European Cross Country Champion Fionnuala Britton proved what an exceptional talent she is by comprehensively beating a high quality international field at Greenmount on Saturday afternoon. Not only did she leave the best that the Home Countries could offer trailing in her wake but she also outshone several top Kenyan athletes to underline the quality of her win in Hungary a few weeks ago. She ran with power and grace throughout and proved a popular and accommodating champion afterwards as she signed autographs and posed for photos with new found admirers.
Aoife Cochrane and Elisha Surginor represented the club in the Under 13 Girls race and got the best of the going in the day's curtain raiser event. The Under 15 Girls saw a gutsy performance from Laura Gardiner who though not at her best battled hard for 2 laps of the 1800 metre course. Daniel Atkinson, Tim Prenter and Owen Edwards proved a good team in the Under 13 Boys race, all finishing in the top 30.
CAOILIN BOLTS HOME
Performance of the day however belonged to Caoilin Quinn who almost outdid Usain Bolt with his sprint for the line in the Primary School Boys race, powering to an impressive 2nd spot just a few seconds behind the winner.
N.I. SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Senior squad had a setback with the late withdrawal through injury of star man Brendan Teer but with Liam Venney in top form and a record turnout of 13 runners from East Down hopes were high of a good team showing. With an international field including a top class Ugandan, several Kenyans and most of the leading English and Scottish runners taking on the best of the home talent it was certainly a major challenge. But to their credit all performed very well with Liam 39th leading the way, followed by a much improved performance from Neil McCartan 47th Barrie Atkinson 66th, Martin Willcox 89th and Mark McDowell 90th . Liam Keenan and Francis Tumelty took 98th and 100th places respectively, all the last four mentioned finishing within 1 minute of each other, a feat repeated by Paul Burns, Michael McKeown and Michael Cultra a little further back. The final trio of Gavin Oakes, Stephen McCartan and Peter Morgan found out like all the others just how gruelling cross country running can be with on the road times no guide to performance on the grass. Nevertheless a great club effort and a great experience to share the stage with the flying Africans.
Stephen Scullion was crowned NI Champion for the first time with probably his best ever off the road performance with Eddie McGinley and Joe McAllister filling the minor placings.
ROLLERCOASTER RACES AT THE RACECOURSE
The next important event is in 2 weeks time when the NI and Ulster Junior and Masters Championships take place in Lurgan Park with the same squad from East Down raring to go. The following weekend it's firmer underfoot with the Rollercoaster races, at Downpatrick Racecourse beginning at 12.00 noon and climaxing with the Senior race over 25 furlongs (5K or 3.1 miles in non horse racing parlance) at 2.00pm in this unique setting. This is not a Cross Country event as all the races take place on the perimeter road so there will be no wet or muddy feet to contend with and while there are neither hurdles nor fences to negotiate they are not flat races either!
Entries for all races will be taken on the day.
JIMMY'S TEN
Online entry for Jimmy's Ten is now open on www.athleticsni.org and it is recommended that you get in early as limits will apply and there is unlikely to be an enter on the day facility. The race will probably start earlier than in previous years on account of the St Patrick's Day parade later in the day. In the event of anyone not being able to run on the day for whatever reason the organisers will carry over the entry to next yer. So there's nothing to lose – get in early and have a great day.
Joe Quinn
14 January 2013
