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3rd
Oct 2010
Massive Turn Out For Martys
Run......Jason For Christchurch World Championships
Well over 1000 runneres and walkers turned out for Sunday
mornings inaugral Martys 5K Run,organised by the local Foyle
Valley club in memory of the late Marty Gallagher,a very promising
athlete tragically killed in a road accident last Halloween
night and the large field was led home by Emmet McGinty and
Dawn McDaid,the overall male and female winners on a bright,sunny
Sunday morning.
The other local athletics highlight was the announcement that
City of Derry Spartans star sprinter Jason Smyth has been
selected on the Irish team for the upcoming Paralympic World
Championships in Christchurch,New Zealand next January and
his coach,Strabane man Stephen Maguire will travel as the
team track coach.
Back to Sundays very impressive Martys Run,staged over a new
and very acceptable course starting on the Glengalliagh Road
and progressing via the Skeoge Road and Buncrana Road to a
finish on the Spotrs Complex Track. The pleasant conditions
attracted a massive entry with in excess of 1000 going to
the start line and the up front serious action was much appreciated
by the large groups of spectators around the course.
Bronagh Gallagher got them on their way and the top club runners
were quickly into their stride with Emmet McGinty,Aaron Doherty,Scott
Rankin,Gary Slevin,Paddy Mor Doherty and Kieron Hurley heading
the charge for the left turn onto the Skeoge Road with the
massive field strung out behind them. Rankin,s was the sole
Foyle Valley vest amid the City of Derry red up front, but
the 20 year old,hardened by an excellent summer long Furey
Insurances 5K Series,hung on in there down the Skeoge Road
as McGinty and Aaron Doherty piled on the pressure.Slevin
was in close attention and Paddy Mor was establishing a clear
lead in the M35 category ahead of Inishowens James Brown who
was being threatened by the top M45 Gerry Duddy.
Up front it was a fired up McGinty who made the decisive break
and went on to win in an impressive 15m 47s.six seconds clear
of Aaron Dohery with Rankin third,a further three seconds
behind.Slevin was fourth on 16m 7s comfortably clear of Paddy
Mor on 16m 15s and Kieron Hurley completed the top six with
a useful 16m 27s clocking. A well deserved victory for McGinty,a
good reward for his agressive race tactics and he will finalise
his preparations for the European Clubs Half Marathon champonships
in Lisbon in two weeks time with a big boost in confidence.
Both Aaron Doherty and Gary Slevin are also Lisbon bound and
will also be enthused by Sundays runs. James Brown just held
off Gery Duddys strong challange,placing seventh and eight
on 16m 51s and 16m 55s; young Shane McGowan was next in a
cracking 17m 5s to claim the Boys U18 award and Foyle Valleys
Cathal McLaughlin completed the top ten with 17m 25s and took
the M40 prize.
Impressive Dawn
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Former Sparta and Finn Valley star Dawn McDaid(Hargan) has
just recently returned to competitive action and was an impressive
winner of the Womens race in an excellent 18m 38s which gave
her an emphatic victory and reminded everyone of her top quality.Now
running in Foyle Valley colours she finished well ahead of
the opposition,her closest challanger indeed being City of
Derry teenager Aoife Laverty who was the leading U18 female
in 19m 51s. Bridgeen Byrne was third on 19m 59s,claiming the
F45 award,Rosie O Brien was next and the first F40 with 20m
11s. Jackie McGinley clocked 20m 28s for fifth with Joanne
Doran sixth on 20m 41s. Martina McMullan posted 20m 57s in
seventh,Catherine Lilburn was eight on 21m 23s,ninth was the
top F35 Sandra Mc Keever on 21m 43s and Laura Maguire ran
21m 49s to close out the top ten female finishers.
Category Winners
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The other age group winners not included above were:M50,Dermot
Connolly on 18m 21s; M55 Peter Lilburn on 18m 45s;M65 gerry
Lyncn on 20m 8s and the M60 winner was Trvor McClay. The remaining
Female category winners were F50 Donna Philson,F55 Annette
McIvor and F60 Roisin Lynch.
Jason On Irish Team
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Jason Smyth and his coach Stephen Maguire will be in New Zealand
in late January next year for the World Paralympic Championships
as paer of a strong Irish team with the local duo keen to
repeat the sprint double gold achieved in Bejing nearly two
years ago. Stephen will travel as the Irish teams Track Coach
and will be ideally placed to guide his protogee towards another
100m/200m sprint double gold.
The Eglinton Flyer of course should now be at the Commonwealth
Games in India but instesd has been recovering from injury
and is hopeful he will be 100% to defend his Paralympic titles
in just over three months time.
City Of Derry Men in European Action
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Lisbon is the venue for the European Clubs Half Marathon Championships
on Sunday 17th October and A City Of Derry Spartans mens squad
will line up as the Irish representatives alongside the champion
clubs of Europe in this prestigious competition,yhe third
time the local red vests will have sampled European glory.
Malcolm McCausland will manage a squad comprising Emmet McGinty,Aaron
Doherty,Gary Slevin,Brendan Murphy,Gary Magee and Cathal Logue
and while not expected to seriously trouble the top Spanish,Italian,Portugese
and East European commercially sponsored club teams,the local
boys are in serious training for the challange.
Admittidly the squad will miss the injured Diarmuid Grant
and the Dublin Marathon bound Greg Roberts and Declan Reed
but as Irish champions they will target a big performance
and will identify some scalps once the full line up becomes
known. None of the squad were around for the clubs last trips
,both to Portugal back in 1994 and 1995 where a best placing
of ninth was achieved. That may be a target for the squad
but it is likely to be a tough ask. More on this nxt week.
Gerry Lynch 3/10/2010
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