Galway native Marie Hyland won this year's National Intermediate Cross Country Championship in Dundalk on Sunday.
Hyland, who now runs with Dublin based club Crusaders AC, won the intermediate women's title with a fantastic front running performance .
A native of Salthill, Hyland has shown great form this season, having won the Fields of Athenry 10k at Christmas in a super time of 36.36. And she again proved her class on the testing and muddy course in Dundalk, winning by a big margin from Catherina Mullen of Shercock AC.
Having placed sixth in the same event two years ago, her continued improvement is a testament to consistent training and racing, and bodes well for next month’s National senior event in Tuam.
There was a fine run also from Jason Broderick of Craughwell AC, who came a great 12th in the intermediate men's event which attracted a top-class field. Broderick was in the lead group early on in the race, but could not stay with winner Cian O'Reilly when he pushed for home.
At masters level, Martin McEvilly of GCH took the silver medal at O65 level, and the masters men’s team, anchored by Gerry Carty, Brian Furey and Brian O'Connor, ran well, with Furey first home in 40th place in what was a huge field of more than 250 starters.
A strong masters' women's team competed for Galway, just missing medals. Galway Bay half marathon champion Grainne Ni Uallachain of GCH was first home in 46th, clubmate Jean O'Connor was next in 55th, backed up by Anne Burke of Ballinasloe and Mags Sheridan GCH, who were next scorers home.
Galway Indoor Championships
More than 600 athletes from all Galway clubs competed at both juvenile and adult level a the 2016 Galway Indoor Championships at Athlone IT on Sunday.
At adult level, Damien Larkin of Craughwell AC won the men’s 3000m from Eamon Hornibrook and Sean McDermott, in second and third respectively. Dearbhaile Walshe of Craughwell took the 3k gold. At 800m, Peter O'Sullivan ran 2.04 to claim the men’s title and Aoife King of GCH won the women's gold. In the sprints, Irish international Conor Duggan won the senior men’s 60m in 7.15, and GCH’s Laura Ann Costello won in 7.76. Brendan Lynch of Loughrea won the sprint hurdles. Nicole King of GCH won the women's 200m, while Cillian Greene ran a great 22.38 to win the men’s 200m.
At juvenile level, GCH had impressive wins from Emma Moore at U13 hurdles and 600m, Sean Dunne over 60m hurdles at U12 , Sarah Agboola in the U14 girls 60m, Shauna Brennan U14 girls 800m, Seren O Toole at U15 girls hurdles, and Jennifer Hughes (U15 800m ), while at U16/17 ages, Kacper Poniatowski won a 60m and 200m double in the sprints, Aoife Sheehy won the 800m, and Lydia Doyle won 200m gold.
Craughwell AC winners on the track included Lewis Ryan U14 hurdles; Shaun Gilligan U14 60m; Danny Morrissey U13 60m; Conor Hoade U13 60m hurdles; Eve Ayo 60m U13; Liam Leen U14 800m; Kyle Moorhead 800m U 15 Boys; Sean Connaughton U15 Boys 60m sprint; Freya Bohan 60m; and Oisin Lyons U16/17 800m.
Loughrea AC winners were Darragh Fahy U10 Boys 60m, and Aoibhin Farrel U14 hurdles.
