Gerry Brady

28 August, 2010

World Masters Gold for Mags Greenan Silver for Helen White

Mags Greenan (Clonliffe) won a third World Masters title in a row in the Women’s 50-54 age group in Korbielow Poland. Helen White (Sportsworld) added the Women’s 45-49 silver to her European gold from Barcelona last May. Martin McDonald (North Laois) had a fantastic run in fourth place in the Men’s 50-54 age group. Deon McNeilly (Newcastle) had the fastest Irish time of 48:18 for the eight kilometres course with 960 metres of ascent.

There was joy and heartbreak in the team results: The Irish Men’s 35-39 team led home by Peter O’Farrell (Rathfarnham) won bronze medals behind Italy and Poland. The Men’s 40-44 team were fourth yet only an agonising three points off the gold medals. The Men’s 45-49 team were fourth, only one point off the silver medals. The Men’s 50-54 years team had the highest placing with silver medals behind the Czech Republic. This was the first occasion that Ireland has won team medals at these championships.

The race was run in rain and mist and the conditions suited runners with trail shoes as the forest tracks softened. The rain and low mist made a tough challenge for the organisers as they struggled to record results and distribute competitors baggage after the race. There was an amusing mix-up in the Men’s 50 results. Patrick Meffan (NZL) was posted in the results as bronze medallist but Martin McDonald from Ireland was called out at the prize-giving. Meffan went up and duly told them he was from New Zealand. In their zeal the organisers changed McDonald to New Zealand and announced them as gold medallists! The error was compounded when New Zealand mounted the podium even though they only had two runners in the race! The medals were retrieved only seconds before the kiwi national anthem was played!

Next year’s event is in Italy in mid-September on an unusually flat course.

W45
1. Izabella Zatorska (CZR) 55:05
2. Helen White 58:10
3. Anna Balosakova (SVK) 59:32
6. Anne Sandford 66:54

W50
1. Mags Greenan 61:05
2. Uschi Bergler (GER) 62:47
3. Oksana Zaisko (UKR) 64:41
5. Majella Diskin 65:55

M35
1. Marcel Matanin Konecny (SVK) 46:26
2. Fabrizio Triulzi (ITA) 47:22
3. Zdenko Koleda (SVK) 47:25
7. Peter O Farrell 49:09
9. Robert Malseed 51:04
10. Richie McCauley 52:54

1. Italy (2,4,12) 18
2. Poland (5,6,11) 22
3. Ireland (7,9,10) 26

M40
1. Tamas Gerlic (Hun) 47:58
2. Siegfried Krischer (GER) 48:08
3. Bjorn Geerdink (NLD) 48.27
11. Des Kennedy 52:37
12. Cormac Conroy 53:40
13. Leo Murray 54:57

1. Czech Republic (4,5,24) 33
2. Slovakia (7,10,17) 34
3. Germany (2,8,25) 35
4. Ireland (11,12,13) 36

M45
1. Paul Sichermann (GER) 45:17
2. Davide Milesi (ITA) 46:38
3. Armin Grob (SWI) 46:48
7. Deon McNeilly 48:18
11. Sean Foley 50:03
22. John Lenihan 52:01

1. England (4,5,19) 28
2. Czech Republic (10,12,17) 39
3. Poland (9,13,18) 40
4. Ireland (7,11,22) 40

M50
1. Ales Stransky (CZR) 48:37
2. Fabio Ciaponi (ITA) 49:22
3. Patrick Meffan (NZL) 49:43
4. Martin McDonald 49:57
13. Gerry Brady 54:34
23. Pat MacCavana 58:39
52. Seamus Greenan 71:11

1. Czech Republic (1,8,10) 19
2. Ireland (4,13,23) 40
3. Slovakia (12,15,19) 46