Medals Secured at World Mountain Running Championships
On Saturday 12th September 2015, the World Masters Mountain Running Championships kicked off a week-long festival of international running in the Betws-y-Coed and Snowdonia area of Wales.
Five Northern Ireland runners made the short, scenic journey to the place some would describe as the UK’s home of mountain running, to represent both Great Britain & Northern Ireland and Ireland. The Championship route measured 10.6k in distance with over 500 metres of ascent/descent and would be described as a ‘runners’ course, comprising mainly of trails, with one significant mountain section.
In the M35 Category Newcastle AC man David McNeilly was part of an Ireland silver medal winning trio. David, finished in 16th place in the M35 race, with a time of 47:59. Brothers Stephen and Robert Cleary (both Clonakilty AC) finished in 11th place and 13th place respectively to help secure the silver medal. Great Britain & Northern Ireland took the team gold medal. Ballymena man Seamus Kelly (Ballymena Runners) was also registered as Team Ireland in the M35 Category. Seamus ran well to finish in 22nd place in a time of 54:50.
In the F35 Category, Hazel McLaughlin (Lagan Valley AC) was representing Great Britain & Northern Ireland. Hazel who has impressed over short and long distance in 2015 buy proscar 5mg online showed great strength and determination to make third counter for a strong GB & NI Team. Hazel’s 5th place finish (in 1:00:28) ensured that her GB & NI team took gold in the F35 Category.
Experienced international athletes Anthony Glover (Westbury Harriers) and Alex Brennan (Ballymena Runners), represented Ireland in the M40 Category. England based Anthony, who has featured for Northern Ireland in the Masters XC Championships, took 10th place in 47:11. Alex again showed the form that has saw him make many podiums this year, taking 18th place and third Irish counter in the M40 event (50:14), to help secure another medal for Ireland. This time bronze, with Liam Dunne (Ballyroan AC) completing the team having claimed 17th place. Great Britain & Northern Ireland won the M40 event.
Another Northern Ireland international, Shileen O’Kane (Lagan Valley AC) represented Great Britain & Northern Ireland in the F45 Category. Shileen the current leader of the NIMRA ladies Championship Series and a former Masters Team medallist competed well in an impressive F45 race, finishing in 7th place (in 55:18) behind six other speedy GB & NI ladies. The packed Great Britain & Northern Ireland F45 team ran out easy winners in this event.
Report by Justin Maxwell www.nirunning.co.uk
