Week ending Saturday 31st August
First sub-4 minute mile for Cormac Dalton
Congratulations to Cormac Dalton on running his first sub-4 minute mile. Cormac recorded a time of 3 minutes 59.51 seconds at the Monument Mile Classic in Stirling, Scotland last Saturday evening. Cormac now joins Mark Christie on the club list of sub-4 minute mile performers. Incidentally, Cormac’s 1,500m split was 3 minutes 44.05 seconds, which was also a personal best.
A sub-4 minute mile remains one of the iconic barriers in the sport and this was another demonstration of International class from Cormac. As current National Cross Country Champion, top-8 European Cross Country finisher, and European 10,000m representative on the track, this performance highlights Cormac’s outstanding range as an athlete [JR].
World Bronze for Sean McMullin
Sean McMullin got his campaign at the World Masters T&F in Gothenburg, Sweden underway last Tuesday week (20 Aug) when he toed the line for the 5,000m track walk. Unfortunately, a recurrence of a niggle in his knee robbed him of his best and despite a great effort, he had to settle for a seventh place finish in 33:00.16. Sean wasn’t finished yet though, and he competed in the longer 20k road walk last Sunday. The longer distance actually suits Sean better and from the start he moved into second place and settled into his rhythm. Caught at 7k, Sean was locked in a battle to 9k but was then passed and dropped into third, a position he maintained to the finish, comfortably clear of fourth place, to win a World bronze medal.
After a great sixth place finish in the 10k road walk only two days before, Colm Walsh was back in action again last Monday week (19 Aug) when he competed in the 5,000m race walk on the track at the Bjorlanda Stadium. Despite having only two days recovery after the 10k walk, Colm felt quite fresh and quickly settled into his race and was right up with the leading group most of the way in fifth place. With 600m to go he really pushed hard to try and close on fourth place, slowly closing the gap but he remained in fifth across the line, third European man to finish and despite no medal won, he was very happy with his time of 25:39.68, his quickest in several years [CW/GD].
Castlepollard 5k
Having had to cancel last year, the well-regarded Castlepollard 5k made a very welcome return last Wednesday evening and the North Westmeath AC event attracted a good entry of 239 runners. Starting and finishing in Castlepollard, the route included a very picturesque section through the beautiful grounds Tullynally Castle, so it was dubbed the “Tullynally Challenge”. On a bright but very breezy evening, 34 athletes from Mullingar Harriers made their presence felt on a course that had plenty of straight and level running mixed in with a few stiff inclines in the Castle grounds and on the exit back towards the village.
Diarmuid Fagan, Ross Killelea and James Keegan were always in contention at the head of affairs. In the last 500m, Sean Doran of Clonliffe Harriers shook of the Mullingar men to take first place in 15:40, followed closely by Diarmuid in second place (15:46), Ross in third (16:00), just ahead of James in fourth (16:05). Jamie Wallace finished an excellent sixth place in 16:40. Claire Fagan was always in control of the women’s race and came home ninth and first woman in 17:17. There were master category wins for Eddie Newman (18:24), Mary Stuart (20:04), Brigid McCabe (24:26) and Nuala Moran (25:26).
Also competing well was Griffin Kearney (17:19), Conor Liston (17:22), Gerard Gavin second in his master category (17:33), Alan Crowley second in his master category (17:41), Enda Seery (18:32), Kamil Orenczuk (18:47), Kieran Nolan (19:00), Tom McGrath (19:09), Mick Fagan (19:30), Jacintha Reilly (20:09), Jason McKevitt (20:32), Conleth Mullen (20:38), Orlaith Flanagan (20:45), Linda Cunningham (22:16), Caroline Mullen (22:31), Brendan Rice (23:07), Lorraine Claffey (23:08), Michael Purdue (23:23), Martin Mullen (23:59), Ray Smyth (24:30), Kevin O’Brien (24:31), Declan Costello (25:06), Robert Troy (25:30), Liam McGlynn and Breda McDonnell placing second in her master category [MO’S].
Celbridge 5k
The annual Celbridge 5k last Thursday evening started and finished at the Celbridge AC grounds and the flat and fast course brought the 487 athletes that competed through a looped course on the outskirts of the town. Three Mullingar Harriers athletes competed with distinction. Ann Hall (18:45) and Glenda Shaw (18:46) had a great personal battle and finished third and fourth respectively in their master category. Just 24 hours after her exploits in Castlepollard, Mary Stuart was again on the podium, easily winning her master category in 19:57 [MO’S].
Community Games National T&F Finals
Having qualified through their areas and County final (and also Leinster final for some), a big number of the Club’s juvenile members competed in the Community Games National T&F finals in SETU Carlow last Sunday. Over a very long day of competition from early morning to late evening, they all competed with pride for Westmeath and gave great accounts on the National stage. We don’t have all the results to hand, but a big shout out to Lily Walsh who won the 800m u/14 and to Finn Roddy who took bronze in the 200m u/16.
Others that competed with distinction include Seth Walsh (u/14 javelin), Donnacha Doyle (u/14 long jump), Clodagh Keane (100m u/12), Aoibhe Martyn (100m u/14), Joel Kelly (100m u/14, semi-final), Beibhinn O’Reilly (200m u/14 200m, semi-final), Emily Coyne (200m u/10), Mel Bohan (200m u/10), Chloe Bell (800m u/14), Antonio Bertolo (800m u14, final), Emma Lagan (1,500m u/16), Conor Walsh (1,500m u/16, final), Daniel Cummins (600m u/12, final), Penny Bohan (600m u/12), Heather Kelly (60m hurdles u/10, qualified to final), Lily McDonald (u/12 ball throw) and Conor Kiernan (80m u/8, semi-final). Members of relay teams include Heather Kelly (u/10), Cillian Martyn (u/12), and Clodagh Keane, Katie Bohan, Penny Bohan and Lily McDonald (u/12).
Sympathy
Finally, the Executive and members of Mullingar Harriers wish to extend sincere sympathy to Joe Ryan and the entire Ryan family, including Joe’s brothers and sister Dave, Pat and Miriam, on the recent death of his mother, Margaret. May she rest in peace.
Check the Club’s website at www.mullingarharriers.com or its Facebook page for all the latest news.
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