John Travers may have finished only 6^th in Friday evening’s prestigious Morton Mile at Santry (Morton Games 11/07/14), but his new personal best time of 3.55.44 needs to be put into context. This was the 29^th running of the event and John’s time would have won every Morton Mile since Eamonn Coghlan’won in a time of 3.53.48 back in 1983. It should be noted that that was the same year that Coghlan went on to win the World 5.000m gold medal. The only other occasions that the Morton Mile was run quicker than the time achieved by Travers on Friday evening were by New Zealander John Walker, the 1976 1500m Olympic Champion, in 1977 with a time of 3.52.0 and by the legendary Steve Scott of the USA, silver medallist at the 1983 1500m and holder of a record 136 sub-4 minute miles, who won the 1981 ‘Morton’ in 3.54.76.

John thus becomes the 51^st Irishman to break the 4 minute barrier, but his time puts him 16^th on the Irish all-time list ahead of legends such as Ron Delany, Frank Murphy and Gerry Kiernan (John’s coach).

The race itself was star-studded with 12 sub-4 minute milers on the start line. John was one of just 6 home based athletes to compete against the strong international field. For the first two laps it looked as though our man Travers was out of his league. He completed the first lap of 409m in 0.59. He was 16^th. The quick tempo at the front was maintained, but John kept in touch with the main field passing the two lap marker in 1.54 and having gained slightly to 13^th position. On the back straight of the 3^rd lap he suddenly began to move through the field and he hit the bell in 2nd position in a time of 2.55. “I just felt great out there” said a delighted John afterwards. He had the crowd on their feet as he continued to thrust forward like a man on a mission. At the beginning of the back straight for the final time Travers was in the lead – by one metre, by two metres, by three metres… “He’s never going to hold it! – or is he?” was the aghast expression of Damian Allen as the crowd were enthralled by John’s fleet footed movement and audacious run to the front. The Donore Harriers supporters who witnessed this great race dared to dream, but 150 metres remained… But suddenly he was like a boxer on the ropes!

The final 150 metres was probably the gutsiest that Travers has ever run. He had to dig deep and just keep going. The big guns came and swept past, but John still had his mission! Will Leer of the USA won in a championship best time of 3.51.82. Leer is the USA Indoor Champion for the One Mile and 3.000m in 2013 and was a 1500m finalist at the last World Athletics championship. Second was Patrick Casey (3.52.62) of the USA. Casey won the silver medal in the recent American 1500m championship. Third was Corey Leslie, another American, in 3.53.44 with Zane Robertson of New Zealand 4^th in 3.53.72.

And John Travers! He held on bravely for an excellent 6^th place and he was the only Irishman to break the 4 minute mark. But John had another mission! He passed the 1500m mark (3.37.7) some two seconds inside the qualifying time for next month’s European Track and Field championships to be held in Zurich.

Brilliant! Just brilliant!

Here is a link to the race: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H-LDGjFoxI

Ray Hynes also took to the track at the Morton Games competing in the 3.000m and aiming for a Personal Best. A strong field ensured a quick early pace and Ray had to run his opening two laps in 62 and 64 seconds to stay in contact with the main bunch. This early pace would later take its toll as Ray faded in the second half of the race to finally place 18^th in 8.33.69, some 15 seconds short of his best time. The race was won by Juan Luis Barrios of Mexico in a stadium best time of 7.44.21. It should be considered that Ray missed a large part of his winter conditioning training due to injury. However he continues to return to his previous best form. Ray will be hoping for a better outcome at the National 3.000m steeplechase at Santry next weekend.

At the Dublin Open Graded meeting No. 6 at Irishtown on Wednesday evening (9/7/14) a good contingent of Donore Harriers athletes took to the start line. Results are as follows: –

400m ‘A’: – 4^th David Campbell (53.00)

800m ‘B1: – 8^th Paul Cummins (2.10.84 thru 400 in 60)

800m ‘B2’: – 1^st Emmet O’Briain M35 (2.03.04 thru 400 in 61) PB; 4^th Henry English M35 (2.05.30 thru 400 in 62)

800m ‘B3’: – 8^th Luke Boland (2.11.03 thru 400 in 63)

800m ‘D’: – 1^st Killian O’Hora (2.09.05 thru 400 in 63) PB

5.000m ‘B’ Race: – 2^nd Michael McMahon (15.52.56); 5^th John Dunne M35 (16.05.18); 6^th Chris Muldoon M35 (16.12.11); 9^th Fergal Whitty M35 (16.18.88); 11^th Ken Norgrove M45 (16.35.77) 13^th Cathal McCarron (16.41.36); 14^th Darren Hand (16.41.88).

In the Women’s 400m ‘B’ race Claire O’Connor Jnr came 5^th in 2.30.5 thru 400 in 71.

In the Letterkenny AC Sub-4 Challenge Track event on Sunday (13/7/14) Eric Keogh (8.40.46) won a competitive 3000m race, run in gale force conditions.

At the BUPA Great Nortk 10km at Gateshead, also on Sunday, Lee Van Haeften (31.54) came an excellent 10^th in a high-calibre field and recorded a new Personal Best time for the distance despite a testing course and wet, blustery conditions. The race was won by Stephen Kiprotich (29.39) from Uganda. Lee will line up with team-mates John Dunne, Michael McMahon and Mark Dooley in next Saturday’s National Track 10.000m championship.

Daragh Fitzgibbon (15.56) ran out an easy winner in Saturday’s Donadea 5km race (12/7/14) organized by Donadea Wheelers.

In the inaugural Castleknock 5km (13/7/14) Garvan Smith M40 came 3^rd in 17.15. The other Donore Harriers to finish included: – 22^nd Bernard Byrne (19.05); 24^th Niall O’Reilly M35 (19.18); 43^rd Jack Raftery <Juv> (19.59); 57^th Declan Raftery M40 (20.43); 122^nd Ronan McCooey <Juv> 23.06 and 123^rd Ciaran McCooey (23.06).

At the Kinnegad GFC 5k, Barbara Cleary had another victory to her name – breaking the course record to be first lady in 16.50 and 7th overall.  (Unfortunately there were problems with timing on the night – hand timing was used so some of the results below are reckoned to be out of sequence or slower than actual) Next in was Anne Curley in 19.10, Maura kearns 19.14 and Sam Conroy in 20.39 – their indefatigable coach Jim McNamara finished in 21.58.

John Travers (14.15.16) came 5^th at the Belfast International Meeting held on Wednesday evening 2^nd July. A strong domestic field failed to make inroads into runaway winner Ben St. Lawrence (13. 27.72) from Australia. Unfortunately John Travers failed in his attempt to gain the qualifying standard for the European Athletics Championships due to take place in Zurich next month.

David Campbell (53.08) won a bronze medal in the 400m National under 23 championship at Cork on Sunday (6/7/14).

Mark Dooley lowered his Personal Best by more than 20 seconds when recording a time of 14.59.71 whilst running as a guest in the British Athletics League Division One match at Tooting Bec in South London on Saturday (5/7/14).

Also on Saturday and much closer to home Des Tremble (M40) ran a very fine race to place 8^th in the Clontarf Half-Marathon recording a time of 1.21.52.

On the previous Saturday (28/6/14) Graham Hopkins was the first Donore Harrier home in the Irish Runner 5 mile road race at the Phoenix Park. In wet and blustery conditions Graham (27.43) placed 21^st overall and 4^th in the M40 category. Phil Hennessy M40 (28.16) placed 28^th overall and 5^th in his age group.

Next Harrier home was Stephen Conroy M35 (30.54) placing 93^rd overall. The remaining athletes included: – 299^th Gerard Morris (34.07); 312nd Eoin Daltun (34.29); 360^th Charlie O’Neill M60 (34.55) <1^st in age category>; 374^th Ken Cronin M55 (34.56) and 779^th Dave Wogan M50 (36.37).

Niall Lynch (48.37) running his sixth mountain race of the summer came a creditable 3^rd behind winner Des Kennedy (46.27) of Raheny Shamrocks in the latest Irish Mountain Running Association race at Seefingan on Wednesday evening 2^nd of July. Seefingan, one of the mountains that separates the counties of Wicklow and Dublin, proved a tough challenge and Niall could not keep contact with the 2 leaders.

Over the past fortnight, the ladies have been represented over a wide range of events.  The most unusual was a 5k at 11pm on Shannon Airport’s runway which attracted well over 1000 runners and which Ide Nic Dhomhnaill decided to take part in at the last minute – she was first lady home in an excellent 18.03.

Donore Harriers are back in the final of the National Track and Field League following another excellent team performance at the second qualifying match at Athlone IT yesterday (22 June 2014). Wins from John Travers (800m), Ray Hynes (3000m Steeplechase) Eamon Fahey (100m & Long Jump), Conor O’Ceallaigh (200m); Niall Allen (Shot Putt & 56lb); Eoin Molloy (Hammer) and runner-up placings from Emmet O’Briain (1500m) and Rolus Osala (400m Hurdles) were the foundation for team success. The team score for the day reads:

• 1^st. Nenagh Olympic 133
• 2^nd Donore Harriers 119
• 3^rd Louth Athletics 117
• 4^th Tir Chonaill 116
• 5^th Clare County 115
• 6^th Riocht/Gneeveguilla AC 96
• 7^th Limerick AC 89
• 8^th St. Finbarrs 44

Note that there is a query regarding the official team score. The final of the league will take place on Sunday 3^rd August 2014 at Tullamore and hopefully it will prove 3^rd time lucky in terms of Donore Harriers gaining promotion to the Premier Division.

100m 1^st Eamon Fahey (11.03)

200m 1^st Conor O’Ceallaigh (23.35)

400m 3^rd David Campbell (53.24)

800m 1^st John Travers (1.51.72)

1500m 2^nd Emmet O’Briain 4.19.97

3000m S/C 1^st Ray Hynes (9.12.03)

400mH 2^nd Rolus Osala (60.44)

4 x 100m 1^st Donore Harriers (45.23)

4 x 400m 3^rd Donore Harriers (3.42.12)

Long Jump 1^st Eamon Fahey (6.38m)

High Jump 3^rd Luke Allen (1.60m)

Triple Jump 3^rd Rolus Osala (12.10m)

Shot Putt 1^st Niall Allen (11.72m)

Discus 3^rd Eoin Molloy (20.92m)

Hammer 1^st Eoin Molloy (40.19m)

56lb Weight 1^st Niall Allen (6.33m)

The ladies had a 10-strong team for round 2 of the National League with a great representation from our younger ladies who gained valuable competition experience at this level. 

It was a baptism of fire and they more than rose to the challenge.  Highlights were two event wins by Lynda Ngakam in the 100m (12.66) and the 4×100 relay team of Lynda, Emily Geoghegan, Karen Hughes and Ailise Keating who gained maximum points.  Clodagh Read did a treble in the shot, hammer and javelin (having competed in the Tailteann games the day before) – despite little experience at the javelin, her throwing prowess earned her 5th and in the hammer Clodagh was throwing above her usual weight but came third.  League stalwart Anne Gormley came 2nd in the walk and 5th in the discus. 

At middle distance, Ashling Swaine (3000m), Niamh Dowling (800m) and Florence Curley who ran in the Dunshaughlin 10k the previous evening (1500m) also picked up valuable points and later ran the 4×400 relay.  Claire O’Connor was the key to that event and ran very well to 4th in the 400m earlier on.  Ailise Keating doubled up at the long jump and relay, Karen Hughes did the triple jump, 200 and relay treble. 

It was a super effort by this new look team and alas the 80 points won combined with 65 in round 1 were not enough to get us into the final.  But hopefully next year this emerging team will make the breakthrough.

The Dunshaughlin 10k has been kind to the ladies team over the years with several wins and this year Barbara Cleary repeated her feat of two years ago when she became overall ladies winner in 34.38 – leaving the 2nd placed Ailish Malone nearly 2 minutes behind.  Barbara had designs on Lizzie Lee’s course record but wasn’t far off.  Fresh from her mini-marathon win, we will be seeing lots more from Barbara on the roads over the summer.  Ken Norgrove (34.24) and Cathal McCarron (34.49) respectively won the M45 and Junior categories, thus joining first woman finisher Barbara on the victory rostrum.

The race was won by Martin Fagan (30.03) of Mullingar Harrier. The first Donore Harriers home was Aogan MacDomhnaill (32.22) in 8^th place among a strong field. Next for Donore was Fergal Whitty (33.21), showing a welcome return to form, placing 18th. The remaining Donore Harriers athletes included: – 21^stGavin Keogh (33.27); 29^th Chris Muldoon (33.52); 32^nd John Dunne (34.02); 49^th Garvan Smith M40 (34.52); 50^th Sean Fox (34.55); 53^rd Des Tremble M40 (35.04); 100^th Tony Barry (36.53); 154^th Tom Fagan M45 (38.45); 194^th Bernard Byrne (39.40); 196^th Stephen Dawson (39.43);  243^rd Barry Potts M60 (40.49 – 3^rd in M60 category); 341^st David Wogan M50 (43.48); 380^th Jim McNamara M60 (44.59); 408^th Terry Mee M60 (45.40). 885 finishers.

For the ladies we also had Florence Curley (39.30), Breda Mahony (40.53), Alma Hanevy (41.34), Samantha Conroy (43.03), Janette Strickland (44.29), Nicola Dowdall (45.24), Jill Dempsey (46.42), Elaine Verdon (47.17), Eilish Joyce (50.29), Michelle Dawson (52.15), Kim Strickland (52.24), Olivia Strickland (52.24), Sarah Ni Ruairc (53.06) and Aoife Lynch (73.29) The ladies did enough to finish as second team.

In the team competition Donore Harriers (76 points) placed second behind Raheny Shamrocks (49), but ahead of Sportsworld AC (101) and Celbridge AC (122). The team scorers were: – Aogan MacDomhnaill, Fergal Whitty, Gavin Keogh and Chris Muldoon. 27 teams closed.

Graham Hopkins placed an excellent 2^nd in the Portumna Forest 50km race in County Galway on Saturday 14^th June. Graham had to persist through the pain of a recurring ankle injury before finally completing the scenic course in 3 hours and 28 minutes.

Men’s 5000 m A Race:
1st Travers, John 13.56.99

Men’s 5000 m A(II) Race:
3rd Van Haeften, Lee 15.37.70
8th Fitzgibbon, Daragh 16.01.21
10th Hand, Darren 16.08.39
12th Dunne, John16.12.54
14th Keogh, Gavin 16.23.34
16th Lynch, Niall 16.29.44

Men’s 5000 m B Race:
4th Daly, Jonathon 16.45.05
6th Fox, Sean 17.07.35
8th English, Henry 17.18.00
10th Blake, Bob 18.24.96
11th Cummins, Paul 18.42.82
12th Gill, Des 20.02.64
14th Mee, Terry 21.48.10
15th Mc Namara, Jim 22.16.31

Men’s 800m:
2nd Keogh, Eric 1.55.21
4th Gavin, Stephen 2.09.52
6th Fitzgibbon, Oisin 2.09.75
7th Boland, Luke 2.11.29
16th Doherty, Aidan 2.27.62

Serial marathon runner George Brady ran a super 2.56.29 in the tough windy conditions of the exposed Curragh racecourse a week after a 3.06 in Belfast. Well done George! Tony Dunne ran 1.48.46 in the Half marathon and Ian Redican ran 41.52 in the 10k followed by Arthur Connick in 47.11, Adrienne Seery in 57.52 and Julie MacNamara in 1.04.24. Well done all.

In the Tom Byrne Memorial 5k in Lucan we had 13 runners who supported our neighbouring club in this long established road race. Our first runner in was Bob Blake in 18.08 followed by Dave Wogan in 18.45, Luke Boland in 18.47, Desmond Gill in 19.29, Niall O’Reilly 19.39, Gerard Morris 19.43, Florence Curley 19.51, Medbh Peavoy 20.29, Sinead Graham 21.04, Dave Hudson 22.33, Gary O’Connor 23.01, Sheila Casey 25.25, Sue Lynch 27.45. Again the wind didn’t make it easy going so well done to all who achieved pb’s today!

Belated congrats to Linda Curtin who ran the Limerick Half Marathon in 1.58.25.

Well done to Deborah Duffy who ran 56.34 and Aine Grogan who ran 59.16 at the Fit City Series 10k in the Phoenix Park: