Westport trio dominate the placings at Ballinrobe 5k
The top three finishers at the Ballinrobe 5k, from left: David Hickey (3rd), Brendan Conway (1st) and Shaun McLoughlin (2nd), all from Westport AC.
Athletics: The fourth race in the Intersport Elverys Mayo AC 5k Series took place at Ballinrobe last Tuesday evening, June 4.
Racing conditions were good – dry, 11°C, with a chilly breeze on the way out for 2k, but which favoured runners on the road back to the finish line.
The relatively flat course has produced many fast times over the twelve years of the series. Personal bests have been achieved there by runners at all levels. The 5k course records were set by Conor Dolan GCH in 2014 (15:49) and Regina Casey GCH in 2018 (17:20).
A buzz of anticipation and excitement was evident again this on Tuesday, as another excellent field of 170 assembled at an TSráid Ard.
Westport runners provided the men’s race top three as they had done in the previous series races. This time Brendan Conway was first across the finish line in 16:17 with Shaun McLoughlin finishing five seconds later in 16:22, while David Hickey was third in 16:34.
John Byrne was Mayo AC’s first finisher in a top class time – fourth in 16:55. Sean O’Brien of Westport AC was fifth in 17:07 and Mayo AC’s Darren Flanagan crossed in 17:14 to take sixth position.
In the women’s race, the series winners so far and other top finishers were back in competition. Round 3 winner in Foxford, Norah Newcombe Pieterse of Mayo AC, claimed her second series win with another great run to win in 18:19. Westport AC’s Hillary Hughes, who won at Castlebar and Westport, came home in second place in 18:34. Kate Collins Smyth of GCH was third in 18:52, and Michelle Needham of Westport AC fourth in 19:51. Further back, Maura Ginty of Sportsworld AC and Laura Langan of Westport AC reversed their positions from the week before, finishing fifth (19:55) and sixth (20:13) respectively.
Among the 170 finishers there was continued good representation from clubs in the West – particularly Westport AC and Mayo AC – and a brilliant turnout of runners at all levels striving to improve their performances, and more importantly enjoying it!
Joan Walsh organised a great race again this year, as usual ably assisted by Christy Heneghan, John Timothy, Colette Tuohy, Martina Gormley and an excellent support crew of club members, Lake District AC members, volunteers and the Order of Malta.
Meanwhile, the final race in the Mayo AC series, complete with after party, is in Claremorris today (Tuesday). The race starts at 8pm sharp outside the CBE building adjacent to the athletics track. The one lap course finishes after a circuit of the track. Online entries are closed but you may register (€10, cash only) at the venue this evening up until 7.45pm.
