Marathon Standard For Nicola Duncan As Sligo AC And Leevale AC Win Relay Titles In Raheny

Nicola Duncan (Galway City Harriers) ran a personal best of 2.33.28 in the London Marathon on Sunday 13th of April. The time was inside the qualifying standard (2.38) for the European Championships in Zurich in August. It was remarkable turnaround of form by Duncan after being forced to drop out of the World Half Marathon championships in Copenhagen on the 29th of March. That decision proved a wise one as Duncan stormed to a new personal best and fifth place on the Irish All time marathon lists around the streets of London this morning.

Road Relays.
The National Road Relay Championships took place in Raheny, Dublin with Sligo AC and Leevale AC winning the respective men's and women's titles. Sligo AC were the defending champions and returned to the 2014 event with a strong team comprising of Emmett Dunleavy, Dermott McDermott, Alberto Sanchez and David Harper. Sanchez recorded a time of 14.20 for the crucial 3 mile leg to hand over in the lead to team mate Harper. Track specialist Harper powered around the final 2 mile leg to win the title for Sligo in a time of 38.08.
The Chesser brothers Rory and Kevin combined with Daragh Lynch and Kevin Mulcaire to win the silver medals for Ennis Track in a time of 38.36. Clonliffe Harriers finished in third place in a time of 38.50 while host club Raheny Shamrock finished fourth t in a time of 38.55.

Leevale AC made the long journey from Cork worthwhile as they stormed to victory in the senior women's race. Clonliffe Harrier Becky Woods put the North Dublin Club into an early lead with a time of 5.01 for the opening one mile leg. Eleanor Alexander continued the momentum for Clonliffe handing over in first place at the second changeover in a time of 16.10. Orla Drumm of Crusaders moved her club into contention with a 10.58 split while Sarah Mulligan of DSD did the same with a 10.45 split. Leevale AC athlete Sinead O'Connor produced a solid 11.07 split for the 2 mile leg to keep the Cork club in contention.

On the final one mile leg Claire McSweeney of Leevale was the quickest of them all as she romped to victory in a time of 21.24. Crusaders hung on for the silver medals in a time of 21.34 with defending champions Dundrum South Dublin third in a time of 21.39.
Host club Raheny Shamrock experienced double joy in the Master 35+ races with their women's team taking victory in a time of 23.42 and their men also reigning supreme in a time of 19.46. In the master 50+ category Raheny's women's team won the title in a time of 27.27 with South Dublin rivals Rathfarnham WSAF winning the men's 50+ title in a time of 21.35.

Irish Race Walkers in Action in Podebrady & South Africa
Olympian Laura Reynolds (Mohill AC) led the Irish charge in the Race Walking Grand Prix in Podebrady, Czech Republic. Reynolds finished in sixth place in the women's 20km race in a time of 94.24. There were also encouraging performances by Cian McManamon (Westport AC) and James Treanor (Shercock AC) in the men's 20km race. Both athletes worked together with McManamon recording a time of 90.36 with Treanor just behind in a new personal best time of 90.40.

Alex Wright (Calry AC) finished second in the men's race at the South African National championships in a time of 87.17 with Brendan Boyce (Letterkenny AC) recording a time of 92 minutes with Luke Hickey (Leevale AC) just behind with a time of 94 minutes for the 20km distance. The next target for the race walking squad will be the forthcoming World Race Walking Cup in China in early May.