To start the week Lindie Naughton brings us all the Irish endurance action and news from the weekend just gone (Monday 17th February).

Sarah Healy again produed the performance of the weekend indoors when she finished second in the 1500m at the Keely Klassic in Birmingham on Saturday (February 15).

Almost incidentally, Healy’s time of 4:01.62 was her third Irish record in as many weeks and beat her own Irish record of 4:03.83 set in France last year.  She has also broken the Irish 3000m twice, running 8:35.19 at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix a fortnight ago in Boston and then 8:30.79 at the Millrose Games in New York last weekend.

Next outing for  Healy is at the weekend’s National Indoor Championships in Abbotstown.

Irish athletes racing all across the world

In the USA, Darragh McElhinney (Bantry AC) was part of a large Irish contingent racing in Boston, also on Friday. McElhinney  was less than a second off the European Indoors qualifying mark fwhen clocking a time of  7:43.95 for 11th place in the 3000m. Charlie O’Donovan (Leevale AC)  was 14th in 7:.43.94.

Fastest of the eight Irish racing over 5000m was Cormac Dalton (Mullingar Harriers)  who knocked over half a minute off his previous best when clocking a time of 13:28.29. Among those also running PBs were Dean Casey (Ennis TC) 13:37.14, Shane Brosnan (An Riocht) 13:37.65 and Sean Tobin  (Clonmel AC)13:48.94.

In the 800m, Cian McPhillips (UCD AC)  ran a PB of 1:45.33, which is inside the qualifying mark for the European Indoors.

In Lievin on Thursday (February 13) Cathal Doyle (Clonliffe Harriers) improved his indoors 1500m time to 3:37 39 while running the mile where he finished third in 3:53.18. That’s just off the European Indoors qualifying mark for 1500m of 3:37.00.

Jodie McCann (DCH AC)) clocked a time of 9:09.44 when finished tenth in teh women’s 3000m at the Meeting Indoor de Lyon, France on Saturday (February 15).

Road running

At the Barcelona Half Marathon on Sunday (February 16). David McGlynn (Waterford AC) finished 24th in a personal best 62 mins 31 secs, while Keelan Kilrehill (Moy Valley AC) finished 41st in 64:10.   Shona Heaslip (An Ríocht AC) finished 31st of the women in 73 mins 34  secs. Upfront, Jacob Kiplimo was setting a stunning new world best time of 56 mins 42 secs.

Just three seconds separated the top three  in the men’s 5km at the Armagh International Road Races on Thursday evening (February 13) where Andrew Colley (ZAP Fitness) was the winner in 13 min 33 secs. Jack Kavanagh (Holland Sports AC)  was second in 13:35, and Sebastian Larstad (IFK Lidingo) third in 13:36.  A total of twenty-two athletes broke fourteen minutes in the race.

Finishing eighth and best of the Irish in 13:51 was Efrem Gidey who was leading Clonliffe Harriers to team victory, with Colm Rooney 29th in 14:04, Stephen Scullion 46th in 14:13, and Stephen Cashin 97th in 14:40. Morpeth Harriers, led by James Young, finished second and Cambuslang third.

England was first international team, Scotland second, Finland third, Ireland fourth (Gidey, Thomas Moran and Eoghan McElhinney) and NI and Ulster fifth.

Road racing over 3km too

Verity Ockenden (Swansea AC) won the women’s 3km in 9:06. India Weir  (Thames Valley Harriers))was second in 9:07 and Amelia Quirke (Bracknell AC) third in 9:09.

Of the local entry, Roisin Flanagan (Finn Valley AC) made a welcome return to racing  finishing seventh in 9:19. One second behind her for eighth place was Danielle Donegan (Tullamore Harriers).

Finn Valley was the winning club team, with Dundrum South Dublin, led by Amy O’Donoghue in 15th place,  placing second. Cambuslang was third and Willowfield Harriers fourth. England was first of the international teams ahead of Scotland and Sweden.

Winner of the men’s 3km was Eric Nederheim of Sweden in 8:29.

Elsewhere on the roads

Evan Fitzgerald (West Waterford AC) was the winner of the Enniscorthy 10km  held on Sunday (February 16) in a time of 31 mins 8  secs.

Second in 33:04 was Kevin Dooney (Raheny ShamrockAC) making a come-back to racing  after a long break.  Third and first M40 in 33:08 was Dermot Gorman (Carrick-on-Suir AC).

First woman in 35:20 was Ciara Wilson (DMP AC). Sheila O’Byrne was second in 35:42 with her Slí Cualann clubmate Catherine O’Connor third and first W40 in 38:18.

Mark Walsh  in 26:15 and Michelle Kenny made it a Leevale double at the Tommy Ryan Carrigaline 5-Mile, Co Cork also on Sunday, with Walsh the overall winner in 26 mins15 secs and Kenny first woman in 29:51.

Cross-Country

Winning the women’s 4km race at the annual Rás na hEireann in  Dunleer, Co Louth  on Sunday was Sorcha McAllister (Dublin City Harriers) in 14 mins 46 secs. Local athlete Meabh Eakin was second in 14:57 and Kate McDonald (Ballyroan Abbeyleix and District) third in 15:05. Dunleer beat Dublin City Harriers by a single point in the team competition.

Cian McDonald (Ballyroan Abbeyleix and District) won the men’s 6km in 20:21, with his clubmate Jack McMahon second in 20:45 and junior athlete Matthew Fitzpatrick (Dunleer AC) third in 21:01. As with the women,  just a single point separated the top two men’s teams with Ballyroan Abbeyleix and District narrow victors ahead of home team Dunleer AC.

Members of Annadale Striders  took the top five places in the men’s race at the Irwin Speirs Cross-Country held on Saturday (February 15). Stephen Connolly was the winner in 21:29 with his team mates Jimmy Sloan and Connor Rogers second and third in times of 21:43 anf 21:52.

Jennifer Martin of Tafelta AC won the women’s race in 19:10. Patricia O’Hagan of St  Peter’s AC was second and first W450 in 19:33 and  junior athlete Aisling Smith of Ballymena and  Antrim  thirs in 19:41.

Teachers BHAA Cross-Country – first woman Clare Sullivan (525) on left with Orna Dignam Sonya McConnon, Diane McConnell and Malika Hammani. Picture Lindie Naughton

Doran teaches another lesson on final lap

After a cautious start, Sean Doran notched up another BHAA victory at the Teachers 5km Cross-Country held at St  Columba’s College in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains, also on Sunday (February 16).

Doran was part of the leading group from the start and only took over in front on the fourth and final lap, crossing the finish  line in 17 mins 31 secs. Second in 17:43 was Edward O’Connor, while third was Paul Fleming in 17:52.  First woman was Clare Sullivan in 20:24, followed by Susan Glennon in 20:57 and Orna Dignam in 21:07.

Best of the women’s teams was Stronger with Esther, with Legal A second and Health A third.  In a busy month for the BHAA, the Central Bank 6km cross-country takes place next Saturday, February 22 (11am) at the new venue of  Jobstown Park after permission to use Kiltipper Park was refused by South Dublin County Council. Details www.bhaa.ie