ATHLETICS: Chris McGuinness takes runners-up spot at Larne Half Marathon

There was road, indoors and cross country action over the weekend for local athletes with Olympian and Derry City Track Club members doing very well at the National Masters Indoors championships in Athlone on Sunday.
Foyle Valley AC's Chris McGuinness finished as runner-up at the Larne Half Marathon.Foyle Valley AC's Chris McGuinness finished as runner-up at the Larne Half Marathon.
Foyle Valley AC's Chris McGuinness finished as runner-up at the Larne Half Marathon.

And Chris McGuinness of Foyle Valley claimed the runners-up spot in Saturday’s Larne Half Marathon while Spartans, Aaron Doherty and Fintan Stewart, represented N. Ireland at the Home Countries Cross Country International in Falkirk the same day.

Olympian’s Karen and Martin O’Donnell brought home three Masters medals from the Athlone Arena on Sunday, Karen taking the F35 gold in her 400m championship race while big brother Martin took double bronze in the M40 60m and 200m events.

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Derry City Track Club’s runners were also in the medals with golds for Tim Shiels (M40 400m); Cathal McLaughlin who held off Finn Valley rival Kieron Carlin in a competitive M45 1,500m; Robert Bigger in the M55 800m and Malcolm McCausland in the M60 400m.

Bigger went on to add an M55 1500m silver and McCausland topped up with an M60 silver to cap a good return for the DCTC boys.

Cross Country and Road Round-Up

Aaron Doherty and Fintan Stewart swapped their normal red vests in Callender Park, Falkirk on Saturday when representing N. Ireland in the annual Home Countries Cross Country international. Neither, however, were at the sharp end of their respective races producing somewhat below par runs on the day.

The Larne Half Marathon saw a record 1,900 runners start and a new record of 67m 28s winning effort from the recent SSE Airtricity 10 mile victor, Kenyan Gideon Kimosop.

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Foyle Valley’s Chris McGuinness battled well for second getting home in a new PB of 73m 36s after a race long battle with Ballymena Runners, Ben Morrow, 73m 43s and Willowfields Neil Weir on 73m 54s.

The City of Derry man Kyle Doherty ran well for 6th just losing out to St Peter’s Lurgan man Kevin Egan’s 75m 35s but Kyle had the satisfaction of posting a PB of 75m 41s.

Next up is the popular Omagh Half Marathon this Saturday, March 26th and we believe flyers for the local Waterside Half Marathon, set for Saturday, September 4th, will be included in the Omagh race packs. Watch out for them!

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