Gerry Brady

05 September, 2010

Junior Men: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24280411@N06/sets/72157624779815619/
Senior women: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24280411@N06/sets/72157624904790006/
Senior men: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24280411@N06/sets/72157624904664946/

MacMahon 38th in African dominated Senior Men race

Brian MacMahon (Clonliffe Harriers) finished 38th in the uphill World mountain running championships in Kamnik Slovenia. Eritrean and Ugandan runners dominated with only Ahmet Arslan (TUR) and Jonathan Wyatt (NZL) breaking into the top ten. Barry Minnock (Rathfarnham) and MacMahon ran the first five kilometres together. By nine kilometres MacMahon was in 29th with a train if eight runners within five seconds of him. With three kilometres to go, Minnock was around 60th and he held on well for 75th for his best ever placing on an uphill course. John Heneghan (Clonliffe Harriers) closed in to finish in 77th. Peter O Farrell (Rathfarnham) continued his indian summer to be fourth scorer in 106th which was a significant improvement and around one minute ahead of his clubmate Eoin Flynn (Rathfarnham) who was making his international debut and James Kevan (Horwich RMI).

Sharon Bird (North Belfast) and Karen Alexander (Sperrin Harriers) were 40th and 42nd with three kilometres to go and they kept their places over the faster finishing kilometres. Sarah Mulligan (DSD) and Kate O Neill (Metro St. Brigids) ran well in their debut international mountain races.

The junior men found the course difficult. The first two kilometres softened them up before three very tough kilometres. At halfway they were all in the fifties and they broadly held on from their to the finish. The Eritrean winner won by an incredible three and a half minutes! Emmet Jennings (DSD) was best placed in 47th with James Speight (Omagh Harriers) and James EGAN (DSD) providing solid support.

The junior women started slowly and gradually picked up places with Niamh Denny (DSD) proving best in 29th position ahead of debutanta Catherina Mullen (Shercock) and Sinead Cronin (Celtic DCH).

The event was well organised in a beautiful mountainous area. Next year it moves to Albania on an up and down course. On the way to the event the team had the pleasure to meet Mr. Pat Hickey who is the President of the European Olympics Committee. The surprise encounter gave everyone increased motivation for the championships. On the way back we met Derval O'Rourke, silver medalist at the World championships.

Senior men
1. Samson Gashazghi (ERI) 56:25
2. Teklay Weldemariam (ERI) 56:28
3. Geoffrey Kursoro (UGA) 56:57
38. Brian MacMahon 62:59
75. Barry Minnock 65:58
77. John Heneghan 66:25
106. Peter O Farrell 70:15
111. Eoin Flynn 71:18
126. James Kevan 76:06

1. Eritrea
2. USA 71
3. Italy 77
15. Ireland (38,75,77,106) 296

Senior women
1. Andrea Mayr (AUT) 49:30
2. Valentina Belotti (ITA) 50:08
3. Martina Straehl (SWI) 50:42
39. Karen Alexander 57:46
46. Sharon Bird 58:47
62. Sarah Mulligan 64:00
65. Kate O Neill 66:43

1. Italy (2,6,9) 17
2. Switzerland (3,8,10) 21
3. Russia (4,7,25) 36
11. Ireland (39,46,62) 147

Junior men
1. Yossief Andremichael (ERI) 42:30
2. Ridvan Bozkurt (TUR) 46:00
3. Jente Joly (BEL) 46:29
47. Emmet Jennings 53:10
54. James Speight 55:04
57. James Egan 55:29

1. Turkey (2,4,14) 20
2. Germany (8,9,16) 33
3. Italy (11,12,18) 41
16. Ireland (47,54,57) 158

Junior women
1. Yasemin Can (TUR) 24:04
2. Burcu Dag (TUR) 24:42
3. Adelaide Pantheon (FRA) 24:48
29. Niamh Denny 28:22
32. Catherina Mullen 28:55
44. Sinead Cronin 31:14

1. Turkey (1,2) 3
2. Romania (5,8) 13
3. Great Britain & Northern Ireland (7,12) 19
14. Ireland (29,32) 61