. The women’s team of Florence, Audrey Gahan, Louise Kelly, Suzie Henley Willis (all 3 also competed in the shield race on Stephens Day) and Michelle Dawon finished in 8th. In there too were Dean Fullston – another shield racer and M70 runner Barry Potts.
There were 455 finishers
Full results below – thanks Gerry Naughton for selected photos
1st Abdel Laadjel 14.54
22nd Emmet O’Briain 16.39
25th Diego Martinez 16.52
128th Stephen Dawson 20.35
131st Florence Curley 20.49
155th Audrey Gahan 21.31
162nd Dean Fullston 21.49
189th Louise Kelly 21.57
192nd Barry Potts 23.10
198th Suzie Henley Willis 22.17
294th Michelle Dawson 28.27
370th Sean Kinsella 32.41
415th Gerry Murphy 38.02
Across in Sligo on December 31st, John Travers won the Ben Bulben 5k by nearly a minute (and a new course record) in a time of 14.54. The race had 108 finishers.
At the Kilbeggan 6k race on 26 December JP O’Hanlon was 34th (29th male) in a time of 26.58 – there were 263 finishers
In Athenry on the same day the ever popular Fields of Athenry 10k road race took place and new member Marc Walsh ran a time of 40.49 , 129th in a field of 1151 finishers
Over in Split Croatia another new member Sandanan Magee ran a 2 mile race in 10.33
Further results (with some international parkruns!)
New Year’s Day Parkruns
Griffeen – 1st David McConn 17.38
New Years Eve Parkruns
Brickfields – 30th Anne Woodlock 33.27, 32nd Shiofra McCarthy 36.12
Malahide – 173rd Angela O’Dea 32.26
Waterstown – 2nd Dylan McKenna 20.15, 5th John Curran 22.56
Hartstown – 13th Mark Devine 22.21
Castletown – 43rd Joan McTernan 27.29
Porterstown – 10th Tom Fagan 23.00
Bushy – 62nd Charlie O’Neill 28.16
Corkagh – 125th Nicola Dowdall 49.27
Tolka Valley 13th Owen Robinson 25.28
Milano Nord (Italy) 23rd Peter Nugent 21.49
Hafan Pwhelli (Wales) 39th Sarah Ni Ruairc 30.45
Christmas Day parkruns
Porterstown – Owen Robinson 7th 21.11
Christmas Eve parkruns
Oranmore – 1st Alasdair Brown 19.09
Brickfields – 41st Ann Woodlock 35.31
Waterstown – 9th John Curran 23.15
Porterstown – 7th Caroline McCarthy 22.24 (2nd female)