Swinford AC hosted its annual 8k on Sunday. It was also the fourth race in Mayo AC's C&C Cellular Road League. The turnout was slightly down on last year but conditions were good and the race put some síamsa on the local sráide
Mary Gleeson ran well and won the women's race for the fourth year in row in 29:35, slightly slower than 2011. However she increasingly lacks any real local competition. This may be in part due to six races taking place in Mayo over the weekend. Mayo AC dominated the women's results again, and there was a remarkable performance on her home streets by Margaret Glavey who knocked six minutes off he 2011 time to win the o60 category in 36:47.
The men's race was marred by a poor stewarding just before the 5k mark, when race leaders Matt Bidwell (GCH ) and David Tiernan who were well ahead at the time, went off course. Subsequently, the race organisers Swinford AC placed them first and second when results were published. Bidwell came home in a time of 27:29 in first with Tiernan second, a second further back, and Anto Devanney finishing in 29.14. Swinford AC’s Peter Hynes was the winner of the o40s’ race, with Hugh Duffy winning o50, and Wille Parke won the o60 race. The men’s junior race was won by Oisin Wells, with Roisin Hynes winning the ladies’ equivalent.
Ballinrobe Festival Duathlon results
Bright sunshine greeted the 100 participants who took part in the Ballinrobe Duathlon recently. A big interest from the locals, many of whom were taking part for the first time in a duathlon event, added to the atmosphere with parents, partners, and children roaring them on. At the front of the race it was Galway Ironman organiser Ruaidhri Geraghty who took the spoils in a time of 41.06 mins from his club team-mate Art Naughton 43.41, with Brendan Conway 44.10 of Westport in third.
In the ladies’ section London’s Delia Debbis won in a time of 48.19 mins from Westport’s Leona Moran 48.53 and local woman Kathleen Barry came third in 51.19. In the over 40 section Jimmy Lawlor Westport was first home and in the ladies’ Michelle Traynor of Ballina Tri Club won this section.
