Sarah McCormack was the best of the Irish finishers at the World mountain running championships. She finished 15th which is the best ever performance by an Irish woman at these championships. Austrian Andrea Mayr won from Italian Valentina Belotti and American Morgan Aritola. Laura Shaughnessy made a great debut at this level in 37th. Sarah Mulligan and Emma Donlon completed the team. The USA won by 11 points from Italy. It was a particularly strong performance by the Americans who put three in the top eight.
Uganda took a first ever individual and team victory in the junior men’s race. Michael Cherop won by 12 seconds from Turkish runners Adem Karagoz and Sonmez Dag. Cherop ran 28:41 in 2011. Jake O’Regan led the Irish home in 27th with Sean Tobin in 30th. A fine run by Hugh Armstrong in 40th gave Ireland a ninth place team finish which is the first top ten placing since 1998.
Eritrea dominated the senior men’s race with three runners in the top four. Petro Mamo won from compatriot Teklay Weldemariam and Russian Andrey Safronov. Italy had three runners in the top seven for the silver medals. Ireland finished 13th out of 21 teams with Brian MacMahon the top finisher in 42nd. Eoin Flynn ran solidly for 72nd just ahead of Ian Conroy (76th) and Tom Hogan (86th).
Junior women (46 finishers): 1. Sevilay Eytemis (TUR) 20:14; 2.Julia Lettl (GER) 20:53 ; 3 Lea Einfalt (SLO) 21:09; 28. Louise Hill-Stirling (Clonliffe & Ayr Seaforth) 24:30
Junior women team (15 teams): 1.Turkey (1,8) 9 ; 2. Great Britain (4,6) 10; 3 ; Germany (2,13) 15
Junior men (71 finishers): 1. Michael Cherop (UGA) 42:33; 2. Adem Karagoz (TUR) 42:45; 3 ; Sonmez Dag (TUR) 43:10; 27. Jake O’Regan (St. John’s Clare) 47:36; 30. Sean Tobin (Clonmel AC) 48:00; 40. Hugh Armstrong (Ballina AC) 48:53; 61. Killian O’Connor (Sligo AC) 52:29
Junior men team (16 teams): 1. Uganda (1,4,8) 13; 2. Turkey (2,3,15) 20; 3 Italy (5,12,13) 30; 9. Ireland (27,30,40) 97
Senior women (88 finishers): 1. Andrea Mayr (AUT) 46:35; 2.Valentina Belotti (ITA) 47:04 ; 3 ; Morgan Aritola (USA) 47:26; 15. Sarah McCormack (Clonliffe and Moorfoot) 49:59; 37. Laura Shaughnessy (Loughrea and UCD) 52:52; 56. Sarah Mulligan (DSD) 55:57; 63. Emma Donlon (Metro St. Brigid’s) 58:10
Senior women team (19 teams): 1. United States (3,7,8) 18; 2. Italy (2,13,14) 29; 3 ; Switzerland (16,20,22) 58; 9. Ireland (15, 37, 56) 108
Senior men (138 finishers): 1. Petro Mamo (ERI) 1:01:34; 2. Teklay Weldemariam (ERI) 1:02:47; 3 Andrey Safronov (RUS) 1:03:06; 42. Brian MacMahon (Clonliffe) 1:08:54; 72. Eoin Flynn (Rathfarnham) 1:12:26; 76. Ian Conroy (Raheny Shamrocks) 1:13:00; 86. Tom Hogan (Sliabh Buidhe Rovers) 1:13:56; 93. James Kevan (Clonliffe and Horwich RMI) 1:16:21; 112. Stephen Scullion (North Belfast) 1:21:33
Senior men team (21 teams): 1. Eritrea (1,2,4,10) 17; 2. Italy (5,6,7,13) 31; 3 Russia (3,8,27,37) 75; 13. Ireland (42,72,76,86) 276
