Home Page

star:track

Bob Mullan Motors 5K Series 2005

Bob Mullan Motors 5K Series 2004

Bob Mullan Motors 5K Series 2003

2002 Bob Mullan 5K Results

Bob Mullan Motors 5K Series 2001

Archive

Fixtures

IAAF

Website Sponsored by: -

Noel Duddy

Chartered Accountant

6 Lindenwood Park,

Foyle Springs,

L'Derry.

028 71374268

McAlister (273) and McLoughlin (126) in action earlier this summer. McNamara is in the maroon vest.

Northern athletes dominated the AAI National Half Marathon Championships in Letterkenny with Joe McAlister and Jill Shannon picking up the two premier titles.

After running shoulder to shoulder with former champion Cian McLoughlin for most of the way, McAlister upped the pace after 11 miles but found the Clonliffe Harrier more resistant than perhaps anticipated.

However, the superior track speed of the St Malachy’s athlete saw him grab a decisive five seconds advantage in the last half mile which he was able to hold to the tape reached in 66 minutes four seconds.

“The first few miles were relatively slow but once we hit the four mile point myself and Cian started to share the lead and push it on a bit,” said McAlister shortly after he had crossed the line.

“After that there was only really the two of us and we just ran five-minute miles until 11 miles when I pushed hard to get away but he was sticking with me. 

“So then with a kilometre to go I eased up a bit to get myself ready for a big finish and with 600 to go I gave it everything I had and managed to get away,” said the former Loughborough graduate.

It was McAlister’s fourth national titles in little over two years after victories at 3000 metres indoors in the Odyssey last February and track 10,000 metres in both 2004 and 2005.

“That’s now titles on three out of the four surfaces and just leaves the hardest one of all to win on, cross-country, but that’s definitely my aim as well,” said McAlister.

Athenry’s Paul McNamara ran a solitary race to take third in 67:48 with Pauric McKinney from the host club lifting the award for the leading veteran over 40 in an excellent fourth place overall with a 69:07 clocking.

Other veteran’s titles went to North Belfast Harrier Dave Morwood (M35), Foyle Valley’s Sammy McAnaney (M50) and  Finn Valley duo James McMahon (M45) and Jimmy Shields (M60).

If the men’s race was in doubt until the final mile, there was never any dispute as to the destination of the women’s title.

Jill Shannon from the Lagan Valley club made the pace all the way to come home almost seven minutes clear in 77:58. It was Shannon’s first national title and watched by a sizeable number of her northwest relatives.

“The roads were a bit uneven and the sun was a shining at the start but then raining at the finish but I’m delighted to win my first Irish title even if the opposition wasn’t strong,” said Shannon.

Sportsworld’s Sandra Gowran made rapid headway through the field in the second half of the race to claim second place.  She also had the honour of being the leading female veteran in 84:38.

Gowran’s team mate Lucy D’Arcy who was defending champion had to settle for third on this occasion in 85:36.

Over 200 runners took part in the event which was being held in Donegal for the first time in a decade.

National Half Marathon Results.xls