Updated World Masters Austria - 23 September
Mon 24 September 2007 - Ian Taylor
Bryson
takes World Masters Silver medal in the Alps.
Robin Bryson won a silver medal and Fiona
Maxwell finished fifth at the World Masters Mountain Running Championship in
the Austrian Alps. Bryson, who is based
in Enniskillen and competes for Newcastle AC, finished runner up in the over 45
age category behind Italy?s Franco Torressani to add silver to the world over
40 title he won at Innsbruck in 2002.
The Newcastle athlete clocked 45 minutes 20 seconds for the 6 mile and
2800 foot climb at the ski resort of Bludenz.
British over 40 Champion Maxwell of Mourne
Runners was just out of the medals with 5th place in the over 45
category while Alwynne Shannon of Newcastle AC was a highly creditable 8th. Northern Ireland Champion Deon McNeilly
produced a great performance to take 10th place in 45.56 against the
alpine specialists in the extremely competitive over 40 category, matching his
previous placing in 2005 at Keswick. Newcastle?s Alan McKibbin was 19th
(47.34) and Mourne?s Des Woods 22nd (48.00) were also well up in the
over 40 category to add to the impressive local results against 800 athletes at
the World event.
Brian Ervine
Added by Ian
Times are as follows (although each age category was in a separate race, all the same distance)
M45 Robbie Bryson 45:20 (2nd out of 151)
M40 Deon McNeilly 45:54 (10th out of 141, 2nd UK)
M40 Alan McKibbin 47:34 (19th, 4th UK)
M40 Des Woods 48:00 (22nd, 6th in UK)
M40 Eamon McCrickard 55:45 (63rd)
W45 Fiona Maxwell 56:09 (5th in class, 1st UK)
M40 Paul Mawhirt 57:51 (75th)
W45 Alwynne Shannon 58:14 (8th, 3rd UK)
W40 Anne Sandford 1:05:27 (20th)
W40 Clare Galbraith 1:07:30 (22nd)
M55 WJ Brown 1:10:46 (69th)
M55 Marty McVeigh 1:23:3 (78th)
Robbies time in the M45 category would have put him in first UK/Irish
position in the M40 category, just ahead of Craig Roberts. Other
notable performances include
W35 Tracey Brindley 50:20 1st (Scotland)
M35 John Brown 45:08 (2nd, England)
M50 Nigel Gates 47:15 (1st, England)
Apart from Robbie, other Irish athletes include
M45 Sean Foley 49:53 (21st)
M40 Patrick Noonan 50:12 (34th)
M50 Gerry Brady 50:48 (13th)
M50 Mark McDonald 51:00 (14th)
M40 PJ Carroll 55:15 (60th)
Team awards were made, based on the first three counters in each age
category. In the M40 category, Northern Ireland were 6th team,
with points from Deon, Alan & Des. Only England from
the UK were ahead in 3rd place. - perhaps our best international
team placing for some time!