Amazing Grace sets new course record on St Stephen’s Day

MID Ulster Athletic Club’s Grace Carson was in impressive form on St Stephen’s Day during the 37th annual Greencastle Five Mile Road Race.

The former Cookstown High School pupil who just a couple of weeks earlier, helped Great Britain to team gold at the European Cross-Country Championships in Italy, raced around the bitterly cold course in a stunning time of 27:35 minutes to set a new female mark.

She finished a significant distance ahead of the next best female competitor, North Down’s Rachel Gibson, who was 48th overall in 32:03 minutes, while Omagh Harriers’ Niamh Heaney was third in 32:50.

Overnight snow and frost had left the event organisers, who were without the event’s driving force, Oliver McCullagh for the first time, with a race against time to get the course in race condition. That they did in ‘true Olly fashion’ by organising a gritter lorry to clear the route.

And the nearly 800-strong field were delighted they did, particularly City of Lisburn’s James Edgar, who won outright in a time of 24:35 minutes, 14 seconds ahead of Annadale Striders’ Neil Johnston, with St Malachy’s Paddy Robb in third.

Next home was Conal McClean of St Malachy’s, Lagan Valley’s Lughaidh Mallon was fifth and City of Derry Spartans’ John Lenehan was sixth.

The first local finisher was Omagh’s Tristan Kelly, representing Finn Valley AC, who claimed the male junior title on his Christmas visit home from university in America.

Carson claimed a stunning eighth overall, ahead of Ricky Johnston and Martin McKenna, with Omagh Harriers’ Paul Barbour 11th, followed by a host of other local runners, Colly Harkin in 13th, Phil Adams in 16th, Adrian Devlin in 19th and Omagh Triathlon Club’s Conor Maguire rounded out the top 20.

Results

Female Overall Winners: 1, Grace Carson, Mid Ulster AC, 27:35; 2, Rachel Gibson, North Down AC, 32:01; 3, Niamh Heaney, Omagh Harriers, 32:43.

Female Junior: 1, Niamh Campbell, Mid Ulster AC, 36:09; 2, Sorcha Mullan, Tattyreagh GAC, 39:07; 3, Ciara Nugent, Armagh AC, 39:33.

F35: 1, Carol Gourley, Sperrin Harriers, 36:08; 2, Francisca Aviles, 39:21; 3, Elaine Kerlin, Omagh Harriers, 39:31.

F40: 1, Anna Donnelly, Keep Er Lit, 35:23; 2, Liz O’Brien, 36:13; 3, Dawn Houston, Eglinton Road Runners, 36:29.

F45: 1, Ciara Woods, Omagh Harriers, 37:32; 2, Annemarie McKernan, Keep Er Lit, 38:59;3, Emma Taggart, Keep Er Lit, 39:11.

F50: 1, Bernie O’Donnell, Omagh Harriers, 43:06; 2, Catriona McAleer, 43:57;3, Aravon McCann, Maguiresbridge Runners, 44:14.

F55: 1, Linda Petticrew, Ballymena Runners, 40:31; 2, Alyson Noone, Run for Enda, 45:46;3, Marie Maguire, Cullion Runners, 46:24.

F60: 1, Anne Paul, City of Derry AC, 36:30; 2, Wendy Ledwold, 43:17; 3, Therese Mullan, 43:35.

F65: 1, Kathleen Moohan, Run for Enda, 53:42.

F75+: 1, Brigid Quinn, Ballymena Runners, 53:24.

Male Overall Winners: 1, James Edgar, City of Lisburn AC, 24:33; 2, Neil Johnston, Annadale Striders, 24:47; 3, Paddy Robb, St Malachys AC, 25:22.

Male Junior: 1, Tristan Kelly, Finn Valley AC, 27:22;2, Ciaran McCarroll, Finn Valley AC, 31:02; 3, Luke Donnelly, Carmen Runners, 31:10.

M40: 1, Paul Coyle, Strabane Triathlon, 29:22; 2, Adrian Devlin, Sperrin Harriers, 29:25; 3, Eamonn Donnelly, Omagh Harriers, 29:55.

M45: 1, Martin McKenna, Armagh AC, 28:28; 2, Mark McKeown, Armagh AC, 32:02; 3, Martin Corcoran, Omagh Harriers, 32:30.

M50: 1, Patrick McCrory, Omagh Harriers, 30:33; 2, John Hasson, Ballymena Runners,31:15; 3, Denis Cush, Delfims Runners, 31:15.

M55: 1, Chris McGuigan, Omagh Harriers, 30:43; 2, Delfim Pimentel, 31:04; 3, Jonathan Dempsey, Acorns AC, 32:25.

M60: 1, Martin McLaughlin, Omagh Harriers, 33:00; 2, Michael Duncan, Lifford/Strabane AC, 34:06; 3, Tony Toner, Termoneeney Running, 35:03.

M65: 1, Patrick Largey, 39:46; 2, Peter Gormley, Omagh Harriers, 40:45; 3, Patrick Millar, Ballymena Runners, 40:55.

M70: 1, Brian Stewart, North Belfast Harriers, 42:35; 2, John McCann, Run for Enda, 48:46; 3, Arthur Connolly, 54:26.

M75: 1, Desmond Brownlie, Lagan Valley AC, 1:02:49.

*Full results available on www.greencastle5.com.