Yared Derese of Carrick Aces A.C. took the honours in this year’s KBC Dublin Half Marathon in a time of 1:03:45. Last year’s winner, David Flynn of Clonliffe Harriers A.C finished today’s race in second place in a time of 1:05:58, (bettering his 2018 time of 1:06:21). Flynn was followed by Eric Keogh of Donore Harriers in third place with a time of 1:06:07.

Irish National Half Marathon Champion, Derese broke away from the field early, and speaking after the race he said; “I am happy with my performance, despite it being quite windy making it quite difficult to beat my personal best time. This year I won’t compete in the Dublin Marathon because I haven’t built up the mileage in training just yet.”

There was a battle for second and third positions between David Flynn, Eric Keogh and Olympian, Mark Keneally (Clonliffe Harriers) with Flynn and Keogh claiming second and third place respectively, Flynn with a time of 1:05:58 and Keogh with a time of 1:06:07.

From fifth to first

In the women’s race, Niamh Clifford of Star of the Luane A.C. crossed the finish line first with a time of 1:22:28, she was followed by Shirley Coyle of Raheny Shamrocks with Sli Cualann A.C.’s Sarah Baryga third across the line in 1:23:58.

Speaking after the race, Clifford said: “Having come fifth in this race last year, I am really happy. It was very warm and windy conditions and a lot of good runners in the women’s field today, I tried to break away early but found that tough! There was also a lot of support along the course so it was really good event. I have put a bit more training into the long distance this year and will be looking to run the Dublin Marathon in October so looking forward to that.”

The KBC Half Marathon is always an important fixture as it marks the final hurdle in the KBC Race Series bringing us one step closer to the main event, the 2019 Dublin Marathon on the 27th of October.

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Gideon Kipsang, a native of Kenya, who competes for Derry Track club in Northern Ireland, clocked 67:45 to successfully retain his title at the Deep RiverRock Belfast City Half Marathon on Sunday (September 23).

Beechmount Harriers’ athlete Gerrie Short won the women’s race in a time of 85:32 to win her first title in the sixth year of Northern Ireland’s largest half marathon.

The runner-up spot in the men’s race went to Acorns AC athlete, Vincent McKenna, who crossed the line in a time of 71:09.

Letterkenny AC’s Karol Duggan was just two seconds behind and completed the podium in a time of 71:11.

Ballymena Runners’ Paula Worthington bagged the women’s runner-up spot with an 86:33 performance in her debut half marathon. In third place was Colette McCourt of Dub Running Club in a time of 87:11.

This year was the biggest Belfast City Half Marathon yet, with over 4000 participants taking part.

David Flynn and Emilia Dan win Dublin Half Marathon

On Saturday (September 22), David Flynn and Emilia Dan won the titles at the SSE Airtricity Dublin Half Marathon in the Phoenix Park.

Clonliffe Harriers’ Flynn won the men’s race in a personal best time of 66:21, finishing over three minutes ahead of second place.

Runner-up Eoin Callaghan of Star of the Sea crossed the line in 69:41 and he was followed by Italo Giancaterina in 72:06 to complete the podium.

“I took off at a good pace; there were some downhills and some nice flat parts so I really pushed the pace from the beginning, held it until about ten miles and then let loose for the last three miles,” said Flynn after the race. “That is a personal best time for me today so I am happy with that.

“My debut marathon will be the Dublin Marathon which is coming up, I couldn’t be happier with how today went and my preparation [for the marathon] so far.”

In the women’s race, Dunboyne’s Dan crossed the finish line in first place with a time of 84:10, followed closely by Shirley Coyle in second with a time of 84:12 and Jill Horan in third with a time of 85:01.

Delighted with the win, speaking after the race, 49 year old Emilia Dan said: “I wasn’t expecting it. I didn’t want to claim first place too early in the race because anything can happen, but in the last kilometre, I just went for it.

“I would have been happy with a personal best but I am shocked and happy, I have never won such a big race!”

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Irish national marathon champion Laura Graham ran an impressive 2:37:05 to finish 14th in the women’s race in the German capital. Although the 31-year-old’s time took a massive chunk off her personal best, it was an agonising five seconds off the Commonwealth Games consideration time.

Graham’s best time before today was the 2:41:17 she ran to win the Belfast Marathon last May.

Just one place behind Graham in 15th overall and first W40 was Gladys Ganiel of North Belfast Harriers who recorded a personal best time of 2:37:55, knocking almost a minute off the 2:38.53 she ran in Seville in 2016. Graham and Ganiel now move into first and second places on the current Irish rankings ahead of Clare Gibbons McCarthy.

In the men’s race, Kevin Seaward of St Malachy’s did enough to get inside the Commonwealth Games consideration time when finishing 19th in 2:15:50. His time was outside the 2:14:52 he ran in Berlin two years ago – a time which qualified him for the Rio Olympics. Seaward now moves into second on the current Irish rankings behind his Irish teammate Paul Pollock.

Finishing the first M40 in a personal best 2:19:25 was Gary O’Hanlon of Clonliffe Harriers. He dominated this category finishing with eight minutes to spare on second-placed Bjorn Ivar Nilsen of Norway. “Delighted to be getting faster despite getting older. Age is just a number,” said a delighted O’Hanlon after finishing.

Race winners were Kenyan’s Eluid Kirchoge in 2:03.32 and Gladys Cherono in 2:20:23.

In the wheelchair race, Irish record holder Patrick Monahan of the Le Cheile club in Co Kildare finished 13th in 1:46.24. That put him over 17 minutes behind Swiss superstar Marcel Hug who finished in 1:29.03.

Dublin Half Marathon, Donabate, September 23
Maria McCambridge of DSD proved the class of the field when she finished the first woman at the Dublin Half Marathon held around Newbridge House in Donabate.

McCambridge’s time of 82:26 was off her best, but the victory will be a considerable confidence booster before next month’s Dublin Marathon. In second was Raheny’s Tara Kennedy Monks.

Maria McCambridge takes home the ladies title at the @sseairtricity #DublinHalfMarathon in a time of 1:22:24 (TBC) pic.twitter.com/s0oH4OTbd4

— Dublin Marathon (@dublinmarathon) September 23, 2017

The overall winner of the race in a time of 66:45 was Ethiopian visitor Berekat Gebraslase, who forced the pace from the start. Behind him came Valdas Dololskas of Balbriggan and District in 67:11, while making a respectable half marathon debut to finish third in in 68:52 was John Coghlan of MSB.

As suspected, other big names aiming for the Dublin Marathon did not show, most of them having already run half marathons in the past few weeks and others targeting next weekend’s Cardiff Half Marathon.

Stephen Carroll/Capt Mark Duffy Memorial 4-Mile – Co Louth, September 24
Raheny’s Mick Clohisey and Fionnuala McCormack of Kilcoole were the winners at the Stephen Carroll/Capt Mark Duffy Memorial 4-Mile in Blackrock Village, Co Louth, which attracted a surprisingly high-quality entry.

Clohisey posted 19:08 for the win, while McCormack’s time of 21:10 was a new women’s course record. Behind McCormack were Irish 5000m and 10,000m champion Emma Mitchell and Catherina McKiernan in third.

Rathfarnham 5km – Dublin, September 23
A day later, Brian Maher of KCH shook off the challenge of Raheny’s Conor Dooney to win the Rathfarnham 5km in Dublin.

Maher ’s time of 14 mins 40 secs, saw him finish four seconds clear of Dooney. In third place was Bereket
Gebreslase winner of the SSE Airtricity Dublin Half Marathon a day earlier.

Making a comeback to the roads to finish the first woman was Ciara Durkan of Skerries AC in 16:46. She was followed by Donore twins Ide and Sorcha Nic Dhomhnaill, who helped Donore to victory in the women’s team category. Home side Rathfarnham WSAF, with Paul Stephenson in sixth place, were untroubled winners of the men’s team category.

Loughrea 10km – Co Galway
In Co Galway, Rathfarnham’s Sean Hehir, who runs in the Cardiff Half Marathon next weekend, was the winner of the Loughrea 10km in a time 31:59. Finishing second and first M40 was Matt Bidwell of Galway City Harriers in 34:29.

The first woman was Eimear O’Leary in 43:39.

Vadrafjord 5-Mile – Co Waterford
In Waterford, Ferrybank’s Andrew Connick was an easy winner of the Vadrafjord 5-Mile in 25:33, followed by Brian Murphy (Carrick-on-Suir) in 26:08, with Warren Roche (Ferrybank) third in 27:27.

Ruth Fitzgerald was first women in 30:30 followed by Kate Veale of West Waterford and Ciara McSweeney.

Women’s 4-Mile Mini Marathon – Co Cork, September 24
Riocht’s Laura Crowe led home over 6,100 finishers at the annual Women’s 4-Mile Mini Marathon. Crowe’s time of 21:20 put her eight seconds clear of Irish Olympic steeplechaser Michelle Finn of Leevale, with Michelle Kenny, also Leevale almost a minute behind for third. Former Irish cross-country champion Rosemary Ryan was fourth.

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