After looking a million dollars last Saturday at the 25th Anniversary celebrations East Down ladies were determined to show that they were fast as well as fashionable by fielding 3 teams in the N I Relay Championships in Belfast's Victoria Park And in ideal running conditions on their first foray into this type of racing they certainly did themselves proud. Twenty one teams of 3 runners each set off with each runner completing 2 laps of the circuit, a total of 3380 metres, or just over 2 miles.
LADIES TEAMS
The teams were A - Cheryl Denvir, Tracey McDowell and Kim Surginor, B - Lisa Milligan, Mags Flynn and Paula Savage and C – Emer Moore, Sharon Carew and Noreen Kerr a late replacement for flu victim Deirdre Mount. It has to be said that their talent and commitment shone through in equal measure to their sense of style and everyone literally ran their socks off in pursuit of team glory. Best placed in a very competitive race was the A team in a splendid 7th with a time of 43.05 with splits of 13.54, 14.04 and 15.07 respectively. Team B were 10th in 47.54 with splits of 14.52, 16.00 and 17.02 and Team C 13th in 51.32 with splits of 17.07, 17.27 and 16.58. A superb effort all round which will surely encourage wider participation next year and sooner, in the upcoming Cross Country League.
HOW THE MEN FARED
East Down also fielded 2 Male teams, luckily as it turned out following withdrawals through illness and injuries, both in the Masters category. A huge 35 teams took their places on the start line with Tony Brennan leading the opening charge for Team B and Barrie Atkinson going first for Team A. Barrie was in 7th place after his leg of 11.21 and Martin Willcox had moved the team into 6th place at the end of his 2 laps completed in 11.22. Declan Teague was next to go and he maintained the position, running 12.09 before handing over to Liam Keenan who showed further evidence of his climb to full fitness again with a time of 12.19 and overall 7th place. This was a very competitive race as evidenced by the fact that the team ran 2 minutes 18 seconds quicker than last year yet finished 3 places further down the field.
Meanwhile Tony Brennan completed his leg in 12.39 in 14th place having overcome his initial rush of blood to the head and sent off Peter Morgan who added 13.17 to the team's total while retaining their position and set Stephen Heasley on his way on the third leg. Stephen posted 13.05 and the team moved up one place as Charlie Ataliotis set off on the anchor leg. He put in an excellent effort to record 15. 41 bringing the quartet home in 14th place in an overall time of 54.42.
JUNIOR RACES
Earlier East Down had a number of juniors out in the Boys and Girls races with James Byrne prominent in the Primary Schools Boys 800 metres and Natasha Savage doing well in the Girl's race. Laura Green , Aoife Cochrane, Louise Sweeney, and Louisa Byrne took part in the Under 13 Girls race and Daniel Atkinson, Christopher O' Connor and Owen Edwards had highly satisfactory performances in the Under 13 Boys race over 1,000 metres. Eimear Connor was the sole representative in the Under 15 Girls race over a 1 mile distance and continues to improve.
Next Sunday a large contingent of Juniors is needed in Kilbroney park in Rostrevor for the 2nd in the McGrady's Financial Services Junior Cross Country series, to try to claw back the early lead established by Newcastle in the first round.
LADIES ONLY 10K
On Sunday almost 1000 Ladies took part in the Runher women only 5 and 10K races in the Stormont Estate with Carmel Tumelty the Club's sole representative in the 5K with Eimear and Cathy Degan flying the Club colours in the 10K.
GOLD MEDALLIST BETHANY FIRTH
I met the lovely Bethany Firth, our very own Paralympic Gold Medallist beforehand as she spent a lot of time with the children who took part in the Primary school races. Nothing was too much trouble to her as she posed with her medal to the delight of the kids and she will surely be a great ambassador for sport and for the area. Just think of it – we have a Gold medallist in our midst whose achievement should be lauded from the highest hill. If I was her I wouldn't take the medal off – ever!
Joe Quinn
8 October 2012
