A RECORD crowd of over 10,000 runners took to the roads of the Phoenix Park, Dublin on Sunday, April 5^th, for the seventh Great Ireland Run. Near-perfect running conditions saw both the men’s and women’s race won by Portuguese runners.

The men’s race developed into a four-way contest early on with Andrew Carlson of the USA, an Arizona training partner of Ireland’s Martin Fagan, forcing the pace.  Carlson dropped back slightly as the race passed 8k and subsequently Rui Pedro Silva of Portugal hit the front with Paul Tergat of Kenya on his shoulder.

Fagan, struggling with a niggling injury, could not match Silva and Tergat on their surge for the line and Silva triumphed in a close finish which saw the first four runners separated by just four seconds.

After former world champion Sally Barsosio led the early part of the women’s race, Ireland and North Sligo AC runner Mary Cullen made a brave bid for victory but could not shake off Ana Dulce Felix of Portugal, who finished 15^th in the previous week’s World Cross-country championships, and Jelena Prokopcuka, the former double New York Marathon winner from Latvia.

Cullen ran strongly throughout but a surge at 9k from Felix opened a gap she could not close, and Cullen had to be content with second place.

About 400 juvenile runners between the ages of eight and 15 took part in the Junior Great Ireland Run which preceded the main event. Kevin Dooney of Raheny Shamrocks was pushed early on by Eoin Taggart of Blessington Valley but Dooney pulled away in the final kilometre. The girl’s race was won for the second year in a row by Ciara Hewson of Mullingar Harriers.

 The Great Ireland Run is now the country’s largest mixed 10k race and the combination of elite fields, Nike T-shirt for all entrants, chip timing and a generous goody bag has proved very popular with runners and walkers of all ages. This year’s field was 25 per cent bigger than 2008.

 

Many participants raised money for the event’s charities Our Lady’s Hospice and the Marie Keating Foundation. Barretstown is the official charity of the Junior Run. Among the celebrities taking part for charities were broadcaster Ray D’Arcy, RTE TV star Aidan Power, Hothouse Flower Fiachna O Braonain and Olympic boxer Kenny Egan.

 

Results

Men

1.       Rui Pedro Silva (Portugal) 28:45

2.       Paul Tergat (Kenya) 28:46

3.       Martin Fagan (Ireland) 28:47

4.       Andrew Carlson (USA) 28:48

5.       Vinny Mulvey (Ireland) 29:28

6.       Mark Kenneally (Ireland) 29:34

 

Women

1.       Ana Dulce Felix (Portugal) 32:18

2.       Mary Cullen (Ireland) 32:25

3.       Jelena Prokopcuka (Latvia) 32:30

4.       Sally Barsosio (Kenya) 33:04

5.       Fernanda Ribeiro (Portugal) 33:42

6.       Deirdre Byrne (Ireland) 33:44

 

Junior Run Boys (2.8 km)

1.       Kevin Dooney (Raheny Shamrocks) 9:47

2.       Eoin Taggart (Blessington Valley) 9:56

3.       Samuel Allen (St Coca’s) 10:08

 

Junior Run Girls (2.8 km)

1.       Ciara Hewson (Mullingar Harriers) 10:36

2.       Megan Morrissey (Thomastown AC) 10:56

3.       Emer Kennedy (Thurles Crokes) 11:13