Christie and O’Flaherty win national 10k titles at Great Ireland Run

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Christie and O'Flaherty crowned national champions

Mark Christie (Mullingar Harriers) provided the home cheer by winning the national 10k title in 29:30 and overall victory at the Great Ireland Run in the Phoenix Park today (April 9th).

Fionnuala McCormack (Kilcoole) was a late withdrawal overnight due to a lingering injury which left England’s Gemma Steel in to take overall victory in the women’s race in 34:15.

The first 5km is always quick with a lot of downhills before they get to the hillier section and the Furry Glen in the second half of the course. And it was around the 8km point that Mark Christie opened up on the chasing duo of England’s Graham Rush and Raheny Shamrock’s Mick Clohisey.

Rush held on for second overall in 29:41 with Clohisey third in 29:44 which won him the silver medal for the national championships. Clonliffe Harriers’ Sergiu Ciobanu rounded out the national podium winning bronze in 30:20.  

Kerry O’Flaherty (Newcastle) took up the reigns for the Irish women’s team in the absence of Fionnuala McCormack and she put in a gritty performance to finish third overall while also bagging her second national 10km road title which she last won in 2009.

Leevale’s Claire McCarthy was second in the national championship race in 34:47 and looks set for the London marathon in two weeks’ time. DSD’ Laura Shaughnessy won national bronze in 35:04. 

The Irish team defended the Sean Kyle Cup in the international competition against England. 

Full results to follow

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