Next Sunday Galway’s finest distance runners will descend on Craughwell for the Galway AAI 10-mile road race championship.
Current team champions GCH will be hoping to retain their title and few would bet against them. Last year’s men’s winner, Sean Connolly of Tallaght AC, is running a half marathon tune-up in Holland as part of his Olympic marathon qualification bid so he cannot defend his title. However former Olympian Pauline Curley of Tullamore Harriers returns in her attempt to win a hat-trick of titles. The race starts at 1pm.
Padraic Creaven of St Mary’s College produced one of the finest cross country performances by a Galway juvenile to win the Aviva All-Ireland Schools Championships on his own school grounds.
The junior title had never been won by a Galway athlete, and Creaven did it in style, controlling the race from start to finish with a masterful display of front running. By the last lap he was 16 seconds clear of nearest challengers, Cathal Doyle (Colaiste Choilm, Swords ) and Jack O’Leary (Clongowes ).
Creaven was cheered on by a large home crowd which included many greats of Galway running, including former European silver medallist Paul Donovan, former national cross country champion Paul McNamara, and current Olympic hopeful Gary Thornton.
Presentation College Athenry also had an excellent result in the minor girls event, taking an historic bronze.
