Last Sunday saw the annual Belcarra 8k take to the roads around the west Mayo village, the winner was Moy Valley AC runner Michael Canty, with Mayo AC's Sarah Syron the first female to cross the finish line.
A total of 159 runners and walkers took part in the race. Event organiser Nadine Dabbagh said she was really pleased with this year's running of the event, saying: "It was a very successful event, that involved the community from Belcarra - it was not the strength of any one individual, but the strength of the community united and working together made it the success it was.
"We had great weather, great participants, and solid local sponsorship along with willing volunteers, which is the ultimate formula for success. We were happy, because everyone who took part was made welcome in the village."
The profits from the race will go to the Belcarra Community Recreational Park and Playground development fund.
Results
Men: 1st Michael Canty (Moy Valley AC ) 26.37; 2nd: John Byrne (Mayo AC ) 27.41; 3rd: Dwayne Flynn (Mayo AC ) 29.25; 4th: Brendan Hession (Mayo AC ) 29.57.
Women: 1st Sarah Syron (Mayo AC ) 32.30; 2nd Anne Heaney (Belcarra ) 34.09; 3rd: Laura Langan 36.37
Mayo AC athletes hit new PBs
The Mayo AC contingent were also busy all over the country over the weekend with Natasha Kelly 48.35 and Karen Clancy 52.59 both running personal bests at the Eamon Moloney 10k in Ennis. Trevor Kelly also put in a strong run finishing in a time of 73.01.
The week before saw the Ros Run Half Marathon take place in Roscommon and Mayo AC athletes, Justin McDonagh 1:45.51, Paul Darmon 1:49.09, Tracy Cunnane 1:56.40, and Anne Cunnane 2:08.59 all ran personal bests in that race.
At the Bohola Martin Sheridan Memorial event on Easter Sunday, the main event was a 4x2k relay and it was a very well organised and most enjoyable community effort, as was the whole afternoon.
Twelve teams competed including junior, under 40 and over 40 - two men and two women per team. The Mayo AC over 40 team of Anto Devaney, PJ Hall, Breege Staunton, and Colette Tuohy finished second overall and first o40. Colette Tuohy held off Swinford's Jonathon Caulfield on the run in to the line. All finishers received a special commemorative medal engraved with the field event achievements of Bohola native and famous Olympian Martin Sheridan.
The upcoming 2018 Mayo AC Vodafone C&C Cellular Club League events are the National 10k Championships next Sunday April 15 in Dublin (entry closed ) followed by the Run for Boylo 10k in Foxford on April 22.
Next month the Annual Mayo AC Summer 5k Series sponsored by Vodafone C&C Cellular takes place. The weekly series starts in Foxford on May 22 and finishes in Claremorris on June 19. These are ‘no frills’ events and all take place on Tuesday evenings. Look out for entry arrangements and full details at www.mayo.com on events calendar.
