TRACK AND FIELD Ireland’s mixed relay and women’s 4 x 400m teams proved the stars at the World Athletics Relay Championships held in Guangzhou, China over the weekend, with both qualifying for the World Championships in Tokyo next September. In a clever use of the available squad members, Tallaght’s Rhasidat Adeleke and Sharlene Mawdsley from Tippeary who helped the mixed team to second in their opening heat and automotic qualification for Tokyo, were transferred to the women’s 4x400m squad, which hadn’t qualified automatically. That squad needed a top three placing in the repechage race if they were were to make Tokyo. The Irish four did it with ruthless efficiency winning their repechage heat in a superb time of 3:24.69. Almost as busy as Adeleke and Mawdsley was Jack Raftery of Donore Harriers, who on Sunday, first ran the fourth leg for the Irish men’s s 4x400m repechage. Although the team didn’t quality, his split of 45.89 secs was the fastest of the four. Raftery then lined out in the final of the mixed 4 x 400m, running a split of 45.87 for the opening leg and helping the team to eighth place overall. MAHER, BOLTON PLACE AT BELFAST MEET In the women’s 1500m at the Belfast Irish Milers Meet held on the Mary Peters Track in Belfast on Saturday (May 10), Eimear Maher (Dundrum South Dublin AC) was a fighting second in 4:14.87 and Emily Bolton (Clonliffe Harriers) third in a massive PB time of 4:16.77, which qualifies her for the the European U20 championships. Winning the women’s A 1500m was Niamh Carr (Dublin City Harriers) in 4:22. Sean Cronin (Clonliffe Harriers) was third in the men’s A 1500m in 3:48.11. First home in the B men’s 1500m was Louie Woodger (Metro St Brigid’s AC) in 3:651:26. In an all- Dublin top three, Shane Spring (Raheny Shamrock) was second in 3:52.18 and Fintan Kerins (Clonliffe Harriers) third in 3:52.66.Lorcan Benjacar (Clonliffe Harriers) was fifth in 3:54.78. Leia Ryan (Metro St Brigid’s AC) won the women’s B 1500m in 4:28.06. while junior athlete Jacob Ciomek (Lucan Harriers) won the men’s D race in 3:57.60. In the men’s international 3000m, John Travers (Donore Harriers) finished tenth in 8:12.59. DSD pair Amy O’Donoghue and Emma McEvoy fourth and fifth in times of 9:16.93 and 9:17:98 respectively in the women’s 300m. Sean Aigboboh (Tallaght AC) won the men’s 100m in 10.72 secs. Finishing third in the international men’s 400m was David Bosch ( UCD AC) in 47.52. Molly Hourihan, also UCD AC, finished fifth in the women’s international 400m in 54.57 secs. Over 800m, Charlotte Myers (Crusaders AC) won the women’s B race in 2:10.00, with Renee Crotty (UCD AC) third in 2:11.86. Saoirse Fitzpatrick (Lucan Harriers) was third in the women’s A 800m in 2:07.00. Jack Kelly (Tallaght AC) was third in the B 800m in 1:51.93. MIXED BAG OF RESULTS AT SECOND DUBLIN GRADED MEET Santry was the venue for the second Dublin Graded League of the season the men’s 1500m proved the race of the day. From the start, Cian Kelly (St Abban’s AC) was clearly determined to post a fast time and he won the race in 3:53.22. Doing his best to hang on was Ed Tottenham (Clonliffe Harriers) who finished in 3:58.22. Jared Murray (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) won the B race in 4:02.15, Malcolm Kiplagat (Clonliffe Harriers) the C race in 4:17.62 and Lea Fulcher (Plant Based AC, M50) the D race in 4:22.41. Winning the women’s A race was Holly Carroll (Blarney Inniscarra AC) in 4:32.11. Emily O’Shea (St Abban’s AC) was second in 4:33.56, Niamh Kelly (Clonliffe Harriers) third in 4:34.00 and Maria McCambridge (DSD AC) fourth in 4:42.63. Emma Przymusinska (Lusk AC) won the D race in 5:23.96. Earlier, Mathew McMeekin (Sligo AC) had won the 5000m in 15:40.91. Daragh Keegan (Donore Harriers) was second in 16:10.10 Two series of 200m races in all four grades were held with Andrew Egan (Galway City Harriers) proving fastest overall of the men with times of 21.24 and 21.10. Ciara Neville (Emerald AC) ran a time of 24.04 . UCD’s Aisling Kelly ran two races clocking 24.24 in both. In the field, Anna Gavigan (LSA AC) threw 50.51 in the discus and Aibhe Gordon (Greystones and District) AC 45.71 in the javelin. Eoin Sheridan (Clonliffe Harriers) won the men’s discus with a 53.92 effort, while Hugh Kelly (UCD) threw 48.92 in the javelin, with Euan Canniffe (Clonliffe Harriers) second with 47.23 and Lorcan Murphy (DSD AC), competing in his first ever competition, 40.83 for third. Murphy, a multi-eventer, also finished second in the pole vault with 4.60. More pictures are at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/albums/72177720326026590/ ROADS Pierre Murchan (Dublin City Harriers) was the runaway winner of the Terenure 5-Mile, leading home 1.369 finishers on a sunny Sunday morning (May 11) By halfway, Murchan was already well clear of the chasers and he finished in 24 mins 11 secs, over a minute ahead of Tomás Fitzpatrick (Tallaght AC, M40), who was second in 25:22. Third in 25:30 was defending champion Peter Somba (Ballyskenagh AC). Finishing fourth in 25:39 was racing machine Sean Doran (Clonliffe Harriers). First woman was Meghan Ryan (Dundrum South Dublin) who also had plenty to spare when winning in 28:54. Second in 29:58 was Rachel Birt (Annalee AC) , while third in 30:15 was Ciara Brady (Raheny Shamrock). Ryan was leading DSD to a comfortable team victory with four finishers in the top eight. Crusaders AC, led by Yvonne McCauley in seventh place, were second and Raheny Shamrock third. Rathfarnham WSAF won the W40 team prize, with DSD second and Brothers Pearse third. Raheny Shamrock proved best of the men’s teams led by David Rooney in 10th place. Brothers Pearse were second and DSD third. Metro St Brigid's won the M40 team category ahead of Rathfarnham WSAF and Civil Service Harriers. Category winners were Romaine King (DSD) W40, Claire Shiels (Rathfarnham WSAF) W455, Sinead Tighe (Brothers Pearse) W50, Pauline Robertson (Brothers Pearse) W55, Carol Dempsey (Civil Service Harriers) W60, Aidan Murphy (DSD) M45, Colm Murray (Rathfarnham WSAF) M55, Martin Kelly (Rathfarnham WSAF ) M65 and Mick Carolan (Brothers Pearse) M70. More pictures are at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/albums/72177720326025656 Also on Sunday, Eanna Ó Bradaigh (DSD ) finished second at the Ashling Murphy 4-Mile in Tullamore, Co Offaly in a time of 19:52. The race was third round of the Peugeot Race Series 2025. In Co Kildare, Adam Nason (Donore Harriers) in 16:01 and Mollie O’Donnell (Liffey Valley AC) in 18:38 were the winners of the Maynooth 5km. Winning the Leixlip 5km in Co Kildare on Saturday (May 10) was Sean Doran (Clonliffe Harriers) in 15:17. David Carroll (Liffey Valley AC) was second in 15:23 and Mark Ryan (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) third in 15:26. First woman in 16:45 was Aoife Coffey (Lucan Harriers) Mark Kirwan (Raheny Shamrock AC) in 16:08 and Aoife Quigley (Crusaders AC, W40) in 19:11 led home 673 finishers at the Sandyford 5km, in Dublin on Thursday evening (May 8) .

TRACK AND FIELD AT HOME … A number of Dublin club athletes travelled to Co Tipperary for the Irish Milers T-F Meet on the newly-opened track at the TUS, Clonmel, on Saturday. Winning the women’s 3000m in a personal best 9 mins 22 secs was Eimear Maher (Dundrum South Dublin AC). Emily Bolton (Clonliffe Harriers) was the winner of the women’s A 1500m in 4:21.35, while Faye Dervan (DCH) was second in the B 1500m in 4:34.40. In a closely-fought men’s A 1500m, Jonas Stafford (UCD AC) finished second in 3:47.91. Other good results came from Daniel Conway (DSD) second in n the men’s B 400m with a time of 51.55, Saoirse Fitzgerald (Lucan Harriers) second in the women’s A 800m in 2:06.63, Finn Woodger (MSB) third in the men’s A 800m in 1:52.5, and junior athlete Charlie O’Neill (Donore Harriers) second in the C 800m in 1:53.78. Winning the men’s D 1500m in 4:06.12 was Aidan Benjacar (Clonliffe Harriers). Over 3000m, Stephen Cashin (Clonliffe Harriers) finished fifth in the men’s A race in 8:45.91, while Ryan O’Neill (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) won the men’s B 3000m in 8:40.40. Sprinters took centre stage at the opening round of the Dublin Graded Track and Field League held in Santry on Saturday (May 3) — a six-hour marathon. Two rounds of 100m races were divided into four grades with a number of heats in each grade, and variable winds affecting times in all grades. Fastest of the men in both rounds was Bori Akinola (UCD AC) who ran 10.42 secs in the first heat of the opening round and 10.32 in the second race where the wind was just about legal at + 2. Second in both races was Michael Farrelly (Raheny Shamrock AC) with times of 10.58 and 10.40. Ciaran Carthy (DSD AC) won the second grade A heat in 10.62 also running 10.60 in the second round when the wind was over the +2 limit. Lorcan Murphy (DSD AC) won the third grade A heat in 10.47 (+2.2 wind). The women’s races were affected by even stronger winds with Aisling Kelly (UCD) finishing second in the opening round with a time of 11.78 (+4.2). In the second round, with winds at a slightly more moderate +3.2, Kelly was again second in 11.76. Winning the men’s 3000m in 8:19.88 was Colm Rooney (Clonliffe Harriers, M40). A clear winner of the men’s 2000m steeplechase was Jacob Ciomek (Lucan Harriers) in 6:22.57. Rounding out a long day were the 800m races, with Leia Ryan (MSB AC) proving fastest of the women with a time of 2:14.30 in the B race. In the field, junior athlete Conor Quinn (Crusaders AC) proved the class of field in the shot with a 14.18 effort. Best of the women was multi-eventer Lara O’Byrne (Donore Harriers) with 10.73. Lorcan Murphy (DSD AC) won the men’s high jump with 1.84m. Best in the women’s long jump was Daphni Doulaptsi Teeuwen (Raheny Shamrock) with 5.51. Full results on the Dublin Athletics live website at http://live.dublinathletics.com/graded-25-1/menu.html. More pictures are at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/albums/72177720325829461/ … AND AWAY Rhasidat Adeleke (TallaghtAC) was in action at the Diamond League meet in Shanghai/Keqiao, China, on Saturday (May 3) where she finished second in the women’s 200m in 22.72 secs. Adeleke will join the Irish team at the World Relays in Guangzhou, China, next weekend. Ireland has teams competing in both the men and women’s 4x400m and the mixed 4x400m with the top-14 in each race qualifying for the World Championships in Tokyo next September. Jack Raftery (Donore Harriers) and David Bosch (UCD AC) are also on the squad. Good luck to them all! In the 5000m, also at the Diamond League meet, Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock AC) finished tenth with a time of 13:12.10. In the USA, Elizabeth Ndudi (DSD AC) was second in the long jump in Champaign, Illinois, also on Saturday, with a leap of 6.16m. A week earlier, Niamh Fogarty (Raheny Shamrock) broke the Irish record for the discus with a throw of 58.40m in ‘Throw Town’, Ramona, Oklahoma - the controversial ‘wind tunnel’ open field venue, designed to make best use of the prevailing winds for discus throwers. Patricia Walsh’s record of 57.60m, set in Santry Stadium on 7 July 1984, had stood for 41 years. ROADS Sean Doran (Clonliffe Harriers) was the winner of the Drogheda 10km in Co Louth on Sunday in a time of 32 mins 13 secs. Eoin Gallagher (Skerries AC) finished third in 34:05, while Fiona Roche (Raheny Shamrock AC) was second woman in 36:49. At the Great Limerick Run Marathon, also on Saturday, Tudor Moldovan (Clonliffe Harriers, M35) finished third in 2:27.55. Sergiu Ciobanu (Clonliffe Harriers, M35) finished second in the associated half marathon in in 69:14 with Colm Turner (Brothers Pearse, M35) fourth in 70:47. On Saturday, a large groups of athletes from Sportsworld AC travelled to the Leinster Master and Novice Road Championships, held in Gowran, Co Kilkenny, and picked up quite a a few medals. Lorna Sheehan won the novice women’s 3km race in 10 mins 46 secs and helped the team to second place behind Kilkenny City Harriers with just a single point separating the two. Dublin was the second county team. Of the masters, Louise Bruton led the Sportsworld W50 team to second place in the women’s 3km. In the men’s 6km race, the Sportsworld M35 team finished third, led by Paul O’Brien in ninth place. Donore Harriers, with Kenneth Nugent finishing seventh was fourth. Sportsworld was also fourth of the over 50 teams. Dublin finished second of the M35 teams and third in the M50 category. Winning the women’s masters 3km was Rachel Murphy (Plant Based AC, W40) in 11 mins 9 secs. Rathfarnham WSAF, led by Clare Shiels, finished third team. ULTRA RUNNING In the Irish championships incorporated into the Anglo-Celtic Plate 100km held at Mallory Park, Kirkby Mallory, near Leicester, England, Matthew Collins (Portmarnock AC, M35) finished second with 7:26.44 and Rob Kelly (Raheny Shamrock AC) third with 7:41.01. Both men and women’s Irish teams finished third overall in the Anglo-Celtic Plate.

A BUSY DAY FOR MARATHONS On a busy weekend for marathons, races took place in London, Manchester, Hamburg, Dusseldorf and Connemara, with Dublin runners lining out in most of them. At the Hamburg Marathon, Karl Fleming (Portmarnock AC) clocked a time of 2:38.33, while Kate Purcell (Raheny Shamrock) finished 13th woman and first W40 in 2:47.46. She crossed the line with her Raheny clubmate Ian McConkey. A total of 143 Irish had registered to run. Well over a thousand Irish had nabbed a place in the London Marathon. Finishers included John Eves (Dundrum South Dublin AC) in 2:35.46, as well as John McCarthy who clocked a time of 2:37.56 in the wheelchair race. Locally, Edward O’Connor (Brothers Pearse AC) was second in 2:45.32 at the annual Connemarathon in Co Galway. Maura Dineen (Raheny Shamrock, W40) finished third woman in 3:41.34. ROAD RELAYS - WINS FOR DSD AND RATHFARNHAM MASTERS! Dundrum South Dublin AC successfully retained their title in the women’s senior race at the National Road Relays held on the All Saints circuit in Raheny on Sunday (April 27). After a solid start by Olympian and team coach Maria McCambridge on the opening one mile leg, Emma McEvoy on the two-mile leg and Eimear Maher on the final mile brought the defending champions home for the club’s sixth win since 2009 in a time of 20 mins 50 secs. McEvoy and Maher also clocked the fastest times of the day for their legs. UCD, who had led after the first leg, finished second in 21:31 with Kate Nurse, Mary Horgan and Ellie Hartnett making up the team. Finishing third was the host club Raheny Shamrock’s trio of Lucy Barrett, Kate Crowley and Niamh Kearney. Crusaders finished fourth, Sportsworld fifth and North Down — the only non-Dublin club in the race — sixth. In the men’s race over four legs, defending champions Clonliffe Harriers finished third behind Ennis Track Club and Craughwell AC from Co Galway. Clonliffe had led for the opening two legs, thanks to good runs by Ben Guiden and Sean Cronin but a strong run on the three-mile leg proved decisive for Ennis and Clonliffe Harriers ended up third in 37:32 - twenty-one seconds behind the winners. Dundrum South Dublin finished fourth, Raheny Shamrock fifth and a second Clonliffe team sixth. In the masters races, Sportsworld (Lorna Quinn, Noreen Brouder, Aoife O’Leary) finished runners-up in the W35 race. Crusaders finished fourth, Clonliffe Harriers sixth and two Donore teams seventh and eighth. Raheny Shamrock’s trio of Tara Kennedy, Annette Kealy and Mary Walsh finished second in the W50 category. Defending champion Raheny Shamrock (Aidan Jones, Kieran Kelly, Mick Clohisey) could only manage second this time in the M35 category behind Letterkenny AC, with Clonliffe Harriers (Tom Sherlock, Cathal McHale and Niall Sherlock) third. Donore Harriers was fourth and Liffey Valley fifth. First home in the M50 class was Rathfarnham WSAF AC (Paul Fleming, Shane O’Neill, Sean McCreery) in 20: 534, with a time of 4 mins 59 secs for the final mile from Paul Fleming, who celebrated his 50th birthday on the day, proving crucial. OTHER WEEKEND ROAD RACES In Darndale, Dublin on Saturday (April 26) Cian Charlton (Raheny Shamrock AC) led home over seven hundred finishers at the Another Way 5km in 16 mins 36 secs .Stephen Butler was second in 16:41. Tracey Coleman (Artane/Beaumont Running Club) was first woman in 20:38, with Beth O’Connor (Ballymun AC) second in 21:51. At the Cootehill 10km, in Co Cavan on Sunday, Catherina Mullen (Metro St Brigid’s AC) was first woman in 37:18. TRACK AND FIELD - STATESIDE At the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, USA , from April 24-26, Washington State won a thrilling College Men’s 4 x mile with Ronan McMahon-Stagg (Dublin City Harriers) running an opening leg of 4:06.10. A day earlier, Washington had won the medley relay title, with McMahon-Stagg again on the opening leg, this time of 1200m. McMahon-Stagg, now aged twenty-two, began his college career with UCLA. He currently tops the Irish 1500m rankings thanks to a personal best time of 3:38.23 run in Azusa, California on April 18. Elsewhere in the USA, Roisin Treacy (DSD AC) won the women’s 1500m at the Elmhurst Invitational in Illinois on Friday (April) 25) in a personal best 4:26.45.

TRACK - OVERSEAS Rhasidat Adeleke (TallaghtAC) finished fourth in the 200m with a time of 22.57 seconds at the Tom Jones Invitational, in Gainesville, Florida on Friday evening (April 18). It was Adeleke’s first individual race of the outdoor season. Big target for the Tallaght sprinter this summer is the September’s World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, where she will concentrate on her specialist 400m. At the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, California (April 16-18), Louis O’Loughlin (Donore Harriers) finished third in the 800m ‘invite’ race on Thursday with a personal best time of 1:47.71. A day later, on Friday, he ran 3:46.06 in one of the five 1500m races on offer. Also running a 1500m on Friday was Ronan McMahon Staggs (Dublin City Harriers) who finished seventh in the men’s elite trace in a personal best 3:38.23. Fiona Hawkins (Dublin City Harriers) ran a time of 4:25.10 having run 16:55.60 a day earlier earlier for 5000m. Niamh Fogarty (Raheny Shamrock AC) was in Ramona Oklahoma, where she threw 56.21m in the discus competition. - not far off her personal best 56.49 set last summer. ROADS Pierre Murchan (Dublin City Harriers) finished second in the sold-out Streets of Kilkenny 5km on Thursday evening (April 17 ) with a time of 14 mins 21. Murchan was just six seconds behind the winner Cathal O’Reilly of (Kilkenny City Harriers). Anthony O’Brien (Raheny Shamrock AC) was fourth in 14:45 and Stephen Cashin (Clonliffe Harriers) finished eighth in 14:55. Orla Duffy (Dublin City Harriers) finished third woman in 16:38. The race was the second round of this year’s new-look Peugeot Race Series with €2,000 in ‘bonuses’ to be handed out at each of the ten races in the series. Next round is the Aisling Murphy 4-Mile in Tullamore on Sunday, May 11. Full details at www.popupraces.ie Kenneth Nugent (Donore Harriers) led home 371 finishers in the Kilmovee 10km in Co Mayo on Saturday morning. Conditions were wet. Former Irish marathon champion and Rathfarnham WSAF Member - Sean Hehir (Croghan AC) was the winner of the Battle of Clontarf 10-mile in St Anne’s Park, Dublin, on Easter Monday April 21. His time was 54 mins 53 secs. First woman was Fiona Roche of host club Raheny Shamrock in 60:01. Both winner were also first over 40. Jason Reilly (Civil Service Harriers) was second overall in 55:10 and Anthony Doran (Clonliffe Harriers) third in 55:27. Colm Costelloe (Brothers Pearse AC) was ninth and first M50 in 57:21. Of the women, Niamh Clifford was second in 60:27 and Fiona Kehoe (Kilmore AC, W40) third in 61:09. Other age group winners for Dublin club athletes were Denis Farrell (Portmarnock AC) M55, Gerry Boyle (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) M65, Ronan Ward (Civil Service Harriers) M70, Yvonne Macauley (Crusaders AC) W35, Tara Kennedy (Rahney Shamrock AC) W50, Deirdre O’Mahony (Blackrock AC) W60 and Grainne Grennan (Blackrock AC) W65. Raheny Shamrock won both men and women’s team titles. In the men’s race, Raheny beat Donore Harriers by less than a minute with Civil Service Harriers third. Crusaders was second of the women’s teams, followed by Tullamore Harriers. Civil Service Harriers finished fourth and third Dublin club. The race was a Leinster Championships.

FOURTH IN EUROPE FOR EFREM Efrem Gidey (Clonliffe Harriers) produced the run of his career to date when finishing just out of the medals at the inaugural European Road Running Championships held in Leuven Belgium over the weekend. Running in the half marathon, Gidey lost out on the bronze medal when beaten to the line by Valentin Gondouin of France. He finished in 61:55 seconds - just a second behind Gondouin. The Clonliffe man had hoped to finish second or third, but a stitch midway through the race slowed him down. Race winner was Jimmy Gressier of France in a personal best 59:45. In the Netherlands, Irish record holder Hiko Tonosa (DSD AC).finished twelfth at the Rotterdam Marathon in a time of 2 hrs 9 mins 52 secs - just ten seconds off his Irish record of 2:09.42 set in Dublin last October. Tonosa went through 10km in 30:49 and halfway in 65:04. Winner was Geoffrey Kamworor in 2: 04.34. LOCAL ROADS Mollie O’Donnell (Liffey Valley AC) was first woman home at the Great Ireland Run 10km in Dublin’s Phoenix Park on Sunday (April 13). O’Donnell finished in 38:32 with Aisling O’Connor (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) second in 38:48. In the men’s race, won by Colin Leonard (Drogheda and District AC) in 32 mins 45 secs, Cian Charlton (Raheny Shamrock AC) was third in 33.58, while Michael Wycherly (Crusaders AC) was seventh overall and first M50 in 34:59. Rathfarnham WSAF AC did well in the older age groups with Colm Murray first M55 and Tom Cuddy and Gerry Boyle first and second M65. Trevor Lloyd from Sportsworld AC was first M75. In a team competition that mixed club and business teams, Raheny Shamrock AC proved best of the men, beating Deloitte and Metro St Brigid’s AC. Donore Harriers, led by Emily Cunniffe, took the women’s title with Accenture second and Clonliffe Harriers third. Close to 2,5000 completed the race. TRACK AND FIELD - DCU 17 NOT OUT! Dublin City University stretched its winning streak to seventeen years and counting at the Irish Universities Track and Field Championships held in Santry on Friday and Saturday (April 11 and 12). Perennial rivals University of Limerick and UCD finished second and third. No other college has won the track and field title in the nineteen years since DCU’s first win in 2007 (there were no championships in 2020 and 2021). In cross-country, however, they are occasionally vulnerable with University of Galway winning the title last October. DCU, which holds a 40-year-lease on Santry, were hosts of the competition this year and over the weekend records were set by Jonas Stafford (UCD) 8:55.37 men’s 3000m, Eimear Maher (UCC/DSD AC) 4:27.15 1500m, Michaela Walsh (DCU) 14.46m shot and Olympian Nicola Tuthill (UCD) 68.70 hammer. Other Dublin club or college medal winners included Emma McEvoy ((UCD/DSD AC) and Faye Dervan (DCU/DCH AC) first and second in the women’s 5000m and Gavin Curtin (TUC/Donore Harriers) was the winner and Shane Spring (TCD/ (Raheny Shamrock AC) runner-up in the men’s 10,000m. In the sprints, Nkemjika Onwmereh (DCU) won the men’s 100m and Ciaran Carty (UCD/DSD AC) the 400m. Field event winners were Hubert Adamczyk (TCD/Clonliffe Harriers) javelin, Anna Gavigan (DCU/LSA AC) discus, Daphni Doulaptsi Teeuwen (DCU/Raheny Shamrock) triple jump (and second in long jump) and Ciara Sheehy (DCU) women’s shot. In the relays, UCD won the men’s 4x100 in 41.69 while DCU won the men’s 4x400m in 3:26.98. Abroad, at the Friar Invitational, in Providence, Rhode Island, on Friday (April 11), Scott Fagan (Metro St Brigid’s AC) ran a personal best 14:20.48 when finishing sixth in the 5000m, while in Clermont, Florida a day later, Israel Olatunde (Tallaght) also ran a personal best of 21.49 secs for the much chorter distance of 200m. Olutunde also ran 10.47secs for 100m. ULTRA RUNNING Karen Clarke (Brothers Pearse AC) was the last woman standing at the Hellevation Munster Backyard Last One Standing on a tough 4.176 mile loop in Grange, Co Tipperary over the weekend.

DUBLIN 10KM ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS Just one second separated the top two at the Garristown 10km in Co Dublin on Sunday (April 6) where Jamie Kavanagh Shiels was the winner in a time of 32 mins 58 secs. The race, with a sold-out entry of over 800, incorporated the Dublin 10km Championships and just a second behind Shiels in 32:59 was Kieran Regan (Brothers Pearse AC, M35). Third in 33:03 was Pierce Geoghegan (Liffey Valley AC, M40). First woman — and Dublin champion — was Ciara Brady (Raheny Shamrock AC) in a time of 38:01. It was a first big win for Brady. Liffey Valley won both men and women’s team titles, with Geoghegan, David Carroll, Paddy Murphy and Cormac Long the scoring men’s quartet and Brigid Long, Shauna Dunne, Lynn Devitt and Orla Gordon the winning women’s team. Civil Service Harriers, led by Stephen Mutuku in tenth place, were second of the men’s teams and Clonliffe Harriers third, led by Anthony Doran in ninth place. Tallaght AC, led by Tara Darcy, were second placed women’s team with Clonliffe Harriers, led by Ciara Peelo, third. Other winners: Women - W35: 1 Emma Przymusinska (Lusk AC) ; 2 Fiona Hayden (Love2Love AC) 3 Orla Gordon (Liffey Valley AC).W40: 1 Tara Darcy (Tallaght AC), 2 Brigid Long (Liffey Valley AC); 3 Ariana Ball (Donore Harriers).W45: 1 Ciara Peelo (Clonliffe Harriers), 2 Jennifer Foran (Garristown Flyers); 3 Gemma Treacy (Civil Service Harriers). W50: 1 Breda Smyth (Lucan Harriers), 2 Freda O’Meara (Portmarnock AC), 3 Geraldine McHale (Lusk AC). W55: 1 Laura Cunningham (Love2RunAC), 2 Anne Lyons (Clonliffe Harriers), 3 Patricia O Cleirigh (Raheny Shamrock AC). W60: 1 Deirdre O’Mahoney (Blackrock AC), 2 Fiona Byrne (Civil Service Harriers), 3 Carol Dempsey ( Civil Service Harriers). W65: 1 Liz Arkins 9Lucan Harriers) , 2 Vivienne Daly 9Garristown Flyers). Teams: W35 - 1 Lusk AC, 2 Love2Run AC, 3 Civil Service AC. W50 - 1 Lucan Harriers, Civil Service Harriers, 3 Blackrock AC Men - M35: Kieran Regan (Brothers Pearse AC), 2 Daragh Keegan (Donore Harriers), 3 David Carroll (Liffey Valley AC) . M40: 1 Pierce Geoghegan (Liffey Valley AC); 2 Kenneth Nugent (Donore Harriers), 3 Ronan Dunphy (Skerries AC). M45: 1 Davey Duane (Raheny Shamrock AC), 2 Jim McCafferty (Balbriggan and District), 3 Derek Kilduff (Lucan Harriers). M50: 1Keith Fleming (Raheny Shamrock AC), 2 Nicholas Donnelly (Blackrock AC) , 3 Noel Ryan (Civil Service Harriers). M55: 1 Ger O’Toole (Blackrock AC), 2 Charni Purewal (Balbriggan and District), 3 Roberto Romano (Raheny Shamrock). M60: 1 Dave Woods (Raheny Shamrock AC) , 2Philip McGovern (Raheny Shamrock AC), 3 Sean Ryan (Civil Service Harriers). M65: 1 Alan McCabe (Tallaght AC), 2 Ronan Ward (Civil Service Harriers), 3 Vincent O’Neill (Civil Service Harriers). Teams: M35 - 1 Raheny Shamrock, 2 Civil Service Harriers, 3 Clonliffe Harriers. M50 -Raheny Shamrock, Blackrock AC, 3 Civil Service Harriers. Also on Sunday, the Women’s Meet and Train League celebrated not only the end of the 2024 - 2025 season with a fun run and prizegiving at Irishtown hosted by Crusaders AC but also forty years of Meet and Train racing. Long may it flourish! A DAY EARLIER … At a well-supported Dublin City Council BHAA 4-Mile, in St Anne’s Park, Raheny on Saturday (April 5) , Sean Doran and Laura McDonnell continued their winning streaks. Doran finished in 20 mins 54 secs, with Christopher O’Reilly second in 21:19 and Paul Fleming third and first M45 in 21:59. Des Tremble was fourth and first M50 in 22.05. O’Donnell finished eighth overall in 23:05 with Sarah Mullingan tenth overall in 23.20. Also in action was a large group from the Lor May of Dublin’s Five Alive Challenge who were completing their final race. Also present were peace runners from the Sri Chinmoy organisation, who were greeted by the Lord Mayor Emma Blaine. More images: DCC BHAA - https://www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/albums/72177720324901693/ ROADS - MID-WEEK At the Queen’s 5km, in Belfast on Wednesday (April 2) Kieran Kelly (Raheny Shamrock AC) finished sixth in 14:39 and Louie Woodger (Metro St Brigid’s AC) 16th in 15:02 while a large group from Clonliffe Harriers taking part in the race included Evan Lynch, Lee Duddy, and Jack Woods ROAD - ABROAD At the Berlin Half Marathon on Sunday (April 6), Tom O’Reilly (Metro St Brigid’s) finished seventh M65 in 95:38 (95:12) TRACK AND FIELD Abdel Laadjel (Donore Harriers) clocked a personal best time of 28:29.17, which qualifies him for both the NCAA and European Under 23 championships at the Standard Invitational in California on Friday (April 4). Ronan McMahon-Staggs (Dublin City Harriers) finished fourth in the 1500m with a time of 3:41.13. In the 10,000m. In the women’s steeplechase, Ailish Hawkins’ (Dublin City Harriers) ran a personal best time of 10:12.37. At the Athletics Ireland Spring Throws in Tullamore on Sunday (April 6), Anna Gavigan (LSA) won the women’s discus with a throw of 50.71m, while Grace Casey (Clonliffe Harriers) was second in the javelin with a 43.15m effort. ULTRA RUNNING Mark Conlon (Clondalkin Flyers) notched up a total of 143.6 km for fifth place at the Trasna na Blianta 24 hour race held on the Le Cheile track, Leixlip, over the weekend (April 5-6). Rex Brilliantes (Love 2Love AC) , who also started strongly, managed 114km in 12 hrs 35 mins. Third in the six-hour race, with a total 65.5km to his credit, was Joey Marrinan (Brothers Pearse AC). In the 12-hour event, Arlene Moore (Garristown Flyers) finished third overall and second woman with a total of 100.8 km. More pictures are at Trasna na Blianta- https://www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/albums/72177720324900648 Photo captions: DCC BHAA 4-Mile - good humour at the start DCC BHAA 4-Mile - three women Trasna na Blianta 12 hour race - Arlene Moore (Garristown Flyers) - she’s No 1202 Trasna na Blianta 6 hour race - Joey Marrinan (Brothers Pearse AC) Trasna na Blianta 24 hour race - Rex Brilliantes (Love2Run) Queens 5km - Clonliffe Harriers on tour! Photo Clonliffe Harriers Women’s Meet and train celebrate! Photo Lisa Shine

ROADS - ALMOST 12, 000 RUN DUBLIN HALF MARATHON Cillian Mooney (Dundrum South DublinAC) led home almost 12,000 finishers at the inaugural Dublin City Half Marathon held on Sunday (March 30) making it the third biggest road race in the city after the Dublin Marathon and the Women’s Mini Marathon. The race had sold out in just two hours a few months ago. Mooney, an Irish mountain running international, was a clear winner of the race in 65 min 40 secs, which was slower than the time of 64:43 he ran at the Naples Half Marathon in Italy last month. Other Dublin runners in the top twenty were was Stephen Cashin (Clonliffe Harriers) seventh, Michael Brady (Raheny Shamrock) 11th, Cillian O’Leary (Raheny Shamrock AC 13th and first M45, Ian Fitzgerald (Donore Harriers) 19th and Karl Nolan (Clonliffe Harriers) 20th and third M40. First M50 was Ruben Bartelink (DSD AC). In the women’s race, Noreen Brouder (Sportsworld AC) was second and first W45 in 81:42 and in the age groups, it was a good day for Raheny Shamrock AC. Fiona Stack was first W40 ahead of Olivia Sexton (Portmarnock AC), while Tara Kennedy was second over 50, Trish Fitzgerald third W60 and Mary Lynch first W70. For Lucan Harriers, Anne Whelan was second W60, Liz Arkins second W65 and Eileen O’Brien second W70 while for Blackrock AC, Grainne Grennan was first W70. Of the men, Philip O’Doherty (Clonliffe Harriers) was first M60, followed by Philip McGovern (Raheny Shamrock AC). Liam Lenehan (Sportsworld) AC) was second M65 and John Clohisey (Raheny Shamrock) second M70. Callum Marshall (Portmarnock AC) was first junior in 82:30. The race, which started on O’Connell Street at 8.30 am and took in much of Dublin’s Northside, was organised by the Dublin Marathon and Race Series team with the support of Dublin City Council. TRACK AND FIELD - OUTDOORS! At the TEN meeting, in San Juan Capistrano, California, Efrem Gidey (Clonliffe Harriers/Hoka) finished 12th in a time of 27 mins 26.95 secs, taking around 13 seconds off Alistair Cragg’s Irish 10,000m record of 27:39.55 set in 2007. ‘Hard work paying off. More to come’ said Gidey after his run. Winner was Kenyan athlete Israel Kipkurui in 26:50.21. The top five all broke 27 minutes. Gidey, still aged only twenty-four, now holds three Irish records - he ran 60:51 in the Copenhagen half marathon last September, and 27:43 in the Valencia 10km in January. Before his race in California, Gidey had been training at altitude with the Hoka group in Flagstaff Arizona under the supervision of coach Andrew Hobdell. Looking at his progress since 2023, it’s notable that he has struck to a routine, starting his year by running the Valencia 10km in early January. Last year, he had also raced in California, finishing sixth in the 10,000m with a time 27:53.14. He’s also a ‘regular’ at the Night of the 10,000m PBs in London, where he ran 27:40.02 for ninth place last May. Next up for Gidey is the inaugural European Running Championships in Leuven and Brussels, Belgium on April 12-13, where he will compete in the half marathon. He is the only Dublin club athlete on the team. At the Texas Relays in Austin, also on Saturday, Rhasidat Adeleke (Tallaght AC/Nike) opened her outdoor season anchoring the international team that won the pro 4 x400m relay in 3 mins 25.20 secs. Irish athletes were also in action at the Raleigh Relays in North Carolina, where, in the men’s 5000m, held over ten heats, Cormac Dixon (Tallaght AC) clocked a time of 13:57.99. Down Under, at the Mario Plant meet in Melbourne on Saturday (March 29) Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock AC) was seventh in the 5000m in 13:25.63. Two days earlier, also in Melbourne, Cillian Kirwan (Raheny Shamrock AC) clocked 1:48.37 for third place in an 800m race. In the women’s 800m, Nadia Power (Dublin City Harriers) finished second in 2:06.52. Marathon Paul O’Donnell (Dundrum South Dublin AC) ran a time of 2hrs 10 mins 17 secs in his marathon debut at the McKirdy Micro-The Road to Tokyo race in Rockland Lake State Park, Congers , New York State on Sunday (March 30). The time is the fifth fastest ever by an Irishman. O’Donnell finished fourth in the race which was won by Canadian athlete Justin Kent in 2:09.29. The World Championships mark for the marathon is 2:06.20, with only a hundred athletes set to make it. Current Irish record holder Hiko Tonosa,like O’Donnell a member of the Dundrum South Dublin club will run the Rotterdam Marathon on Sunday April 13 aiming to qualify. WORLD MASTERS A the World Masters Indoors in Gainesville, Florida, Edel Maguire (Clonliffe Harriers) won the W65 high jump in some style on Friday (March 28) and only narrowly missed out on a second gold in the 200m later in the day. She made up for that on Sunday (March 30) by winning the 400m in a world record time of 66.94 secs. So two golds and a silver for Edel! Other medal winners included Adina Gheoghiu (DSD AC/Romania) second in the W50 200m in 26. 41 secs, Shane Sheridan (DSD AC) 3rd M65 200m in 27.75, and Mick Traynor (Raheny Shamrock) who was part of the silver-medal winning M60 cross-country team. HILLS At the annual Maurice Mullins Ultra in the Wicklow Mountains on Saturday (March 29) Sean Meehan (Cherry Orchard RC) finished third in 4:40.51. Marc Fitzachary (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) was first M45 in 4:58.58. DUBLIN JUVENILES Emily Bolton (Clonliffe Harriers) added yet another gold medal to her collection when winning the U18 1500m at the National Juvenile Indoors held in Athlone over the weekend. Bolton finished in 4:48.55 with Megan Brunt (Blackrock AC) second in 4:51.83. Winning the U17 boys’ 1500m in 3:37.67 was Charlie O’Neill (Donore Harriers). In the girls’ U17 age group, Mia Brett (MSB AC) won the 400m in 58.12, Alicja Doyle (Clongriffin AC) the 60m in 7.53 and Marianne O’Farrell (Clongriffin AC) the long jump with a 4.92 effort. On the opening day of the meet, Des O’Neill (Raheny Shamrock AC) won the U19 boys’ 60m hurdles. Other good results came from - U17 - Boys: 200m, 2 Luis Blinco (MSB AC) 22.42; 800m 3 Charlie O’Neill (Donore Harriers) 1:56.77. Girls: High jump, 3 Zion Osasenaga Osawe (Donore Harriers) 1.55. U18 - Boys: 60m, 3 Dubem Amah (Tallaght AC) 7.00; 200m, 2 Sean O’Donnell (Tallaght AC) 22.02. 1500m, 2 Odhran McBrearty (Crusaders AC) 4:06.52. Long jump, 3 Brendan Solarin (Tallaght AC) 6.15. Girls: 60m, 2 Chidinma Adikaibe (MSB AC) 7.73; 400m, 2 Alannah Giles (DSD AC) 57.30; long jump, 2 Ariana Silvestre (Fingallians AC) 5.03m. U19 - Boys: 400m, 2 Andrew Hayes (DSD AC) 49.43; 1500m, 3 Rory Quill (Clonliffe Harriers) 4:01. Girls: 1500m, 2 Saoirse Fitzgerald (Lucan Harriers) 4:31.74; 60m hurdles, 2 Abigail Farrell (Donore Harries)

SOLID SIXTH IN WORLDS FOR SARAH Sarah Healy (UCD AC), who had memorably won the 3000m at the European Indoors, was again lining out over the 3000m in Nanjing , where she finished a fighting sixth and first European in a highly respectable time of 8 mins 40 secs. Healy was lying fifth for much of the race and moved briefly into fourth place in the later stages of the race, only losing ground in the chase for the line. She admitted after the race that she was a bit too far back to make up the gap. Healy can still look back with some satisfaction on an indoors season that saw her break Irish 1500m and 3000m records as well as winning her first ever senior international gold medal. Roll on the summer! DONORE TAKES NATIONAL 10KM TITLE A strong team from Donore Harriers took the men’s national team title at the Dunboyne 10km on Sunday, with the race incorporating the National 10km Championships. Leading the team home was John Travers who finished ninth in 30:02 with his clubmate, Gavin Curtin finishing just one place behind in a time of 30:10. Kane Collin and Eric Keogh made up the scoring quartet with all home inside the top thirty. CNDR TC from Belfast was second and Raheny Shamrock, led by Shane Spring in 16th place, third. Dublin City Harriers were fourth. In the women’s team competition, the Dublin City Harriers’ trio of Orla Duffy, Sorcha McAllister and Bonnie-may McFeat finished third team behind Leevale AC from Cork and Mullingar Harriers. Dundrum South Dublin was fourth, Crusaders fifth and Metro St Brigid’s AC sixth. In the masters’ team categories, Brothers Pearse, led by Pauline Robertson, won the over 50 women’s category, followed by Rathfarnham WSAF. In the over 35 age category, there were third places for the Rathfarnham WSAF AC men and the Metro St Brigid’s AC women. In a race which saw wins for Jack O’Leary (Mullingar Harriers) and Niamh Allen (Leevale AC), Pierre Murchan (Dublin City Harriers) was the first Dublin club athlete home, finishing third overall in 29:31. Not far behind was Colm Rooney (Clonliffe Harriers) who was fourth and first M40 in 29:42. Also breaking 30 minutes was Killian Mooney (Dundrum South Dublin AC) who finished eighth in 29:54. Of the women, Emma McEvoy (Dundrum South Dublin AC) finished sixth in 33:52, while Orla Duffy (Dublin City Harriers) was ninth in 34:35 and her clubmate Sorcha McAllister one place behind in 34:36. Among the national master category winners were Cillian O’Leary (Raheny Shamrock AC) M45, Noreen Brouder (Sportsworld AC) W45, Maria Dolan (Raheny Shamrock AC) W55, Sheelagh Jones (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) W65, and Tom Cuddy (Rathfarnham WSADF AC) M65 with Liam Lenehan (Sportsworld AC) second in that age group. GAOLBREAK WIN FOR KEEGAN In Wicklow, Darren Keegan (Donore Harriers) was the winner of the Wicklow Gaol Half Marathon in a time of 76 mins 6 secs. Kahumburuka Tuahuku (Tallaght AC) was fourth in 79:43, Garret Loy (Clonliffe Harriers), ninth overall and second M50 in 83:50, Dan Glynn (Brothers Pearse AC) second M50 in 89:34 and Daniele Ciupac (Civil Service Harriers) fifth woman in 94:47. SCHOOLS CROSS-COUNTRY Helping the Irish teams to the runners-up position in all four races at the annual SIAB Schools International Cross-Country held in Falkirk, Scotland on Saturday (March 22) were a number of athletes from Dublin schools. Best result came from Charlie O’Neill (Belvedere College) who finished a fighting seventh in the boys’ U17 race. Other in action were Samuel Redmond (Templeogue College) U15 boys, Ruby Farrelly (Our Lady’s Templeogue) and Elizabeth Reamsbottom (Santa Sabina) U15 girls, and Megan Brunt (Loreto Dalkey) and Tara Rose Smith (Sutton Park) both U17 girls. TRACK AND FIELD -LOCAL Although Kildare raiders took the bulk of the wins at the Dundrum South Dublin Juvenile Throws Meet, Dublin athletes Harry Moylan (Crusaders AC) U18 boys, and Adona Zewdie (DSD AC) U17 girls won their shot put competition, held at the Tibradden Road track on Saturday. Good humour prevailed at the meet, although all the young athletes (and officials!) got a thorough soaking in the less than clement conditions. Boys - Javelin - U16 (600g): 1 Noah Treacy (Kildare AC) 40.43; 2 Ryan O’Reilly (Naas AC) 30.63; 3 Marty Davitt (DSD AC) 27.73. U18 (700g) : Eoin Cassidy (Naas AC) 32:88. U19 (800gm) - Karlo Stemec (Clongriffin AC) 28:90. Shot - U14 (2.75kg): Jack Barrett (Dunboyne AC) 9.55. Guest: Jack Moylan 11.56. U18 (5kg): 1 Harry Moylan (Crusaders AC) 10.40; 2 Daniel Aibuedefe (DSD AC) 9.00; 3 Robbie Tallon (DSD AC) 7.53. Girls - Javelin - U16 (500g): 1 Grace Garvey (Clane AC) 25.86; 2 Maeve Moore (Newbridge AC) 25.21; 3 Hannah McBride (Clane AC) 25:10. U18: 1 Isobel Kearns (Naas AC) 35.20; 2 Abby Lewis (Naas AC) 24.34; Laragh Hayes (Blackrock AC) 13.20. U19: 1 Enya Silkena (Ratoath AC) 39.24; 2 Ava Conroy (DSD AC) 33.27; 3 Olga Burkina (DSD AC) 23.05. Shot - U14 (2kg): Shile Croal (Bohermeen AC) 9.60 (9.49); 2 Neasa O’Keefe (DSD AC) 9.60 (9.35); 3 Aisling O’Brien (Metro St Brigid’s AC) )8.48 . U17 (3kg): 1 Adona Zewdie (DSD AC) 9.47; 2 Laragh Hayes (Blackrock AC) 6.28. Pictures from the DSD Meet are at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/albums/72177720324581837/.

ROADS Clonliffe Harriers made it a double at the Tallaght 5km on St Patrick’s Day, with Ben Guiden the overall race winner and Helena Butterly first woman. On an entirely new course which took in two laps of the local college, Guiden led from early on and finished a clear winner in 15 min 9 secs. Eddie O’Connor of Bro. Pearse AC was second in 13:31 and previous winner Tomás Fitzpatrick of organising club Tallaght AC third and first M40 in 15.39. Butterly had an equally emphatic victory crossing the line with almost half a minute to spare in 16 mins 54 secs. Orla Walsh of Crusaders was second in 17:22 and Faye Dervan of Dublin City Harriers third in 17.27. Fourth and first W40 in 17.59 was Rachel Murphy of Plant-Based AC. Age group winners included Aidan Murphy (Dundrum South Dublin AC) M45, Lea Fulcher (Plant-Based AC) M50, Seamus Boylan (Brothers Pearse) M55, Tom Cuddy (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) M65, Janice Doyle (Brothers Pearse AC) W45, Catherine Brogan (Portmarnock AC) W50, Lucy Darcy (Sportsworld AC) W55, Fiona Byrne (Civil Service Harriers) W60, Liz Arkins (Lucan Harriers) W65 and Una Reilly (Liffey Valley AC) W70. In the team competition, it was again Clonliffe Harriers on the double. Tallaght AC and DSD AC were second and third of the men, while DCH and Liffey Valley were second and third of the women. Winners of the novice titles were Lee Duddy (Clonliffe Harriers), followed by Aidan Murphy (DSD AC) and Shane Heneghan (Dublin Front Runners) of the men and Orla Walshe (Crusaders AC), Rachel Murphy (Plant-Based AC) and Bonnie-may McFeat (DuCH ) of the women. Top three novice women’s teams were (provisionally) Liffey Valley, Sportsworld and Clonliffe Harriers. The top three men’s teams were Clonliffe Harriers, Dundrum South Dublin and Tallaght AC. The full results are on PopUPRaces at https://www.popupraces.ie/race/tallaght-ac-5k-2025/#1_C86632 The Dublin Novice results are at https://api.raceresult.com/331011/U0KS5YYLFVYUJDNHOZ6XXLU6NCTULL3Y and https://api.raceresult.com/331011/9UBMF2Q6YLHXDN0B74P0HDMEO1GMGWHV Pictures from the Tallaght 5k are on https://www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/albums/72177720324484653/ Meanwhile in Co Laois, Dundrum South Dublin made a winning start to their defence of the Peugeot Race Series title by finishing first team ahead of St Abban’s AC and Kilkenny City Harriers at the Streets of Portlaoise 5km. In a competitive race up front, Killian Mooney of DSD race, has just two seconds to spare when he finished in 14 mins 57 secs, with David Mansfield (Clonmel AC) second in 14:59. Even closer was the women’s race where Hannah Steeds (Leevale AC) sprinted clear of Eimear Maher (DSD AC), with the pair given times of 16:46 and 16:47. Sean Doran (Clonliffe Harriers) was the winner of the Skerries 10km on Sunday (March 16) with a time of 33 mins 13 secs. Second in 33:28 was Jamie Kavanagh Shiels. First woman with a time of 37:50 was Sarah-Grace Breen. In the age groups, Alan O’Dowd (Balbriggan and District AC) was first M50 in 39:09. Clonliffe was the winning men’s team with home team Skerries second and Lusk AC third. Best of the women’s teams was Portmarnock AC, led by Dee Magee in sixth place. Lusk AC was second and Raheny Shamrock third. FIELD EVENTS - INTERNATIONAL Nicola Tuthill (UCD AC) proved the star of the Irish team at the European Throwing Cup, held in Nicosia, Cyprus at the weekend when she won the women’s U23 hammer with a throw of 69.74 — not far off her best of 70.32m. Second with 69.06 was Thea Löfman of Sweden, who only had two valid throws. It was a first Irish title in this event first held 2001. Tuthill, who won her first Irish senior hammer title at the age of sixteen, had finished second in the last two editions of the competition. Last year, Tuthill who qualified for her first Olympics last year at the age of twenty, now has her sights set on qualification for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo later this summer. The A standard is 74m and the B standard 69.90m, which is a distance Tuthill has already achieved. A day earlier, 20-year-old Anna Gavigan (LSA AC) finished second in the women’s U23 discus with a massive personal best of 53.91—the first time she had thrown over 50 metres. Also on Sunday, Eric Favors (Raheny Shamrock AC) who has a best of 20.93m, finished eighth in the men’s shot with a 19.10 effort Finishing fourth in the women’s B discus competition with a throw of 55.90m was Niamh Fogarty (Raheny Shamrock AC). Good luck to our European champion Sarah Healy (UCD AC) who races in the women’s 3000m final (there are no heats) at the World Indoors on Nanjing, China on Saturday next (March 22).The race starts at 11.15am Irish time. WOMEN’S MEET AND TRAIN WINTER LEAGUE 2024/5, OVERALL RESULTS Fun run and prize-giving Sunday April 6, Irishtown, 11am Individuals: 1 Lisa Gaughan (DSD); 2 Ruth Wilson (DSD); 3 Roisin McMahon (Sportsworld) Teams (49 entered) - Diamond:1 Sportsworld A; 2 DSD A; 3 Raheny Shamrock 1 Platinum: 1 Brothers Pearse B; 2 Esker 1; 3 Crusaders Red Gold:1 Brothers Pearse C; 2 Waterstown Warriors A; 3 Donore Dawdlers Silver: 1 DFR Ultra Violets; 2 Esker 3; 3 Tallaght 2 Bronze:1 Brothers Pearse D; 2 Esker 2; 3 Waterstown Warriors B

EUROPEAN INDOORS What a final day it was for Ireland at the European Indoors in Apeldoorn! Star of the show was Sarah Healy from Monkstown, who ran the perfect race for victory in the women’s 3000m. In a chaotic race with one faller, Healy was never far off the pace and sprinted past Britain’s Melissa CourtneyBryant — the pre-race favourite —with just two metres to spare. ‘I knew I had an opportunity today to win a medal, and to win gold, but I didn’t want to put too much expectation on it. I had to wait until the last 100m, but I’m so glad it worked out,’ she said afterwards. Healy, who won double gold in the 1500m and 300m at the European U18 Championships in 2018 while a member of Blackrock AC, struggled to make the transition to the senior ranks and in 2023, after finishing a law degree at UCD, made the tough decision to move to England. There she joined the M11 training group rbased in Wigan run by husband and wife team Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows. Other members of the group include Paris Olympics 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson and Georgia Bell, who took bronze in the 1500m, also at the Paris Olympics. After the race on Sunday, Meadows confirmed that Healy will be concentrating on the 1500m after this, although for the World Indoors, starting on March 21, she has qualifying times for both 1500m and 3000m. Taking double bronze in Apeldoorn were Mark English from Donegal in the 800m — his fourth bronze at European level — and multi-eventer Kate O’Connor from Co Louth in the pentathlon where her points total of 4781 broke her own national record. INDOORS - LOCAL Locally it was the final weekend of indoor competition with Athlone the venue for the National Junior and U23 Championships on Sunday and the National Masters a day earlier. In the U20 championship, Mathdenzel Mugri (Cabinteely AC) and Gloria Oigbochie (Tallaght AC) made it a Dublin double in the 60m sprint, with winning times of 7.08 secs and 7.80 secs respectively. There was a Dublin hat-trick in the men’s 200m, with Donal Martin (Blackrock AC) the winner in 21.67 followed by Luke Timlin (Crusaders AC) in 21.93 and Dubem Amah (Tallaght AC) in 22.19. Winning the 60m hurdles in a time of 8.05 secs was Sean Owens (Crusaders AC). Sean Cronin (Clonliffe Harriers) won the 1500m in 4:00.42, while his clubmate Emily Bolton, just a day after running in the All Ireland Schools Cross-Country in Galway, finished a close second in the women’s 1500m in 4:42.41. Other Dublin medal winners were Des O’Neill (Raheny Shamrock AC) a fighting second in the men’s 400m, Saoirse Fitzgerald (Lucan Harriers) third in the women’s 400m iand Lauren Healy second in the high jump. In the U23 Championships, Aisling Kelly (UCD AC) won the women’s 60m in 7.57, Kate O’Connell (Lucan Harriers) the 400m, and Renee Crotty (UCD AC) the women’s 800m. In the men’s 800m, Finn Woodger (Metro St Brigid’s AC) finished clear of of his clubmate Traian Rebegea, with the pair timed at 1:53.71 and 1:54.86. Another Woodger — Louie this time — finished second in the men’s 1500m in 3:56.70. In the field, Sam Vines (Cabinteely AC) finished second in the men’s shot, while Molly Mullally (DSD AC) was second in the triple jump and third in the long jump. At the All Ireland Masters, Snezana Bechtina (Clonliffe Harriers) was just one of many Dublin club winners, taking the women’s W40 sprint title. A close second was Sinead O’Connor (Metro St Brigid’s AC). Making it a double for Plant-Based AC were Rachel Murphy and Lea Fulcher in the W40 and M50 3000m races respectively. Alison Beck (Dundrum South Dublin AC) won both the W45 high jump and pole vault and was second in the triple jump. In the 60m, Dublin winners were Sarah Doyle (Tallaght) W35, Dara Carr (LSA AC) W55, Edel Maguire (Clonliffe Harriers) W65, Shane Sheridan (DSD AC) M65 and David Leech (Blackrock) M75 60m. Andrej Dmitrenko (Clonliffe Harriers) was first M55 and Kevin Byrne (DSD AC) second M50 in the 60m hurdles. Byrne was also second in the high jump. Richard Phelan (Donore Harriers) won the M60 long jump. In the men’s 3000m, Tom Cuddy (Rathfarnham WSAF) was first M65 and Mick Traynor (Raheny Shamrock) second M60. Niall Allen (Clonliffe Harriers) won both the M50 shot and weight for distance., with his clubmate Vivian Okafor second W40 in the shot. Finally in the 4x200 relays, winning teams from Dublin were LSA W40, Lucan Harriers W60 and DSD mixed. ALL IRELAND SCHOOLS CROSS-COUNTRY At the All Ireland Schools Cross-Country Championships held at Ballybrit Racecourse, Galway on Saturday (March 8), Cillian Gleeson (Colaiste Chiarain) finished second behind Noah Harris (ETSS Wicklow) — just as he had done at the Leinster Championships. In a Leinster clean sweep, Ryan O’Neill (Terenure College) finished third. Emily Bolton won the girls’ senior race comfortably and with Lorraine O’Connors fifth and Laura Nunan 34th, also took team gold with the Institute of Education. At inter level, Megan Brunt (Loreto Dalkey) was fifth and Tara Rose Smith (Sutton Park) sixth. Leinster champion Charlie O’Neill (Belvedere) finished sixth in the boys’ inter race, helping Belvedere to third place in the team competition, with St Paul’s Raheny, led by Conrad Latham in 13th place, fourth. Santa Sabina, led by Beth Reamsbottom in fourth place, was the winning team in the girls’ junior race, where Ruby Farrelly (Our Lady’s Templeogue) was third. LAST BHAA CROSS-COUNTRY OF THE SEASON! Laura McDonnell was the runaway winner of the women’s two mile race at the ALSAA BHAA cross-country held at Dublin Airport on Saturday (March 8). Second was Clodagh Dunphy, while third was Sinead Tighe in 12.24. First team was Legal A. In the men’s four mile race, Sean Doran was an equally clear winner ahead of Robert Frewen and Paul Fleming. ESB were the team winners followed by Revenue and Eir. And so we say farewell to the cross-country season - until next autumn! ROADS A large number of Dublin club athletes headed to Co Meath for the Bohermeen Half Marathon on Sunday (March 9) where Kate Purcell (Raheny Shamrock, W40) finished third woman in 76:50. In Dublin city, also on Sunday, James Kelly was the winner of The Liberties RC 5km, held in the Coombe, with Giovanni Salvatore (Raheny Shamrock) second. First woman was Alison Shorten (Cherry Orchard RC). Shauna O’Callaghan (Sportsworld) finished third. First for the local Liberties Running club were Paul McGrath and Leanne Kelly who came in together. At the Great Gorey 10-Mile in Co Wexford Barry Whelan (Portmarnock AC) finished second, while at the Midleton 10-Mile in Co Cork, Sergiu Ciobanu (Clonliffe Harriers) finsihed third overall and first M40.

ROADS John Travers (Donore Harriers) and Ann-Marie McGlynn (Letterkenny AC) were the winners at the Lusk 4-Mile road races held on Sunday (March 2) and attacted an antry of close to a thousand with 869 finishers. Travers’ time of 18 mins 43 sec saw him finish comfortably clear of Sean Cronin (Clonliffe Harriers) second in 19:05 and Conor Duffy (Glaslough Harriers) third in 19:28. McGlynn finished in 20:30 with Dublin-based Íde Nic Dhomhnaill (West Limerick AC) second in 20:43. Helena Butterly (Clonliffe Harriers) was fourth in 21:59. Sixth and first W40 was Rachel Murphy (Plant-Based AC) in 23:18, with Sorcha Loughnane (Donore Harriers) seventh and second W40 24.12. First W50 was Catherine Brogan (Portmarnock AC) in 25:33 while first W70 was Mary Lynch (Raheny Shamrock AC) in 30:24. Of the men, Lea Fulcher (Pant-Based AC) was first M50 in 20:54, and Ken Doyle (Raheny Shamrock AC) first M60 in 27:30. At the Naas 10-Mile, also on Sunday, Karl Nolan (Clonliffe Harriers) and Sonya McConnon (DSD) made it a Dublin double victory by winning the over 40 men and women’s races. Declan Power (Clonliffe Harriers) was first M50. A day earlier, Eddie O’Connor (Brothers Pearse AC) was the winner of the Moneystown 4-Mile Garden Run in Ballinacoola, Co Wicklow, with a time of 20 mins 31 secs. Racing machine Sean Doran (Clonliffe Harriers) was second in 20:39. Fourth and first M40 was Aidan Murphy (Dundrum South Dublin AC) in 21:34. In Co Donegal at the Bundoran 10-Mile in Co Donegal also on Saturday (March 1), Fiona Stack (Raheny Shamrock AC) finished second overall and first W40 at the Bundoran 10-Mile with a time of 61:29. CROSS-COUNTRY - BHAA AND WOMEN’S MEET AND TRAIN TEAM UP! Paul Fleming (Ornua/RathfarnhamWSAF AC) ran a typically canny race to win the Business Houses Athletic Association AIB men’s 4-mile race held at the National Cross-County Course, Abbotstown, on Sunday (March 2). In the women’s 2-mile race, run in conjunction with Women’s Meet and Train for the first time ever, Lisa Gaughan (DSD AC) was not only first overall but won her third race from four outings in the Meet and Train Winter League. Second was her club mate Ruth Wilson, while third was Rachel Calvey (Sportsworld AC). As they had done in previous races, Jane Leonard (DSD) and Dee Lyons (Dublin Front Runners) battled it out all the way to the line for fourth place with Leonard the winner. The Meet and Train league will end with a fun run and prize-giving hosted by Crusaders AC at Irishtown on Sunday April 6 (11am). Next for BHAA runners is the final cross-country of the season hosted by the ALSAA at its Dublin Airport grounds on Saturday next March 8 (11am). Details www.bhaa.ie INDOORS Cathal Doyle (Clonliffe Harriers) finished fifth in the men’s 1500m in a time of 3:39.62 at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold final round in Madrid Spain on Friday, (February 28). His season’s best indoors time was 3:37.39 run in Liévin, France, on February 13. His outdoor best for 1500m is 3:33.15. Doyle now heads for Apeldoorn in the Netherlands where he will compete in the European Indoor Championships for the first time. At the Leinster Indoor Championships held at the NIA, Abbotstown on Saturday (March 1), Dundrum South Dublin made it a double in the 800m, with Charlotte Burke winning the women’s race in 2 mins 15.15 secs and Joe Hastings first home in the men’s race in 1:54.85. Dublin athletes took the top six places in the men’s race, with Hastings followed by George Warrne, Oren Kenny, and Fintan Kerins, all Clonliffe Harriers, Jared Murray of Rathfarnham WSAF and Cormac Whelan of Donore Harriers. Winning the U20 women’s race in 2:17.94 was Robyn Carey (Lusk AC) with Rachel Jez (Lucan Harriers) third in 2:21.34. In the masters categories, Breda Smyth (Lucan Harriers) was first W50. Dublin winners in the men’s master categories, were Stephen Brett (Metro St Brigid’s C) M45 and David Dunwoody (Clonliffe Harriers) M55. A solid winner of the senior men’s 1500m title was Juan Ignacio Peña (Raheny Shamrock) in 3:49.32. His clubmate Brian Sexton was first M35 in 4:25.28, while in the M40 class, Niall Sherlock (Clonliffe Harriers) won the 1500m and was also second in the 800m. Winning the U20 1500m was Aisling Fitzpatrick (Lucan Harriers) with her clubmate Ana Jones third. Winning the W35 title was Brigid Long (Liffey Valley). Over 3000m, Rachel Murphy (Plant Based AC) won the W35 title in 10:07.53. Her clubmate Lea Fulcher won the M50 title with Arnaud Benjacar (Liffey Valley) second. Mark Ryan (Rathfarnham WSAF) was a clear overall winner of the masters’ race and also first M45 in 9:09.57. In the sprints, Sinead O’Connor (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) won the W40 60m with Snezana Bechtina (Clonliffe Harriers) second. Bechtina also won her specialist 400m in 60.59. Closest race of the day was the senior men’s 60m which went to a photo-finish when Sean Aigboboh (Tallaght AC) and Lorcan Murphy (DSD AC) were both given a time of 6.87 secs. Aigboboh just scraped it. Third was Leo Morgan (Clonliffe Harriers) timed at 6.88. Cillian Doherty (Crusaders) set a championships record when winning the U20 60m in 6.96 secs. His clubmate Luke Timlin was second in 7.00. Ballymun AC took a first ever medal at this level when Colm Keogh won the M50 60m in 8.14 secs, beating Kevin Leahy (DSD AC) on 8.19. In the 200m, whose placings were reversed with Leahy getting the better of Keogh. At the sixth and final Track and Field Live meet of the season held at the NIA Abbotstown on Wednesday (February 26), Juan Ignacio Peña (Raheny Shamrock) finished third in the men’s mile with a time of 4:04.09.

Shirley Murray, Tallaght Athletic Club coach, Dublin and National official was presented with an outstanding service award by Leinster Athletics officials Majella McGrath and Andrew Lynham in the National Indoors Athletic Arena, Abbotstown on Sunday 23rd February 2025. Shirley is ever present at all Dublin Juvenile athletic events and has been so for over 20 years. Well done Shirley.

HEALY AND DOYLE MAKE IT A DUBLIN DOUBLE AT NATIONAL INDOORS Runaway wins for Dublin athletes Sarah Healy and Cathal Doyle in the 1500m races were among the highlights of the All Ireland Indoor Championships held at Abbotstown, Dublin, over the weekend. In the women’s race, Healy was out on her own from the start, winning comfortably in 4:08.74. It was her first national indoors title over the 1500m distance. Doyle, the defending champion, got himself out of trouble about mid-way through the men’s race before storming home on the final lap to finish in 3:58.10. ‘I think I’m getting the hang of indoor racing,’ he said afterwards. Finishing second was Lughaidh Mallon (UCD AC) in 4:00.61. A keenly awaited race was the men’s 60m final which would feature a show-down between UCD’s Bori Akinola and Irish record holder and three times champion Israel Olatunde of Tallaght AC. Akinola has been the form man indoors this winter and he duly won the race and his first national title in 6.61 secs — a season’s best. Olatunde finished third in 6.72. Almost sixty athletes had entered the men’s 60m. A day earlier, Marcus Lawler (Clonliffe Harriers AC) was a clear winner of the men’s 200m in 20.74, while in the women’s 200m, Kate O’Connell (Lucan Harriers) finished second, with Molly Hourihan (UCD AC) third. Eric Favors (Raheny Shamrock) proved the class of the field in the men’s shot, winning his third indoor title with his opening heave of 19.450m. Favors’ Raheny clubmate Colm Bourke won the long jump with a 7.15 leap and was also second in the triple jump. On a good day in the field for Raheny, Daphni Doulaptsi Teeuwen finished second inn the women’s triple jump. Other Dublin club athletes to win medals over the weekend included Amy O’Donoghue (Dundrum South Dublin AC) third in the women’s 1500m, Finn Woodger (Metro St Brigid’s ) second in the men’s 800m, Niamh Kearney (Raheny Shamrock AC) third women’s 3000m, David Bosch (UCD AC) second behind the phenomenal Conor Kelly in the men’s 400m, Ciara Wilson Bowen (DSD AC) third in the women’s 3000m walk and Lorcan Murphy (DSD AC) second in the men’s high jump. In a thrilling women’s 4 x 200m relay on Saturday, Dundrum South Dublin held off Leevale AC to win in 1:40.96, with Metro St Brigid’s third in 1:42.25. The DSD quartet finished third in the men’s 4 x200m. A day later, UCD won the women’s 4 x 400m, with DSD third. In the men’s 4 x 400m, which concluded a memorable championships, DSD finished second behind Ratoath AC. ROADS At the Seville Marathon on Sunday (February 23), ultra specialist Sorcha Loughnane (Donore Harriers) finished 27th woman in 2:44.36. Also on Sunday, Sean Doran (Clonliffe Harriers) made it two wins in two days when winning the Duleek 5km in Co Meath in 15 mins 35 secs. Eric Keogh (Donore Harriers) was second in 15:44. In a Dublin double, Orla Walsh (Crusaders AC) was first woman in 18:23. At the Wicklow Hospice Half Marathon over a tough off-road course in Avondale Forest Park, Rathdrum on Saturday, Jason Reilly (Civil Service Harriers, M40) was the winner in 77 mins 8 secs with Julie McGrath (Crusaders AC) first woman in 86:50. BHHA CROSS COUNTRY As they had done at the Teachers Cross-Country the previous weekend, Sean Doran and Clare Sullivan were the winners at the Central Bank BHAA 6km Cross-Country held at Jobstown Park, Tallaght on Saturday (February 22). Doran had a comfortable overall win in 21 mins 29 secs, with Edward O’Connor second in 21:50 and Paul Fleming third in 22.36. Sullivan finished in 25:41, with Clodagh Dunphy second in 27:02 and Malika Hammani third in 27:31. ESB were first of the grade 1 teams ahead of Accountants and Gardai, with Teachers winning Grade 2. Stronger with Esther proved best of the women’s teams. * The National Cross-Country course at Abbotstown gets a rare outing next Sunday (11am) when the BHAA and Women’s Meet and Train combine to put on a women’s 2-mile as well as a men’s 4-mile race. Register at www.bhaa.ie

INDOORS Sarah Healy (UCD AC) again produced the athletics performance of the weekend when she finished second in the 1500m at the Keely Klassic indoors competition held 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. In the USA, Rhasidat Adeleke got her 2025 season off to a good start when coming third in a 600m race in Clemson, South Caroline on Friday (February 14) with a time of 1min 30.30 secs. Unlike Healy, Adeleke has no plans to race indoors this season and will not appear at next weekend’s National Indoors in Abbotstown. A large Irish contingent was racing in Boston, also on Friday and 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. A day later, in France, Jodie McCann (DCH AC)) clocked a time of 9:09.44 when finishing tenth in the women’s 3000m at the Meeting Indoor de Lyon. In the B 800m, Cillian Kirwan (Raheny Shamrock) clocked a time of 1:50.30. ROADS Irish clubs won both team competitions at the annual Armagh International Road Races held on Thursday evening (February 13) despite large overseas international entry, mostly from British clubs. Efrem Gidey, who finished eighth and best of the Irish in 13:51was leading Clonliffe Harriers to team victory, backed up by 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. In the women’s 3km, Niamh Kearney (Raheny Shamrock) finished 11th in 9:24 and Amy O’Donoghue (Dundrum South Dublin) 15th in 9:26. With Grace Lynch 21st in 9:38, and Emma McEvoy (34th in 9:51. FDSD finished second team behind Finn Valley. Making a welcome return to racing at the the Enniscorthy 10km on Sunday (February 16) after a long injury break was Kevin Dooney (Raheny ShamrockAC) who finished second in 33:04. CROSS-COUNTY 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. Dunleer beat Dublin City Harriers by a single point in the team competition. BHAA CROSS-COUNTRY 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. Large groups from Dublin clubs turned out for their workplace teams, among them Ramune Zolbiene, one of seven members of Balbriggan and District in action, who was first W40. Clonliffe Harriers, Rathfarnham WSAF, Donore Harriers, Tallaght AC, Civil Service Harriers, Crusaders, Liffey Valley. Lucan Harriers, and Brothers Pearse were also represented. ESB was the winning team in Grade 1, ahead of the Gardai and the Teachers. Revenue won Grade 2, with Eir second and Bank of Ireland third. Best of the women’s teams was Stronger with Esther, with Legal A second and Health A third. Pictures from the BHAA Cross Country are at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/albums/72177720323861852/. 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. Details www.bhaa.ie DUBLIN SCHOOLS SCORE AT LEINSTER CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS Charlie O’Neill of Belvedere College and Donore Harriers was an impressive winner of the boys’ inter race at the Leinster Schools Cross-Country Championships held at the 15 Acres, Phoenix Park, on Wednesday (February 12). O’Neill was also leading Belvedere to team victory. A team from the Institute of Education, Leeson Street, dominated the girls’ senior race, with Emily Bolton a clear winner of the race, ahead of her team- mate Lorraine O’Connor second. With Sinead Farrell 14th and Laura Nunan 15th the Institute took the team title. Other good runs included a fighting second for Cillian Gleeson (Colaiste Chiarain) in the boy’s senior race, where Ard Scoil Rís finished third team led by Lorcan Benjacar in fourth place. In the girls’ inter race, Megan Brunt of Loreto Dalkey finished second. In the younger age group, Samuel Redmond of Templeogue College finished third and Conn McCluskey of St Benildus fourth in the boys’ junior race where Castleknock College was second of the teams. Beth Reamsbottom in second place was leading Santa Sabina to team victory in the girls’ junior race, while in the minor boys’ race, Danny Davis of St Fintan’s Sutton was the winner and Belvedere best of the teams ahead of Willow Park. Mount Anville finished second team in the minor girls’ race. Pictures from the Schools Cross Country are at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/albums/72177720323797971/

INDOORS - AWAY Dublin track performance of the week came from Sarah Healy of UCD AC who not only finished a fighting third in the women’s 3000m at the Millrose Games in New York on Saturday (February 8), but also knocked five seconds off the Irish indoor record she had set a week earlier when finishing in a superb time of 8 mins 30.79 secs. In Germany a day earlier, Cathal Doyle of Clonliffe Harriers) improved his best to 3 mins 37.58 secs when finishing fourth in the 1500m at the INIT Meeting in Karlsruhe, while in Ostrava, Czechia, on Tuesday evening (February 4), Jodie McCann of DCH finished ninth in the women’s 3000m in a personal best 8:55.71. All three are expected to compete in the National Indoor Championships in Abbotstown on February 22 - 23, when places on the Irish team for the European Indoors and World Indoors are at stake. INDOORS - HOME Clonliffe Harriers were declared winners of the men’s National Indoor League title after the second of two rounds took place in Athlone on Saturday (February 8) on the date originally fixed for the final. No final was possible this year after the second round was cancelled because of Storm Eowyn. For Clonliffe, who had to battle hard for the title with Dundrum South Dublin, consistency over the two rounds paid off. On Saturday, Niall Allen won the weight, Sean Cronin was second in the 3000m, Rolus Olusa was third in both the pole vault and hurdles, Craig Duffy third in the 200m, Sean Carrigg fifth in the 800m, Eamon Fahey sixth in the triple jump while the the relay team finished fourth. That proved enough. Of the other Dublin clubs in the men’s competition, Raheny Shamrock finished sixth and Donore Harriers 12th. An impressive double winner of the 800m and 3000m was Juan Ignacio Pena for Raheny. DSD also finished second in the women’s competition where Ratoath AC were the winners. Clonliffe Harriers finished fifth, with Raheny Shamrock 10th and Donore Harriers 12th. Highlight of the competition was a thrilling women’s triple jump where Daphni Doulapssi Teeuwen (Raheny Shamrock) was the winner with her 12.22 effort putting her just two centimetres clear of many times Irish champion Saragh Buggy (St Abban’s AC). Colm Burke made it a Raheny triple jump double with a winning leap of 13.77m. A number of open races were part of the programme and in the men’s open 60m, Marcus Lawler (Clonliffe Harriers) clocked a time of 6.80 secs for second place, while Sean Aigboboh (Tallaght AC), still aged only nineteen, was third in 6.88. Aigboboh ran a faster time of 6.86 secs in a second race, when he also finishing second. Lawler proved the class of the field in the 200m, winning in an personal best 20.80 secs, which puts him top of the national indoor rankings. Junior athlete Donal Martin (Blackrock AC) was second in 21.79. Kate Nurse (UCD AC) won the women’s open 800m in 2:16.57 and her clubmate Molly Hourihan the open 400m in 56.39 CROSS-COUNTRY At the at the All Ireland Masters Cross-Country Championships in Westport, Co Mayo on Sunday (February 9), Dublin champion Colm Rooney was not only a clear winner of the men’s 7km race but also led Clonliffe Harriers to team victory. Making up the team were Sergiu Ciobanu 7th, Cathal McHale 14th and Karl Nolan 16th. On a good day for Dublin clubs, Rathfarnham WSAF finished second with a team made up of Mark Ryan 5th and first M45, Mathew Kane 8th, Louis McCarthy 15th and David Power 21st. In the over 65 4km race, Liam Lenehan of Sportsworld AC was the overall winner, with Tom Cuddy of Rathfarnham WSAF second. Rathfarnham WSAF proved best of the teams with Cuddy backed up by Donal Murphy 12th and John McHugh 13th. Dublin won the county title. In the women’s 4km race, Raheny Shamrock won team title and helped Dublin to county team victory. Leading Raheny home in third place was Kate Purcell, followed closely by Dublin champion Fiona Roche in fourth place. Annette Kealy, who was also first W55 was 16th and Zoe Quinn 36th. Sportsworld, led by Noreen Brouder in 12th place beat Galway City Harriers by just two points for second place. Making up the team were Aoife O’Leary 22nd Lorna Quinn 23rd and Crona Clohisey 46th. Dublin won the county team title with Purcell, Roche, Brouder and Caoimhe Kilroy of Metro St Brigid’s AC the counting four. In the over 50 team category, RathfarnhamWSAF finished fourth with Dublin runners-up behind Clare in the county category. In all, that Dublin won three of the four county team titles on offer. Also taking place were national intermediate races, and in the women’s 5km race Clonliffe Harriers had four finishers in the top nine. Helena Butterly was the winner, Niamh Kelly second, Jools Hughes fifth and Julie Larkin ninth, making Clonliffe clear winners of the team title and also ensuring county victory for Dublin. Liffey Valley packed well to finish second team with Siobhan Nugent 8th, Ciara Broderick Farrell 10th, Cliodhna Tutty Bardon 11th and Mollie O’Donnell 14th. In a Dublin clean sweep, Sportsworld finished third, led by Elaine Kennedy in seventh place. Just four teams competed. In the the men’s 8km race, Ben Guiden of Clonliffe Harriers in sixth place was best of the Dublin athletes with his clubmate Sean Doran 9th, Christopher McLoughlin of Dublin City Harriers 13th and Cian Charlton of Raheny Shamrock 16th. Clonliffe finished runners-up in the team category, with Liffey Valley fourth and Raheny Shamrock fifth of the six teams entered. MEET AND TRAIN Lisa Gaughran of Dundrum South Dublin AC made it a second win in the series at the third round of the Women’s Meet and Train Winter League hosted by Dublin Front Runners on a new course at the Marino Institute of Education in Dublin on Sunday (February 9). Gaughran finished the 3km course in 12 mins 45 secs with her clubmate Ruth Wilson just two seconds adrift for second place. Third in 13:13 was Sophie McGovern of Brothers Pearse. For fourth place, Dee Lyons of host club DFR held off DSD’s Jane Leonard for fourth place with the pair both given a time of 13:25. New to the event — and to cross-country! — was a team from Sanctuary Runners. The final round of the league take place at the National Cross-Country Course in Abbotstown on Sunday March 2 (11am). More pictures are at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/. ULTRA Donore Harriers had a good day out at the Donadea 50km in Co Kildare, with Wayne Waldron the race winner in 3 hrs 1 min 50 secs and Ian Fitzgerald third in 3:08.21. Anthony Brady (Coolock RC) finished eighth in 3:22.08, Derek O’Brien (Lusk AC) 19th in 3:39.17 , Trevor Lehane (Clondalkin Flyers) 20th in 3:42.18 andDerek Boland (Crusaders AC) 21st in 3:44.27. First W50 in 4:27.44 was Olwyn Dunne (Crusaders) while first W60 was Grainne Grennan (Blackrock AC) in 4:31.05. The race incorporated the National Championships. ROADS At the Rathcoffey GAA 10km in Co Kildare on Saturday (February 8) Declan Power (Clonliffe Harriers) was first M50 in 34:16 and Mick Carolan (Brothers Pearse AC) first M70 in 47:44. Winning the associated 5km was Daragh Keegan (Donore Harriers) in 16:28.

ROADS Two major 10-mile roads races dominated the weekend road running schedule, with Dublin club runners featuring in both. At the John Treacy Dungarvan 10-Mile where Fearghal Curtin of Youghal AC won in a course record time of 47 mins 42 secs, Sergiu Ciobanu (Clonliffe Harriers) was first M40 in 51:58. Closer to Dublin at the Trim 10-Mile, Ciara Hickey of Brothers Pearse AC was first woman and first W40 in 56:09. Diarmuid Doyle (Clonliffe Harriers) was first M65 in 75:03. The race was well supported by Dublin clubs - among the eighty women’s teams entered were six teams from Lucan Harriers, four each from Raheny Shamrock and Brothers Pearse, three from , Clonliffe Harries and two from both Esker RC and D15 RC two, with most other Dublin clubs also represented. Finishing third of the teams was Donore Harriers, led by Grace Kennedy. Of the 103 men’s teams entered, Civil Service Harriers proved best of the Dublin clubs finishing ninth. Clonliffe Harriers had four teams entered, Lucan Harriers and Raheny Shamrock three, and Brothers Pearse, Metro St Brigid’s, LSA, Donore Harriers and Esker RC two each. In Tullow Co Carlow and over the shorter distance of 5km, Kevin Donaher (Rathfarnham WSAF AC, M40) was the winner of the Mark Mahon 5km in time of 17 mins 19 secs. INDOORS Sarah Healy (UCD AC) set a new Irish indoors record of 8:35.19 in the women’s300m at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, Boston, USA on Sunday night (Februrary 2). Healy finished fourth in a quality race. Cathal Doyle of Clonliffe Harriers opened his indoor season on Friday night (January 31) by finishing sixth in the 1500m with a time of 3 mins 39.01 secs at the Meeting Miramas Metropole, France. The times shaved shaving .09 of his previous best of 3:39.10. At the IFAM Gent Indoor, Belgium on Saturday (February 1) , Cillian Kirwan (Raheny Shamrock) ran a time of 1:49.51 for fifth place in the second of four heats. CROSS-COUNTRY Clonliffe Harriers finished a fighting fifth team in the women’s U20 race at the European Clubs Cross-Country Championships in, Albufeira, Portugal on Sunday (February 2). Emily Bolton led the team home finished fifth in a time of 20:14 for the 5.53km distance. Lorraine O’Connor was eighth in 20:41, Hazel Kenny 31st in 23:07 and Goda Buivydyte 40th in 25:23. Clonliffe had also qualifed for the men’s U20 race where they finished seventh. First home was Tom Breslin 27th in 18:37, followed by Sean Cronin 29th in 18:38 Lorcan Benjacar 33rd in 18:48 and Marti Ursachi 60th in 20.00. Two Dublin clubs had qualified for the 4 x 1500m mixed relay where the Dublin City Harriers’ quartet of Pierre Murchan, Niamh Carr, Philip Marron and Edel Monaghan finished fifth in 18:47 and Dundrum South Dublin’s team of Joe Hastings, Emma McEvoy, Jamie Byrne and Eimear Maher seventh in 19:08 SCHOOLS In the North Leinsters, postponed until last Wednesday (January 29) and held in the the Phoenix Park, Conrad Lathan of St Paul’s Raheny took a clear victory in the boys’ inter race with St Paul’s also proving best of the teams. Tara Rose Smith of Sutton Park and Mid-Sutton AC made it a Dublin individual double by winning the girls’ inter race, with St Dominic’s Cabra finishing second team.

ROADS - INTERNATIONAL Hiko Tonosa of Dundrum South Dublin AC equalled Efrem Gidey's Irish half marathon record when he ran a time of 60 mins 51 secs on a damp morning in Seville on Sunday (January 26). The time knocked off 32 seconds Tonosa’s previous best of 62:23 run in Larne in August 2023. Next major challenge for the Tonosa is the Rotterdam Marathon on Sunday April 12, which means he will not be available for the European Road Running Championships in Brussels, Belgium which take place on the same weekend and includes a 10km and marathon as well as the half marathon. ROADS - LOCAL Clonliffe’s Efrem Gidey defied the wet blustery conditions and a last-minute change of course to win the AXA 41st Raheny 5-Mile on Sunday (January 26) in 22 mins 47 secs — the fourth fastest time ever. It means that Gidey joins the select group who have broken 23 minutes in this race since it was first held in 1985. Two years later in 1987, the course record time of 22:39 was set by Gerry Curtis (Donore Harriers) — thirty-eight years ago. In 1995 Cormac Finnerty (Mullingar Harriers) equalled that time. Fast forward then to 2020 when Hiko Tonosa came within a second of the record when winning the race in 22:40. On Sunday, Gidey proved the class of the field sprinting home over a minute clear of the chasers led by mountain running specialist Killian Mooney of Dundrum South Dublin AC who finished in 23:51. Third and first M40 in 24:05 was Colm Rooney (Clonliffe Harriers), the recently-crowned Dublin Masters cross-country champion. As usual, the race was well supported by Northern Ireland clubs and first woman was Hannah Gilliland of Annadale Striders in 26:34. Fourth and first Dublin athlete was Sorcha McAllister (Dublin City Harriers) in 27:23. Ciara Hickey (Brothers Pearse) was fifth and first W40 in 27:32 and Dublin senior cross-country champion Emma McEvoy (DSD AC) sixth in 27:37. Other category winners from Dublin clubs included Lisa Kelleher (The Liberties RC) W45, Sheelagh Jones (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) W65, June Comiskey (Raheny Shamrock) W75, Cillian O’Leary (Raheny Shamrock) M45, Ciaran McCarthy (Raheny Shamrock) M50, Tom Cuddy (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) M65, Eric Delahan (Balbriggan Roadrunners) M70 and Eddie Coyle (Tallaght AC) M80. In the team competition, Clonliffe Harriers with three in the top ten were clear winners of the men’s senior title on just 14 points. Host club Raheny Shamrock with 22 points was second and Dublin City Harries third on 88 points. Best of the women’s teams with 24 points was Dublin City Harriers, followed by Raheny Shamrock on 32 points and Dundrum South Dublin with 59 points. SCHOOLS A magnificent total of over 1,600 youngsters, mostly from Dublin schools were in action at the Leinster East and West cross-country championships held on Wednesday and Thursday before Storm Eowyn hit forcing the postponement of the North zone decider from last Friday until next Wednesday (January 29). At the East Leinsters, held on Wednesday at the traditional 15 Acres course in the Phoenix Park, Lorraine O’Connor and Emily Bolton ensured team victory for the Institute of Education in the senior girls’ race, with the pair crossing the line almost together. Bolton, now a member of Clonliffe Harriers, won both the Leinster and All Ireland inter titles last year. O’Connor is a member of Donore Harriers. In the senior boys’ race. Charlie White from Blackrock College and Donore Harriers finished second behind Noah Harris from ETSS Wicklow, while in third place, Ruairi O’Donoghue was leading Ard Scoil Ris to team victory. At inter level, Aoife Murphy of Loreto Foxrock had a comfortable win in the girls’ race, where Alexandra College were the team winners. Lucas Ryan from CBC Monkstown came home first of the boys. St Michael’s took the team title. In the junior age group, Aoife Murphy (Loreto Foxrock) was first home in the girls’ race while Conn McCluskey (St Benildus and DSD AC) was runner-up of the boys. Team winners were the Alexandra College girls and the Colaiste Eoin boys. A day later, the Phoenix Park was again the venue for the West Leinsters and, in bitterly cold and blustery conditions, Irish junior international Cillian Gleeson of Coláiste Chiaráin was a confident winner of the senior boy’s race. Ryan O’Neill from Terenure College and Rathfarnham WSAF AC was second and last year’s inter champion Liam Mac Muiris of Coláiste Chilliain Clondalkin third. Castleknock Community College packed well to take the team prize ahead of Belvedere College and Terenure College. Charlie O’Neill, last year’s All Ireland and Leinster junior champion, won the inter boys’ race and led Belvedere to team victory with three finishers in the top nine for the city centre school. O’Neill is a member of Donore Harriers. Students from Lucan Community Community College took three of the top four places in the girl’s senior race, led by Saoirse Fitzgerald the race winner, followed by Isabel Cuffe third and Maggie Jez fourth, which ensured team victory for their school. All three are members of Lucan Harriers. Finishing a fighting second was Cara Mohan of Castleknock Community College and Metro St Brigid’s AC. Alannah Ní Chatháin from Luttrellstown Community College led home the finishers in the girls’ inter race, where St Joseph’s Lucan were the team winners. At junior level, Ruby Farrelly of Our Lady’s Templeogue won the girls’ race, while Mount Sackville was best of the Dublin teams finishing in second place. Taking the boys’ title was Samuel Redmond of Templeogue College with Castleknock College clear winners of the team title. Pictures from the West Leinsters Schools CC are at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/albums/72177720323354671/ All will be in action at the Leinster Championship which take place on Wednesday February 12, again in the Phoenix Park. 

EIGHT LEINSTER CROSS COUNTY TITLES FOR DUBLIN Newly-crowned Dublin masters champion Fiona Roche (Raheny Shamrock, W40) added another title to her collection when winning the women’s race at the Leinster Master Cross-Country Championships, held in Kilcormac, Co Offaly on Saturday (January 18). Roche won the race in a time of 14 mins 24 sec. Behind her, Noreen Brouder (Sportsworld, W45) finished third in 14:39 and ultra-running specialist Sorcha Loughnane (Donore Harriers W45) fourth in 14:43. With Aoife O’Leary (Sportsworld, W40) fifth, and Lorna Quinn tenth, Sportsworld were clear W35 team winners ahead of Donore Harriers. Best of the W50 teams was Raheny Shamrock’s trio of Tara Kennedy 13th, Mary Walsh 16th and Trish Fitzgerald 29th. Rathfarnham WSAF finished third, with Donna Mahon 19th, Sheelagh Jones 27th and Vanessa Sallier 37th making up the team. Sportsworld’s W50 team finished seventh. Winning the men’s race in 22 mins 50 secs was Pierce Geoghegan (Liffey Valley AC, M40). Raheny Shamrock AC finished second of the teams, led by David Kirwin in sixth place. Liffey Valley AC was fourth, Sportsworld fifth and Donore Harriers sixth. Rahney also finished second of the M50 teams, with Metro St Brigid’s third. In the M65 race, Liam Lenehan (Sportsworld AC) was the winner. Also taking place were Leinster Intermediate championships, and in the women’s race, Aoife Carroll (Sportsworld AC) finished second and her clubmate Elaine Kennedy fourth. With four in the top twelve, Sportsworld won the team title from Mullingar Harriers, with Liffey Valley third, Dublin City Harriers fourth and Civil Service Harriers fifth. Mark Naylor (Liffey Valley AC) finished second in the men’s race followed by Kevin O’Boyle (Donore Harriers) in fourth place. Liffey Valley finished second team. At county level, Dublin took all eight team titles on offer—in the over 35, 50 and 60/65 men and women’s masters races and in the two inter races. Some excellent pictures are on the Athletics Leinster Facebook site at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1155709896561806&type=3 with some Dublin runners reposted here. BHAA ‘regulars’ Laura McDonnell and Sean Doran, both of them Dublin club athletes, were the winners at the Garda St Raphael’s BHAA Cross-Country, held on the ‘Munich hills’ course at the Phoenix Park on Sunday (January 19). First off were the women, with McDonnell pushing the pace from the start of teh two-mile race despite strong opposition from Caroline Crowley and Julie McGrath and they finished in that order. Fourth and first master was Karla Doran. Revenue took the team prize with Teachers second. In the men’s four-mile race, Doran proved the class of the field winning by over fifty seconds from Thomas Sherlock with Marc Fitzachery third and first M45. Fourth and first M40 was Niall Sherlock, older bother of Thomas. ESB was first team in division 1 and Eir the winners in division 2. Pics from the BHAA races are at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/albums/72177720323290284/ INDOORS At the National Indoor League round in Abbotstown, Bori Akinola (UCD AC) produced the performance of the day in the men’s 60m, which he won in a personal best time of 6.65 secs. Akinola was running in one of a series of special ‘guest’ races. In the races that counted for league points, Lorcan Murphy (DSD AC) clocked 6.83 and Marcus Lawler (Clonliffe Harriers) 6.87. Second in the guest men’s 1500m was Benjamin Caulier (Lucan Harriers) in 3:57.42. In the league competition, Clonliffe Harriers topped the table with 115 points. Dundrum South Dublin AC was second with 107 points and Ratoath AC third on 92 points. Donore Harriers finished seventh and Raheny Shamrock tenth. Winners for Clonliffe were Marcus Lawler 400m and Eoin Sheridan shot put. Picking up top points in both the 60m and long jump for DSD AC was Lorcan Murphy. Ratoath topped the women’s table with 128 points, with defending champions Dundrum South Dublin a close second on 122.5. Clonliffe Harriers were fifth, Donore Harriers 11th and Raheny Shamrock 12th. Emily Bolton picked up maximum points for Clonliffe when winning the 1500m from Iseult O’Donnell of Raheny Shamrock. After the cancellation of the opening round, overall scores for the indoor league will be based on the combined scores from Sunday’s round and a second round on February 8 in Athlone, which was the original date for the final. That will not now take place. THREE FIFTHS IN SHEFFIELD At the BMC Sheffield Grand Prix, also on Sunday, Jonas Stafford (UCD AC) finished fifth in the men’s 1500m A race with a time of 3:48.73. Amy O’Donoghue (Dundrum South Dublin) was also fifth in her women’s A graded 1500m, clocking a time of 4:19.19. In the women’s A grade 3000m, Niamh Kearney (Raheny Shamrock) made it a another fifth place for the Irish when finishing in a time of 9:17.40. In the NIA, Abbotstown, at Track & Field Live No 4, on Wednesday (January 15), Edel Monaghan (Dublin City Harriers) won the women’s mile in 4:46.37, while Emma Moore (DCU) came home first in the women’s 800m with a personal best time of 2:05.94. STATESIDE In Seattle, at the Dempsey Indoor meet on an ‘oversized’ track on Saturday (January 18), Ronan McMahon-Staggs (Dublin City Harriers) ran a lifetime best of 3:51.85 for third place in the men’s mile. On the same day, Finn Boyle (Crusaders AC) was in Ithaca, New York where he ran a PB 2:27.38 for 1,000m. A week earlier, on Sunday January 12, Cormac Dixon (Tallaght AC) equalled the Irish U20 indoor record of 2:27.38 when he finished third in a 1,000m race in Brighton, Massachusetts, while in Akron Ohio, Irish shot put champion Eric Favors (Raheny Shamrock AC) opened his 2025 indoor season with a 19.30 heave. SCHOOLS At the DCU Schools Invitational Cross-Country in St Claire’s Glasnevin, Dublin, on Wednesday (January 15), Goda Buivytyte (St Dominic’s Cabra) was a convincing winner of the senior girls race with Sarah Doherty second. In the senior boys’ 4,000m race, Matei Ursachi (St Paul’s) made what looked like the winning move with about 1,000m to go but was beaten in the dip for the line and finished second to an athlete from Kilkenny. Third was Lorcan Benjacar (Ard Scoil Ris),with Tom Breslin (St Aidan’s CBS) fourth. 

The Dublin Athletics coach collaboration workshops started this week; thanks to all those who attended.  We had a great session with Teresa McDaid from Letterkenny AC where she talked about developing middle distance teenagers and her experiences with Darren McBrearty, Mark English and Ruairi Finnegan.

Although the weather was less than agreeable, the new course facing the Howth road at St Anne’s Park, got deserved praise at a well attended Dublin Masters Cross-Country Championships held on Sunday (January 5). Closest race of the day was the women’s over 35-49 race, where Raheny Shamrock pair Fiona Roche and Kate Purcell, both in the W40 age group, battled it out with defending champion Maria McCambridge of Dundrum South Dublin from the start. In the end Roche pulled away for victory in 11 mins 19 secs, with Purcell, the title winner in 2023, second in 11:21 and McCambridge third and first W45 in 11.29. Fourth and second W45 was Noreen Brouder of Sportsworld AC) in 11:53. A close Fifth and first W35 was former Irish international athlete Caroline Crowley of Crusaders AC who was also given a time of 11:53. Leading home the thirteen teams that finished was Sportsworld on 46 points with Crusaders just a single point adrift for second place. Metro St Brigid’s, led by Kate O’Neill in sixth place, finished third with 54 points. A clear winner of the M35-59 race was Colm Rooney of Clonliffe Harriers who completed the 6km course in 19 mins 6 secs and was also first M40. Mark Ryan of Rathfarnham WSAF was second and first M45 in 19:58 and Pierce Geoghegan of Liffey Valley third in 20:21. First M35 was Cathal McHale of Clonliffe Harriers who finished tenth overall. Rathfarnham WSAF, with four in the top eight, were clear winners of the team title with 20 points. Clonliffe Harriers was second with 32 points and Raheny Shamrock third with 68 points. A total of thirteen teams completed the race. Retaining her W50 title in some style was Annette Kealy of Raheny Shamrock, who pushed the pace from the start and was also first W55 in 12 mins 5 secs. Her Raheny clubmate Tara Kennedy finished second and first W50 in 12:46, while third and second W50 was Donna Mahon of Rathfarnham WSAF. Finishing 15th and first W65 was Sheelagh Jones of Rathfarnham WSAF in 14:02. First W60 and 17th overall was defending champion Fiona Byrne of Civil Service Harriers in 14:03. First W70 was Mary Lynch of Raheny Shamrock, another defending champion. Raheny Shamrock proved best of the ten teams entered with nine points, with Rathfarnham WSAF second on 28 points and Clonliffe Harriers third on 56 points. In the men’s M50-65 race, Lea Fulcher of Plant-Based AC took an early lead and held on for victory in 20 mins 52 secs. Kevin O’Connor of Clonliffe Harriers did his best to reel in Fulcher and finished second in 21:11. Third in 21:35 was Ciaran McCarthy of Raheny Shamrock. Finishing ninth and first M55 was Kenny McAndrew of Metro St Brigid’s in 22:39 while first M60 was David Woods of Raheny Shamrock in 24:19, with Philip O’Doherty of Clonliffe Harriers just one second behind for second place. Raheny won the team title with 45 points. Donore Harriers, led by Des Tremble in sixth place, was second with 60 points and Metro St Brigid’s third with 68 points. Ten teams had entered. Best in the M65-80 age group was Liam Lenehan of Sportsworld who finished in 11:54 for the 3000m distance. Tom Cuddy of Rathfarnham WSAF was second in 12:01 and Sean Doyle, also Rathfarnham WSAF, third in 13:12. Vincent O’Neill of Civil Service Harries was first M70, Pat Collins of Liffey Valley first M75 and Trevor Lloyd of Sportsworld first M80. Opening the day’s racing were the Dublin intermediate championships, with the women’s 3000m race dominated by Clonliffe Harriers and Crusaders athletes. Helena Butterly was the race winner in 11:10 followed by her Clonliffe team mate Niamh Kelly in 11:23, with Saoirse McGrath third in 11:38 and her Crusaders clubmate Orla Walsh just a second behind for fourth place. Just a single point separated the two clubs in the team competition with Clonliffe the winners with 20 points and Crusaders second with 21 points. Third with 68 points was Sportsworld. Kevin O’Rourke led a Donore Harriers ‘posse’ in the men’s 6000m race winning in 20:37, with his clubmates David McCann, Oliver Hopkins and Simon O’Toole finishing third, fourth and fifth. Second was Christopher McLoughlin of Dublin City Harriers. Donore took the team medals with just 13 points. Clonliffe as second with 42 points and Raheny Shamrock third with 61 points. For a fourth year, Raheny Shamrock ended up winning the Pat Hooper Trophy for the best overall club in the master’s competition, with four second places from the five counting races, giving the club a total of 40 points. Just three points adrift with 37 points was Clonliffe Harriers with Rathfarnham WSAF a close third with 35 points. Clonliffe and Sportsworld picked up points in all five races as did Sportsworld, fourth overall with 29 points. A total of eighteen clubs counted, with almost 500 athletes aged from 35 to 80 lining out despite the cold, and increasingly wet conditions.  Lindie Naughton’s has several great pictures from the Dublin Championships are at https:// www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/albums/72177720322980470 . Next up for masters and intermediate distance runners is the All-Ireland Cross-Country Championships to be held in Westport, Co Mayo on Sunday February 9. Dublin teams will compete.

GIDEY BREAKS 39-YEAR OLD IRISH RECORD Efrem Gidey (Clonliffe Harriers) set a new Irish record for 10km when he ran a time of 27 mins 43 secs in Valencia, Spain on Sunday (January 12). His time knocked three seconds off the 27:46. run by John Treacy in 1985 — almost forty years ago. Gidey already holds the Irish half marathon record after running 60:51 in Denmark last September. Gidey, representing Hoka, finished 20th in a race won by Andreas Almsgren of Sweden in 26 mins 53 secs becoming the first European athlete ever to break 27 minutes for the distance. Gidey’s focus is now on the 10,000m on the track with Alistair Cragg’s Irish record of 27:39.55 his immediate target In the USA, Irish long jump champion Elizabeth Ndudi (DSD) equaled her own indoor personal best of 6.42m when competing for Illinois at the Fighting Illini Open in Champaign on Saturday (January 11). Ndudi finished fifth in the competition. INDOORS At the AI Indoor Games and Combined Events Championships held at the NIA, Abbotstown, Dublin over the weekend (January 11-12, Dundrum South Dublin AC won the inaugural mixed 4x400m indoor senior championship with a winning time of 3 mins 50.11 secs. Making up the team were Godwin Matias, Charlotte Bourke, Benjamin Hauer and Rachel Lynch. Finishing a close second in 3:50.43 was a second DSD quartet made up of Ciaran Carthy. Aobh Fords, Anton Roquette and Aisling Cunningham. Winning the men’s 1500m, was Lorcan Benjacar (Clonliffe Harriers) in a personal best 4:01.66. Fintan Kerins (Clonliffe Harriers) finished third in 4:03.00. Over 3000m, recently crowned Dublin masters cross-country champion Colin Rooney (Clonliffe Harriers) was the winner of the men’s race in a personal best 8:47.93. Amy O’Donoghue (DSD AC) won the women’s race in 9:46.10. In the sprints, Marcus Lawler (Clonliffe Harriers) won his 200m heat in 21:22, with Benjamin Hauer (DSD AC) second in 22:99 and Masahiro Watanabe (Crusaders) third in 24.14. In other heats, both Emmanuel Akinrolie (Titans AC) and Luke Timlin (Crusaders) were given times of 22.33. Over two rounds of 60m races, Bori Akinola (UCD AC) proved fastest with a time of 6.72 secs. Marcus Lawler clocked 6.82 in the second race. In a blanket finish to the men’s 60m hurdles, Valentinos Goularas (Crusaders) finished a close second with a time of 8.02 secs.Kate O’Connell (Lucan Harriers) proved fastest of the local runners in the women’s 200m clocking a personal best 24.40 secs in the second of seven heats. Molly Hourihan (UCD AC) won the opening heat in 24.77. Fastest overall was English visitor Jasmine Wilkins who won the third heat in 24.33. In the field, Colm Bourke (Raheny Shamrock AC) won the long jump with a 7.27 leap, while Daphni Doulapssi Teeuwen (also Raheny Shamrock) won the women’s triple jump with a final round careeer best of 12.28m. Molly Mullally (DSD) was second with 11.44. In a competitive senior men’s heptathlon, Lorcan Murphy (DSD) finished second with 4692 points, picking up his best points in the 60m, long jump, high jump and 1000m. Just 28 points ahead of him was winner Jack Forde (St Killian’s AC) with 4720 points. In the M50 competition, Kevin Byrne (DSD) finished third with 2250 points. Peader McGing (also DSD) finished second M60 with 2057 points. Of the women, Vanessa Sallier (Rathfarnham WSAF) finished second W50, with her best points coming in the 800m. At the British Milers Club indoor meet at Cardiff University in Wales on Sunday (January 12), Lorraine O’Connor (Clonliffe Harriers) won the 1500m B race in a personal best 4:22.71 which is a Clonliffe senior indoor record. In the 1500m A race Emily Bolton, also Clonliffe, finished third in 4:27.96, also a personal best. Both women are still competing at under 20 level. CROSS-COUNTY Over 170 finished the second round of the Women's Meet and Train Cross-Country League held on a 3km course beside the Dundrum South Dublin track at Tibradden Road (cleared of its usual woolly-backed inhabitants— and of residual snow!). In a battle to the line between members of host club DSD and Sportsworld, DSD took the top three places. Leading them home was Lisa Gaughan, who had finished second at the opening round of the league last November in Tymon Park. Clubs who had entered teams included Donore Harriers, Crusaders, Brothers Pearse, Esker, Tallaght, Dublin Front Runners, Raheny Shamrock, Blackrock and Waterstown Warriors, as well as individuals from LSA and Civil Service Harriers. Next round, hosted by Dublin Front Runners at a Marino venue, is on Sunday February 9. Info Fiona Shine fionashine@gmail.com The pics from the M&T are at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/albums/72177720323144584 Not far away in Tymon Park, also on Sunday morning Stephen Kelly (Express Side Gates) was the winner of BHAA Bank of Ireland 6km cross-country in a time of 21 mins 34 secs. Paul Fleming (Ornua/Rathfarnham WSAF)) was second in 21:50 and Hugh McDowell third in 22.33. In the team competition, ESB, led by Fionn Griffin in fifth place, won Grade 1 ahead of Gardai and Revenue. ESB also won grade 2, with Eir best in Grade 3. First woman was Clare Sullivan (CSO/Crusaders) in 24:55. Niamh Brophy was second in 25:02 and Maura Kearns (Teachers) third in 25:20. Team winners were Stronger with Esther, with Revenue second. Next BHAA race is the Garda St Raphael open 4-Mile and women’s 2-mile in the Phoenix Park on Sunday January 19 (11am). Registration is at Civil Service Harriers Clubhouse, just off the main road; note that there is no parking available at the clubhouse. Info Ian Redican 087 2200666; www.bhaa.ie ROADS Mahad Mohammed Egaal (Clonliffe Harriers led home 265 finishers at the R-ACE 5km, in Drogheda, Co Louth on Sunday (January 12) in a time of 14 mins 34 secs. His clubmate Ben Guiden finished third in 14:50. On a good day for Clonliffe, Helena Butterly was first woman in 16:55.

Dublin Cross Country Championships Although the weather was less than agreeable, the new course facing the Howth road at St Anne’s Park, got deserved praise at a well attended Dublin Masters Cross-Country Championships held on Sunday (January 5). Closest race of the day was the women’s over 35-49 race, where Raheny Shamrock pair Fiona Roche and Kate Purcell, both in the W40 age group, battled it out with defending champion Maria McCambridge of Dundrum South Dublin from the start. In the end Roche pulled away for victory in 11 mins 19 secs, with Purcell, the title winner in 2023, second in 11:21 and McCambridge third and first W45 in 11.29. Fourth and second W45 was Noreen Brouder of Sportsworld AC) in 11:53. A close Fifth and first W35 was former Irish international athlete Caroline Crowley of Crusaders AC who was also given a time of 11:53. Leading home the thirteen teams that finished was Sportsworld on 46 points with Crusaders just a single point adrift for second place. Metro St Brigid’s, led by Kate O’Neill in sixth place, finished third with 54 points. A clear winner of the M35-59 race was Colm Rooney of Clonliffe Harriers who completed the 6km course in 19 mins 6 secs and was also first M40. Mark Ryan of Rathfarnham WSAF was second and first M45 in 19:58 and Pierce Geoghegan of Liffey Valley third in 20:21. First M35 was Cathal McHale of Clonliffe Harriers who finished tenth overall. Rathfarnham WSAF, with four in the top eight, were clear winners of the team title with 20 points. Clonliffe Harriers was second with 32 points and Raheny Shamrock third with 68 points. A total of thirteen teams completed the race. Retaining her W50 title in some style was Annette Kealy of Raheny Shamrock, who pushed the pace from the start and was also first W55 in 12 mins 5 secs. Her Raheny clubmate Tara Kennedy finished second and first W50 in 12:46, while third and second W50 was Donna Mahon of Rathfarnham WSAF. Finishing 15th and first W65 was Sheelagh Jones of Rathfarnham WSAF in 14:02. First W60 and 17th overall was defending champion Fiona Byrne of Civil Service Harriers in 14:03. First W70 was Mary Lynch of Raheny Shamrock, another defending champion. Raheny Shamrock proved best of the ten teams entered with nine points, with Rathfarnham WSAF second on 28 points and Clonliffe Harriers third on 56 points. In the men’s M50-65 race, Lea Fulcher of Plant-Based AC took an early lead and held on for victory in 20 mins 52 secs. Kevin O’Connor of Clonliffe Harriers did his best to reel in Fulcher and finished second in 21:11. Third in 21:35 was Ciaran McCarthy of Raheny Shamrock. Finishing ninth and first M55 was Kenny McAndrew of Metro St Brigid’s in 22:39 while first M60 was David Woods of Raheny Shamrock in 24:19, with Philip O’Doherty of Clonliffe Harriers just one second behind for second place. Raheny won the team title with 45 points. Donore Harriers, led by Des Tremble in sixth place, was second with 60 points and Metro St Brigid’s third with 68 points. Ten teams had entered. Best in the M65-80 age group was Liam Lenehan of Sportsworld who finished in 11:54 for the 3000m distance. Tom Cuddy of Rathfarnham WSAF was second in 12:01 and Sean Doyle, also Rathfarnham WSAF, third in 13:12. Vincent O’Neill of Civil Service Harries was first M70, Pat Collins of Liffey Valley first M75 and Trevor Lloyd of Sportsworld first M80. Opening the day’s racing were the Dublin intermediate championships, with the women’s 3000m race dominated by Clonliffe Harriers and Crusaders athletes. Helena Butterly was the race winner in 11:10 followed by her Clonliffe team mate Niamh Kelly in 11:23, with Saoirse McGrath third in 11:38 and her Crusaders clubmate Orla Walsh just a second behind for fourth place. Just a single point separated the two clubs in the team competition with Clonliffe the winners with 20 points and Crusaders second with 21 points. Third with 68 points was Sportsworld. Kevin O’Rourke led a Donore Harriers ‘posse’ in the men’s 6000m race winning in 20:37, with his clubmates David McCann, Oliver Hopkins and Simon O’Toole finishing third, fourth and fifth. Second was Christopher McLoughlin of Dublin City Harriers. Donore took the team medals with just 13 points. Clonliffe as second with 42 points and Raheny Shamrock third with 61 points. For a fourth year, Raheny Shamrock ended up winning the Pat Hooper Trophy for the best overall club in the master’s competition, with four second places from the five counting races, giving the club a total of 40 points. Just three points adrift with 37 points was Clonliffe Harriers with Rathfarnham WSAF a close third with 35 points. Clonliffe and Sportsworld picked up points in all five races as did Sportsworld, fourth overall with 29 points. A total of eighteen clubs counted, with almost 500 athletes aged from 35 to 80 lining out despite the cold, and increasingly wet conditions . Lindie Naughton’s has several great pictures from the Dublin Championships are at https:// www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/albums/72177720322980470 . Next up for masters and intermediate distance runners is the All-Ireland Cross-Country Championships to be held in Westport, Co Mayo on Sunday February 9. Dublin teams will compete. ROADS Tadgh Donnelly (Drogheda and District AC) was a comfortable winner of the annual New Year’s Day Tom Brennan 5km, in Dublin’s Phoenix Park on Wednesday (January 1). Donnelly’s winning time was 14 mins 38 secs, with Jack O’Leary (Mullingar Harriers) just out-sprinting Mahad Mohammed Egaal (Clonliffe Harriers) for second place. The pair were given times of 15:04 and 15:05. Laura Mooney (Tullamore Harriers) was first woman in 16:49. Lucy Barrett (Raheny Shamrock AC) was over a minute behind for second place in 17:56, with Saoirse McGrath (Crusaders AC) third in 18:16. In a closely-fought men’s team competition, Clonliffe Harriers, with three in the top nine, beat Drogheda and District on count-back when both ended up with 19 points. Third was host club Liffey Valley with 30 points, led by Pierce Geoghegan in fifth place. Liffey Valley proved best of the women’s teams, led by Ciara Broderick Farrell in sixth place. Crusaders was second and Raheny Shamrock third. On New Year’s Eve, Kane Collin (Donore Harriers) was the winner of the Grange-Fermoy New Year’s Eve 10km, in Glanworth, Co Cork, with a time of 32:27. Sergiu Ciobanu (Clonliffe Harriers), M40) was second in 32:36.

TRACK (OUTDOORS) What a season it has been for Irish athletics in general and Dublin Athletics in particular! At the European Championships in early June, Rhasidat Adeleke of Tallaght AC finishing second in the 400m with her time of 49:07 seconds breaking her own national record. Sophie Becker of Raheny Shamrock, also in the 400m, clocked 51.54 secs for tenth place. Then came the final of the women’s 4 x 400m, where Adeleke and Becker, along with Phil Healy and Sharlene Mawdsley, took silver in a national record time of 3:22.71. And of course, Ireland struck gold in the mixed 4x400m relay with Adeleke again a crucial member of the team. At the Paris Olympics , Adeleke finished fourth in the individual 400m and, with Becker, helped the women’s 4x400m team to an agonising fourth in the relay. In the men’s 1500m, Clonliffe’s Cathal Doyle thrilled the nation when winning his 1500m repechage, while 20-year-old Nicola Tuthill of UCD AC gave of her best in the women’s hammer, as did Sarah Healy of Blackrock AC, Brian Fay of Raheny Shamrock, siblings Jodie and Luke McCann of DCH/UCD in the middle distances, and Eric Favors of Raheny Shamrock in the shot. Then at the Paralympics, a delighted Orla Comerford of Raheny Shamrock won a bronze medal in the T13 100m with a time of 11.94 seconds, running a heat and the final in the same day. It was a third Paralympic Games and a first medal for Comerford, a member of Raheny Shamrock AC since the age of six awhere she was coached by the late great Brian Corcoran. Locally, Cathal Doyle made it a great night for the host club Clonliffe Harriers when winning the Morton Mile in sensational style at the Morton Games, at Santry in mid-July. American visitor and former winner Sam Prakel had led through 1500m, with Brian Fay of Raheny Shamrock third and Doyle back in tenth place. All changed in the chase for the line, with Doyle charging through the field and just passing Prakel and Fay to win in a personal best time of 3 mins 52.06 secs. On the international circuit, Sarah Healy of UCD AC made a massive improvement to her 1500m time when running in one of the greatest women’s 1500m races of all time at the Paris Diamond League in early July. Up front, Faith Kipyegon of Kenya won the race in 3:49.04, improving on the 3:49.11 world record she had set a year earlier when becoming the first woman to break 3:50 for the distance. Healy’s time of 3:57.26 for seventh place knocked over two seconds off her previous best and puts her second on the all-time list behind Ciara Mageean. Other athletes in top form included Israel Olatunde of Tallaght AC who improved his own Irish 100m record to 10.12 secs when running in London in August. As for Efrem Gidey of Clonliffe Harriers, his time of 27:40.0, also run in London last May, puts his second on the all-time Irish list for 10,000m. Improving his own Irish shot putt record with a heave of 20.93m in April was Eric Favors of Raheny Shamrock. Also in record breaking form in April was 19-year-old Elizabeth Ndudi of Dundrum South Dublin who set an Irish long jump record of 6.68m. Coming ever closer to the Irish hammer record was Nicola Tuthill, who went over 70m for the first time with a throw of 70.32 in May. Going where no Irishwoman has gone before was 23-year-old Lara O’Byrne of Donore Harriers who finished sixth at the inaugural Women’s Decathlon World Championships, held in Geneva, Ohio, USA, in early August. O’Byrne amassed a total of 6570 points over the ten events, picking up her best scores in the 100m hurdles, 100m, 400m and high jump and also recording a personal best in the shot. She rounded off two exhausting days by clocking 5:26.54 in the1500m. As for Adeleke, apart from her adventures in Rome and Paris, she set an Irish record for the 100m when winning the Irish title in June, making her without question the country’s greatest ever sprinter. At national level, luck was with Clonliffe Harriers when the club won a 13th premier division title at the National Track and Field League final held at Tullamore in late July. In 2023, Leevale had ended a seven year winning streak for the north Dublin club, and Clonliffe was determined to take the title back. In the sprints, Marcus Lawler won both 100m and 200m, with his 100m time of 10.28 secs a personal best, a stadium record and the second fastest time by an Irishman this year. In the 200m, his time of 20.71 secs was a season’s best and put him second behind Mark Smyth on the Irish rankings. Finishing second in the standings behind Clonliffe was Dundrum South Dublin. In the women’s competition, Dundrum South Dublin was also going for a thirteenth win but for them, the number proved less lucky, and they lost out to Leevale for the title. ROAD Big road races of the year were the Irish Life Dublin Marathon in late October and the VHI Women’s Mini Marathon 10km in June, the only two races on the calendar which take place in Dublin City itself. At this year’s 42nd annual Women’s Mini Marathon, Dublin-based school-teacher Íde Nic Domhnaill (West Limerick AC) made it look easy when winning ina time of 33 mins 22 secs. Finishing second was Meghan Ryan of organising club Dundrum South Dublin in 34:53. It was a best ever finish for Ryan who, as a member of DSD, has run the mini marathon every year since she turned sixteen — and that’s sixteen times! Other notable performances came from the 2008 women’s mini marathon winner Annette Kealy of Raheny Shamrock, who finished 17th overall and first W55 in 38 mins 46 secs. In October, Hiko Tonosa of Dundrum South Dublin proved the star of the show at the Irish Life Dublin Marathon not only finishing third overall and first Irish athlete, but also breaking the Irish record with his time of 2 hrs 9 mins 42 secs. Tonosa, living in Ireland since 2017, had hoped to make the Paris Olympics qualifying time in April’s London Marathon, but was forced to drop out with an injury. At the Larne Half Marathon in late August, he proved that he had regained much of his fitness when he clocked a time of 62:46, not far off the 62:23 he had run in the same race a year earlier. Finishing third woman and first Dublin club athlete with a time of in a personal best time of 2:36:09 was Grace Lynch, like Tonosa a member of the Dundrum South Dublin club. The road running year had begun with the Tom Brennan New Year’s Day 5km in the Phoenix Park, where Efrem Gidey of Clonliffe Harriers was the winner. Abdel Laadjel of Donore Harriers, home from Providence College in the USA where he’s on an athletics scholarship, finished second. Later that month on the last Sunday of January, the 40th Raheny 5-Mile attracted a capacity entry of 5,000. Winners were Ryan Creech (Leevale AC) in 23 mins 58 secs and Shona Heaslip (An Riocht ) in 26:12. Team winners were the Clonliffe men and the Raheny women. An honoured guest on the day was former Raheny Shamrock AC club president Nick Corish, who celebrated his 100th birthday later in the year. ‘The Shamrocks’ were also celebrating the recent acquisition of a new and permanent home based in a reconditioned church in Raheny village. On St Patrick’s Day, March 17, all roads led to Dublin West, where Mitchell Byrne and Carla Sweeney made it a Rathfarnham WSAF AC double at the Tallaght 5km. A month later, Dublin clubs dominated the Great Ireland Run 10km, held in Dublin’s Phoenix Park on Sunday April 14. Crusaders AC, led by fifth placed Andrea Rodina, was first of the men’s teams, ahead of Donore Harriers and Raheny Shamrock AC. Best of the women’s teams was AECOM, a corporate team, followed by Portmarnock AC and Dublin Front Runners. D15 Running Club finished fourth and third of the club teams. In mid-May, sunny conditions greeted the capacity crowd at the annual Terenure 5-Mile where Peter Somba of Meath club Ratoath AC, was the winner in 24 mins 40 secs. First woman in 27 mins 16 secs was Grace Lynch of Dundrum South Dublin, who was having a good year on the roads. In the team competition, the DSD men and Sportsworld women were the winners. At the Phoenix Park in late June, Kieran Kelly of Raheny Shamrock AC led home 1,658 finishers at the Irish Runner 5-Mile Challenge, which doubled up as an Irish championships. Kelly, better known as a track runner, finished in 24 mins 11 secs. Launching the autumn road racing season was the Lucan 5-Mile, where Clonliffe’s Efrem Gidey ran a superb time of 22 mins 57 secs for a clear victory. His time smashed the course record of 24.12. Later in the month, Juan Ignacio Peña of Raheny Shamrock raced away from the chasers to win the Rathfarnham 5km in Dublin in a time of 14 mins 34 secs . Five seconds adrift was Colm Rooney of Clonliffe Harriers who was second and first M40 in 14:39. Coming down to the wire was the women’s race with Cheryl Nolan of St Abban’s AC passing Íde Nic Dhomhnaill almost on the line. Their times were 16:02 and 16:03. Taking both men and women’s team titles was Raheny Shamrock. Large numbers turned out for three races over the three-quarter marathon distance held on the first weekedn of October — about three weeks before the Dubin Marathon. At the Longwood 3/4 marathon race in Co Meath, Barbara Cleary of Donore Harriers finished first woman in 2 hrs 2 mins 50 secs. Cleary, aged fifty-one, would run a personal best 2:46.21 at the Valencia Marathon in Spain on December 1, which is an Irish over 50 women’s record. She had previously run 2:51.32 in the Dublin Marathon of 2011. Elsewhere, Pierre Murchan (Dublin City Harriers) was the winner of the Streets of Portlaoise 5km held on the morning of St Patrick’s Day in a time of 14 mins 24 secs. The race was the opening round of nine in the the 2024 Peugeot Race Series. Murchan would go on to win the individual men’s title, with defending champion Dundrum South Dublin retaining the team title. On of the races in the series was the Dunshaughlin 10km in late June, where Dundrum South Dublin won all three team prizes — men, women and mixed. The women’s team was led by Meghan Ryan in second place and the men’s team by Killian Mooney who was seventh overall. None of the nine races in the series were held in Dublin. DUBS DOMINATE AT ROAD RELAYS Dublin clubs dominated all but one of the five races at the ational Road Relays held on the now traditional one mile lap in Raheny, Dublin, on Sunday April 28. Dundrum South Dublin won the women’s senior race slightly unexpectedly, while Clonliffe Harriers, powered by Efrem Gidey on the three-mile leg, had a more predictable victory in the men’s senior race. It was a third consecutive win and a 17th title overall for the Santry-based club. Sportsworld took the master women’s title, with Raheny Shamrock second, while Raheny proved best in the men’s master race, beating Clonliffe. For the men’s senior race alone, Clonliffe Harriers had entered seven teams and all seven finished, which must be some kind of record. Overall, Clonliffe had twenty teams entered on the day, which is definitely a record! CROSS-COUNTRY As always, the Dublin athletics year started with the Dublin Masters Cross-Country in St Anne’s Park, Raheny, where a record 464 athletes aged from 37 to well over 80 were in action. Maria McCambridge of Dundrum South Dublin and Paul Stephenson from Rathfarnham WSAF were the winners in the over 35-49 race. while Annette Kealy and Ciaran McCarthy made it a Raheny double in the over 50 age group. Raheny took three of the five team titles on offer with Rathfarnham WSAF winning the remaining two. Later in the year, with its traditional home at Santry unavailable, the Dublin Senior Cross-Country took place at Citywest, Saggart in early October. Individual winners of the senior races, both over 6.5km, were Emma McEvoy of Dundrum South Dublin and David Scanlon of Rathfarnham WSAF. Team winners were the DCH women and the Clonliffe men. Winners of the junior races were Emily Bolton of Clonliffe Harriers and Sean Quinn of DSD . Clonliffe won both team titles. Later on, at the All Ireland Cross-Country Championships in Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh, Emma McEvoy would finish first U23 woman.Clonliffe Harriers won the men’s junior team title, with Donore in third place, and finished second of the junior women’s teams. Dublin City Harriers finished third of the senior women’s teams Continuing to offer a full programme of off-road races from November to March was the Business House Athletics Association which closed out the year with a combined 6km race for men and women at McKee Park in Tallaght, with St Mark’s GAA club the race HQ. It was a first race ever in the park and a welcome addition to list of venues. Earlier, in September, John Travers of Donore Harriers had been the runaway winner of the inaugural BHAA SNAP Jerry Kiernan Foundation 6km, held at the National Cross-Country course in Abbotstown. Travers, who was coached by the late Jerry Kiernan, led from the start and and had over a minute to spare when finishing in 18 mins 22 secs. MASTERS In mid-January Shane Healy of Metro St Brigid’s AC proved the star of the show at the Irish Masters Indoor Championships in Athlone when he set a new M55 world record in the 800m. His time of 2:01.46 knocked over three seconds off the old record. A week earlier, Healy had set a 3000m world age record. Winning the All Ireland masters cross-country title in Dundalk a couple of weeks later was Raheny Shamrock’s Kate Purcell, who had finished second behind Maria McCambridge in the Dublin Masters Championships and was the winner in Leinster. In the men’s team competition, Clonliffe Harriers lost out to North Belfast Harriers by a single point. At the European Masters Indoors in Torún Poland, Annette Kealy of Raheny Shamrock won both the W55 3000m and the cross-country in her age group and also helped the W55 team to victory. Donore’s Ann Woodlock not only won the W85 3000m but beat younger athletes on her way to victory in the 1500m. A busy woman was Edel Maguire of Clonliffe Harriers who won both theW65 60m and 400m, finished third in the 200m and helped the W60 mixed 4 x 200m relay team to silver. In late August, Kealy and Maguire were both in action again at the World Masters Outdoor Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden. On the roads, Kealy won the W55 10km in a time of 39 mins 30 secs and later finished second in the half marathon in 1:27.33 also helping the Irish team to gold. On the track, Maguire won the the W65 high jump and finished third in the 200m on the same day. A few days later, she took silver in the 400m. In November, Ireland was the overall winner for only the second time ever at the annual British and Irish Masters International Cross-Country, hosted by the Northern Ireland Masters Association at the Billy Neill Playing Fields in Belfast. Helping the team to victory were a number of Dublin club athletes, among them Kate Purcell who was third W40 and part of the winning W40 team. In the W65 age group, Sheelagh Jones of Rathfarnham WSAF and Grainne Grennan of Blackrock AC helped the W65 team to victory, while in the W55 category, Annette Kealy added yet another individual title to her collection, with the team finishing second. In the men’s M35-45 race, Eoin Flynn of Rathfarnham WSAF was part of the winning M40 team, as was his Rathfarnham club mate Mark Ryan in the M45 age group where he finished second individual. Ireland last won the overall title in 2022 — the first time in the history of the event that England was beaten. DUBLIN AWARDS At the annual Dublin Athletics Graded League awards night held in Sportslink in Santry in late September, Darby Browne (Lusk ) for the pole vault was among the youngest of the winners, while Frances Mansfield (Clonliffe Harriers), now aged eighty, was the oldest when winning an award for her specialist hammer. Some sixty years ago in 1964, when women were finally invited to compete at the Dublin Graded Meets, Frances was among the pioneering group to sign up. Other winners included Maria McCambridge (DSD) and Aisling O’Connor (Rathfarnham WSAF) for women’s middle distance in grades A and B; Peadar McGing (DSD) for men’s high jump, and comeback kid Isabel Mullarney (Rathfarnham WSAF) for women’s shot. SCHOOLS/COLLEGES Cormac Dixon (HFCS Rathcoole) proved the class of the field in the boy’s senior 6km race at the All-Ireland Schools Cross-Country, held on a damp and dank day in Tymon Park, Dublin in early March. Only with the finish line in sight did Dixon, who is a member of Tallaght AC, sprint into the lead finishing in a solid time of 19 minutes exactly. In a great race for Dublin schools, St Aidan’s CBS packed superbly to take the team prize. ULTRA/HILL/TRAIL At the National 50km Championships in Donadea, Co Kildare, Sorcha Loughnane of Donore Harriers set a new national record of 3:18:04 when finishing first woman and first W45. In a Donore double, Ian Fitzpatrick was first of the men and overall winner, finishing in 3:04.44. Also in the spring, Loughnane finished second woman at the annual Maurice Mullins Memorial Ultra, held in the Wicklow Mountains. In wet and windy conditions, Loughnane completed the 51.1km course with 2,500m of climb in 5 hrs 23 mins 11 secs. Race winner was England-based Emma Stuart, originally from Sligo, in 5 hrs 5 mins 11 secs. Over the summer, Loughnane went on to finish fourth overall and first woman with a time of 9 hrs 38 mins 46 secs at the Serpent’s Trail 100km in Hampshire, England. The off-road (and occasionally muddy) course runs from Haslemere to Petersfield in the South Downs National Park. In September, she finished Fourth overall and first Irish woman in the 80km race at the annual Eco Trail Wicklow in Bray with a time of 7 hrs 51 mins 55 secs. Third and first local finisher in the 80km race was Sean Meehan of Cherry Orchard AC in 7 hrs 46 mins 18 secs. In August, Meehan had finished third in the Run the Ridge/20km on the Derrybawn woodland trail with a time of 94:14. Many thanks to Lindie for pulling all these highlights together and for her weekly reports throughout the year.