ATHLETICS Mullingar Athlete Mark Christie Wins St Patrick's 5K Festival Road Race

Mullingar athlete Mark Christie has won the KBC Asset Management St Patrick's 5K Festival Road Race which took place in Dublin today. The Mullingar Harriers AC runner completed the course in a new record time of 00:14:12, clipping 2 seconds off the previous course record.

Second place went to Sean Connolly from Tallaght AC who finished in 00:14:39. He was followed in third and fourth place by Raheny Shamrocks AC runners Richie Corcoran and Mark Kirwan with times of 00:14:42 and 00:14:45 respectively.

Winner in the women's category was Linda Byrne, a member of Dundrum South Dublin AC. Linda, who was the recent winner of the National Cross Country Championships and winner of the IUAA Intervarsity Cross Country Championship which took place in Cork yesterday, completed the course in a time of 00:16:07.

Second in the women's category was Ava Hutchinson, also from the Dundrum South Dublin club with a time of 00:16:15 followed in third place by Kerry Harty from Newcastle, Co. Down in 00:16:47 and Ciara Durkan from Skerries AC in fourth place with 00:17:28.

Team prizes were won by Raheny Shamrocks (men) and Dundrum South Dublin (women).

First, second, third and fourth prizes in both men's and women's categories were EUR1,000, EUR500, EUR250 and EUR100 respectively. Other prize categories included Team Masters Men and Women categories, Junior Men and Women under 20 and Corporate Teams of 4 runners in any gender combination.

The race, from which a portion of the entry fee went to Temple Street Children's University Hospital, attracted a record entry of over 1,700 runners.

Officially started by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr. Emer Costello, it was the first street race held in the city in a year when Dublin celebrates its status as European Capital of Sport.

Organised by Metropolitan Harriers & St. Brigid's Athletic Club, it formed part of the St. Patrick's Festival Week programme. Praising the efforts of all who took part, race director Eamonn Coghlan thanked Dublin City Council and An Garda Sيochلna for the support which they had given to the event.

Sponsorship was provided by KBC Asset Management, the specialist provider of niche investment strategies for pension funds, charities and corporate bodies, who have supported the event for a number of years. Commenting, their chief executive Sean Hawkshaw, himself a well-known tri-athlete, said
'we are proud to support an event that is an integral part of the St. Patrick's Festival programme. From the record level of entries, we recognise the role which the race has in attracting visitors to the city.'