Mark Christie of Mullingar Harriers and Hazel Murphy of DSD broke the men’s and women’s records on Sunday in the My Sport 10K.
With €150 on offer to the winners of the My Sport Enniscorthy 10K plus another €500 for breaking the course records (male 30.25, female 34.52) a quality field lined up at the start line at 12pm on Sunday at Clonhaston including last year’s winner and current record holder, Sandis Bralitis of West Waterford AC.
However from early on it looked like a battle between Mark Christie of Mullingar Harriers and Sean Connolly of Tallaght as the pair ran shoulder to shoulder for 7 Kilometres with Alan O’Shea of Bantry AC not far behind. All were running at sub 5 minute mile pace covering the first two miles including the first uphill sections in 9.45. The leaders were through 3 miles in 14.20 and 4 miles in 19.15. Then Mark started to move slightly ahead opening up a gap of a few seconds on Sean. He went through 5 miles in 23.55.
With the last kilometre of the course being downhill the record looked certain to go. Mark stormed through the finish line in 29.34, almost a minute inside the record. Sean Connolly also came in under 30 minutes finishing in 29.40. Alan O’Shea finished third in 30.45. Sandis Bralitis was 4th in 32.19 and Dwane Farrell of Tinryland was 5th in 33.09.
The women’s race was less hotly contested but here again the course record was broken by Hazel Murphy of Dundrum South Dublin AC who finished in 34.40 some 12 seconds inside Pauline Curley’s record of some years ago. Second was Angela McCann of Clonmel AC in 37.03 with Ailish McDermott of Clonliffe Harriers not far behind in 37.43.
Host club, Slaney Olympic AC took team honours in both the men’s and women’s team competition. Dave Barron, Ted Flannelly, Jim Stafford and Martin Monoghan made up the winning men’s team. The victorious women’s team members were Martina Conran, Emer Carty, Mag Dunphy and Joan Doyle.
First male junior was Brian O’Neill in 38 minutes. Veteran category winners were: M35, James Cloney (St Killians); M40 Dave Barron (SO); M50 Jim Stafford (SO);M60 Sean Meaney (Bray); F35 Nicola Maunsel (Clonmel AC); F40 Margaret Devereux (BreeAC); F50 Ann Bolger; F60 Patricia Martin.
Overall there was an entry of nearly 600 between runners and walkers. Chip timing was used this year for the first time which proved to be a great success giving rapid and accurate results. Race director, Joe O’Regan could relax for once at the finish line as the computer did the work. Many thanks to Joe and to all club members and friends who helped out on the day. Thanks also to Shamrocks GAA Club and St Senan’s School for the use of their premises and of course to our sponsors, My Sport, Creane and Creane Ltd. And Enniscorthy Enterprise and Technology Centre.
Jane Porter
Full results available here
http://www.slaneyolympic.com/2011/02/14/records-tumble-at-mysport-10k/
The date for next year's 10K is provisionally set for Sunday February 12th, 2012
