Mayo AC competed in the the National Masters Intermediate and Masters Cross-Country at Gowran Demense in Co Kilkenny on Sunday February 12.
Intermediate and Masters championships events were preceded by half a dozen juvenile races with 667 competing. There were 507 in the four Intermediate and Masters.
Hosts Gowran AC did an excellent job organising the busy schedule with help from Athletics Ireland officials. As usual competition was very keen in all categories and among club and county teams.
Well done to Mayo AC's nine competitors who undertook the long round trip to represent the club in Gowran.
Eight women (Mags Glavey W70, Pauline Moran W65, Angela O’Connor W55, Breege Blehein W55, ColetteTuohy W50, Joan Walsh W50 competed as individuals in their age categories and were part of the club's W50 team.
Stephen Monaghan is a new club member and he ran in the men’s 35-64 race over 7,000m.
Results for categories and teams are defined by place in finishing order.
The Mayo AC team ran magnificently on a grassy dry course with a short section of rough ground. The day was dry and overcast with a cool breeze and 9°C.
There was an excellent individual gold again for Pauline Moran in W65 with Mayo native Mary Browne Lucan Harriers AC second. Mags Glavey ran a very strong race in W70 and was rewarded with gold, beating rival Eileen Kenny Athlone by forty metres.
There was heartbreak again this year for ColetteTuohy in W50 – pipped on the line in 4th place with same time given to 3rd placed finisher. Colette was our first finisher and as usual led by example – in the final 100 metres she passed two runners but missed out on bronze by the thickness of a vest.
In the W45 category Breege Staunton came home 21st.
And in W40 Paula Donnellan finished with same place as last year- 25th of 40 finishers in the category.
The Mayo AC women’s club W50 team won silver with 250 points behind Raheny Shamrock AC on 228 – ColetteTuohy, Angela O’Connor, Pauline Moran and Breege Blehein – all put in a wonderful performance of strong running and were well backed up by Joan Walsh.
And Mayo County 50+ women won bronze – all of the team from Mayo AC – Colette, Angela, Pauline and Breege.
Stephen Monaghan M50 was the club's only competitor in the masters M35-64 7k race. He joined the club last month and travelled over from London where he is based and runs with Heathside AC. His people come from Belmullet. It was his first cross-country race in four years but he ran a great race in a massive field of over 200 finishing 33rd of 40 in M50 and 148th overall.
Today’s four medals combined with the thirteen National Masters indoor medals won last week in Athlone means another great start to the year for the club. Congratulations to all.
Full results and lots of photos at www.mayoac.com..
