Mayo AC were represented by 23 competitors in the National Half Marathon Championships in Charleville on Sunday. The event was organised by North Cork AC.
Their team of 9 women and 14 men. included 14 of last year’s record 42 members who competed in the National Half-marathon in Tullamore.
They were among over 900 championship entries in competition for team and individual honours across the various age groups.
The Charleville course is recognised as fast and accurate ‘suitable for personal bests – plenty of long straight and flat sections. It goes from Charleville to Kilmallock and back again.’
Well done to all Mayo AC finishers – super running all round with a few members achieving PBs and as well as the clubb winning a total of four individual and one team medals.
Mayo AC were led home by Eamonn Joyce with a brilliant run and a new pb in 1:15.38 and 73rd overall. He ranl over two minutes faster than his previous best in the Ballina half-marathon in May 2023. It’s a great comeback by Eamonn after a long lay off through injury.
Tadgh Hanrahan was the clubs second man home, also with an excellent pb 1:18.39 beating his previous best 1:20.16 also at Charleville in 2022.
Colette Tuohy was the first woman across the line in 1:30.12 – almost half a minute faster than her Tullamore time in 2023. That’s a great performance by Colette!
She also won gold in her W55 category and led Pauline Moran and Breege Blehein in the W50 team to gold with a combined time of 4:53.22.
There were also pbs for Donna Gallagher W45 in 1:35.28 and Paraic Sweeney in a brilliant 1:38.38 who won gold in M70 category.
Pauline Moran retained her W65 title with another gold medal performance in 1:39.27, and Mags Glavey was also a medal winner: silver in W70 with a mighty 1:48.19 finish.
That’s a provisional tally of four individual medals – three gold and one silver, and one team gold. A wonderful achievement and well deserved.
Athletics Ireland will confirm results during the week.
Mayo AC Charleville half-marathon finishers :
Women:
Karla Regan S 1:50.48
Eimear Fitzmaurice W40 1:40.03
Dee Finnegan W40 1:40.58
Noelle Kilduff W40 1:46.04
Donna Gallagher W45 1:35.28 pb
Colette Tuohy W55 1:30.12
Brid Blehein W55 1:43.43
Pauline Moran W65 1:39.27
Mags Glavey W70 1:48.19.
Men:
Eamonn Joyce S 1:15.38 pb
Tadgh Hanrahan M40 1:18.39 pb
Sean Hynes S 1:19.01
Andrew Hayes M40 1:27.32
Art Maguire M40 1:28.33
Damien Finnegan M40 1:35.34
Wesley Hurst M45 1:34.21
Darren Brewer M45 1:34.17
Matt Bidwell M50 1:22.18
John Gordon M50 1:24.58
John Nolan M50 1:32.18
Ambrose Gaughan M50 1:39.41
Paraic Sweeney M70 pb?1:38.38
Stephen Skillington M60 1:42.43
A big Thank You to the club's Half Marathon organiser Colette Tuohy, and to bus driver Damien Finnegan.
Mayo AC had one of the largest club representations today – a magnificent achievement!
Most of our finishers gathered at Nevilles Cross Inn in Adare for a for an enjoyable celebratory meal after the event.
Race winners: congratulations to Hugh Armstrong Ballina AC on winning the National Half title in 1:04.35, with Shona Heaslip An Riocht AC first woman 1:10.57.
