HALF MARATHON RECORD FOR EFREM
Efrem Gidey (Clonliffe Harriers) produced the Irish athletics performance of the weekend when he set a new Irish half marathon record of 60 mins 51 secs when finishing 15th in the Copenhagen Half Marathon on Sunday (September 15). Gidey’s time knocked six seconds off the previous Irish record of 60:57 set in 2009 by Martin Fagan in the Hague, Netherlands. The time also knocked over three minutes off his previous best for the distance. Gidey, now aged 24, fled his native Eritrea in 2016 and arrived in Ireland in 2017 after spending several months at a refugee camp in Calais. He joined Clonliffe Harriers where he came to the attention of the late Joe Cooper, and went on to win several club and schools titles on the track and in cross-country while still a junior. Nationally, he first attracted attention when finishing third in the U20 race at the 2019 European Cross-Country Championships. In 2022, the highlight of his year was finishing sixth in the 10,000m at the European Championships in Munich. Moving on to the roads, he clocked 64:03 for a fifth place at the Great North Run last year. Last January, Gidey started the year by running a personal best 27:56 for 10km in Valencia, Spain . In May, at the Night of the 10,000m PBs in London, he ran a time of 27 mins 40 secs for 10,000m, putting him top of the current Irish rankings and second on the all-time list behind Alistair Cragg. That time took over thirteen seconds off his previous best, run only two months earlier in California. In June, he competed in the 10,000m at the European Championships, where he faded after a promising start to finish 12th in 28:16.94. A few weeks later, at a meet in France, he ran a personal best 13:23.83 for 5000m, knocking fourteen seconds off his previous best. His form in the forthcoming cross-country season will be watched with interest
DUBLINERS SHINE AT CHARLEVILLE ‘HALF’
At the Charleville International Half Marathon, which not only incorporated the national championships but was also the concluding round of the Peugeot Road Races Series, Killian Mooney of Dundrum South Dublin AC finished fourth in 67:02. John Travers (Donore Harriers) was fifth in 67:15 and Emmet Jennings (Dundrum South Dublin AC) sixth in 67:30. Grace Lynch (Dundrum South Dublin AC) finished second woman in 75:38. Fifth and first W40 was Kate Purcell (Raheny Shamrock AC) in 79:02. Just one place behind Purcell was Barbara Cleary (Donore Harriers) who finishes first W50 in 80:01. In the age groups, Tom Cuddy (Rathfarnham WSAF) was first M65, Maria Dolan (Raheny Shamrock) second W55 and Caroline Murphy (Brothers Pearse ) third W55.
When it came to the national championships team medals, Dundrum South Dublin’s trio of Grace Lynch, Lisa Gaughran and Romaine King took the women's title, with Leevale AC second and Raheny Shamrock third. In the men’s category, Dundrum South Dublin finished second behind Leevale; Raheny Shamrock was fifth and Donore Harriers eighth of the sixty-one teams entered. Finally, in the Peugeot Races Series team category for mixed teams of six, Leevale beat Dundrum South Dublin, with just three points separating the two. Raheny Shamrock finished a distant third with a massive forty-four teams entered, among them a second DSD team and two from Brothers Pearse.
SATURDAY RACING
At the Ratoath Half Marathon on the Fairyhouse Race Course, in Co Meath on Saturday (September 14), Fiona Stack (Raheny Shamrock) was the first women in 79.39, with her clubmate Fiona Roche (Raheny Shamrock) a close third in 80:11. Fourth in 82:28 was Noreen Brouder (Sportsworld, W40) Allthree women were in the W40 age group. Dublin club winners in other age groups were Ruben Bartelink (Dundrum South Dublin) M50 and Paul Moran (Rathfarnham WSAF) M60. Raheny Shamrock, led by Ronan Wogan in ninth place, packed well to win the team prize by a clear margin ahead of Crusaders AC. Blackrock AC finished fourth, with numerous other Dublin clubs represented. In the women’s team category, Crusaders, led by Julie McGrath ninth, were second, Liffey Valley third and Sportsworld fourth.
In Blessington, Co Wicklow, Colm Turner (Brothers Pearse AC) was the winner of the 15th annual Lakes 10km in 33:12. Derek Lawlor (Crusaders AC, M40 ) finished third in 34:54, while sixth and first M50 was Declan Power (Clonliffe Harriers) in 35:34. Lorraine Nolan (Rathfarnham WSAF, W40) finished third woman in in 44:31 while Jade Murphy (Crusaders AC) was fourth in 45:31.
Also on Saturday, Donore Harriers were out in force for the annual Lakers Reservoir Run 10km in Roundwood, Co Wicklow, which takes place along the rocky trails around the local reservoir. First home was Charlie White from Donore who finished in a time of 35 mins 17 secs. He was followed by his club mates Harry Cahill, second in 35:58 and Dylan Kelly third in 36.27. A lovely race and a brilliant off-road route!
At the Dromiskin 5km in Co Louth, Juan Ignacio Peña (Raheny Shamrock) was the winner in 14:45, with Gavin Curtain (Donore Harriers) second in 14:55. In Louisburgh, Co Mayo, Dee Lyons (Dublin Front Runners, W40) finished second woman in the Clew Bay Half Marathon with a time of 92:27. Winner of the 10km at the same venue was Karol Cronin (Sportsworld AC, M40) in 35 mins 27 secs.
FIELD EVENTS
Taking place at the DSD track on Saturday was the inaugural DSD Juvenile throws open, which proved a great success. Shot putters and javelin throwers aged between 13 and 18 from Clonliffe Harries, Lusk, Lucan Harriers, Bohermeen and Trim, as well as the host club were in attendance. Organiser was Anita White who still holds the Irish women’s javelin record.
CORPORATES ON THE RUN!
At the A&L Goodbody sponsored 5km Corporate Challenge in Dublin’s Docklands on Tuesday (September10), business men and women swopped suits for shorts and singlets with Eoghan McElhinney made it a home win in 15:29 for A&L Goodbody, just out-sprinting Eoghan Beary of Cantor Fitzgerald and Fintan Kerins of Arthur Cox who finished in 15:31 and 15:32 respectively. In a double whammy for A&L Goodbody, Maisy O’Sullivan finished first woman in 17:50. Aedin Corr of St Vincent’s Hospital was second in 18:30 and Aislinn Moorehouse of Fidelity Investments third in 18:47. Winning the men’s team prize was Sustainable Sprinters. Solar Sprinters took the women’s prize while Arthur Cox Allez proved best in the mixed category.
MOUNTAIN RUNNING
At the World Masters Mountain Running Championships, in Canfranc, Spain over the weekend, Ian Conroy of Raheny Shamrock finished third M40 in the uphill 6km, finishing the brutal course in a time of 46 mins 00.24 secs. His clubmate Des Kennedy was second M55 in 50:41.67. Conroy also finished fourth M40 in the long distance 34km with a time of 1 hrs 36 mins. Des Kennedy was again second M55 in 1 hr 38 mins.
