Maria McCambridge (Letterkenny AC) put in an outstanding performance today to achieve the qualification standard for the London Olympic Games at the Rome Marathon in Italy, running 2:36:37 (inside the Olympic A standard of 2:37). McCambridge was well on track throughout the race, going through the halfway mark in 1:17:37. Although slowing slightly in the second half McCambridge finished strongly and displayed tremendous guts to dip under the qualification standard. McCambridge joins Linda Byrne (Dundrum South Dublin AC) 2:36:23 and Ava Hutchinson (Dundrum South Dublin AC) 2:35:33 as the third Irish women to achieve the standard for London.
On a great day for Irish athletics, a group of elite Irish Racewalker’s were competing in the Lugano Racewalking Grand Prix in Switzerland. Robert Heffernan (Togher AC) claimed sixth position in the men’s 20k race in a time of 1:20:39. Although the time was just outside of his own national record 1:19:22, Heffernan’s ultimate target is the 50k Race in the London Olympics. Olive Loughnane (Loughrea AC) finished tenth in the senior women’s 20k in 1:32:26.
World Youth Gold Medalist Kate Veale (West Waterford AC) won the junior women’s race over the 10k distance in a time of 47.01. Veale dominated the race finishing almost three minutes clear of her closest rival Mellado Coralie of France 49:55. Emma Prendiville (Farranfore Maine Valley AC) finished fourth in the same race in 51:32. James Treanor (Shercock AC) competed in the junior men’s 10k race finishing fifth in a time of 45:08.
