World Masters Bronze Medals for Irish Team

The World Masters was held on an uphill course in Telfes Austria. A large group from Irealnd and Northern Ireland travelled over to compete with the best masters runners in the World. Mark Ryan (Rathfarnham) had an excellent run in the M35 category to win a bronze medal. The race was very competitive with Ryan breaking away on the earlier flatter parts of the course. However USA World long-distance medallist Eric Blake eventually prevailed and recorded the fastest time across all races. The Irish team also won bronze thanks to support from Peter O’Farrell and Paul Fleming – all three scorers are from Rathfarnham.

Martin McDonald

Martin McDonald (North Laois) won bronze in the M55 category. Martin has a long series of top performances in Masters races and winning a place on the podium makes him one of the most deserving Irish medal winners over the years. The Irish women’s W40 team just missed out on the podium when finishing fifth team.

Results

Men 35-50: 11,500 metres with 1100 metres climb

Men 55-75 / Women 35-75: 7,200 metres with 760 metres climb

Men 35 (41 finishers)

• 1. Eric Blake (USA) 59:31; 2. Laurent Vicente (FRA) 01:02:35; 3. Mark Ryan (Rathfarnham) 01:03:00; 17. Peter O’Farrell (Rathfarnham) 01:13:19; 22. Paul Fleming (Rathfarnham) 01:18:04; 30. John Kelly (Cappawhite AC) 01:24:45

Men 35 Team

• 1. Austria (5,7,18) 30; 2. Italy (9,10,13) 32; 3. Ireland (3,17,22) 42

Women 40 (32 finishers)

• 1. Jutta Brod (GER) 45:48; 2. Ivana Sekyrova (CZE) 46:05; 3. Paula Canning (NZL) 46:34; 21. Zoe Melling (Rathfarnham) 57:36; 23. Joy Johnson (Sli Cualann) 01:00:03; 24. Vanessa Sallier (Rathfarnham) 01:00:25.

Women 40 Team

• 1. Italy (4,5,6) 15; 2. Germany (1,9,12) 22; 3. Czech Republic (2,5,18) 35; 5. Ireland (21,23,24) 68

Men 40 (80 finishers)

• 1. Daniele De Colo (ITA) 01:02:38; 2. Giuseppe Antonini (ITA) 01:05:05; 3. Gunther Angerer (ITA) 01:05:29; 25. Padraig MacCriostail (Rathfarnham) 01:15:17; 34. Bernard Fortune (Sliabh Buidhe Rovers) 01:17:45; 49. Paul Burns (East Down AC) 01:22:23; 63. Leo Murray (Tir Chonaill) 01:32:55

Men 40 Team

• 1. Italy (1,2,3) 6; 2. Germany (7,12,19) 38; 3. Austria (15,18,32) 65; 4. Ireland (25,34,49) 108

Men 50 (91 finishers)

• 1. Franco Torresani (ITA) 01:04:49; 2. Craig Roberts (GBR) 01:06:11; 3. ; Martin Obexer (ITA) 01:07:01; 17. Sean Foley 01:12:29; 72. Eugene McCann (Mourne Runners) 01:34:23

Men 55 (81 finishers)

• 1. Wilhelm Dengler (GER) 42:46; 2. Leonid Tikhoniv (RUS) 43:50; 3. Martin McDonald (North Laois) 43:58; 19. Dominic McGreevy (Newcastle AC) 47:19

Men 60 (69 finishers)

• 1. Milos Smrcka (CZE) 44:27; 2. Meinrad Beha (GER) 44:57; 3. Albert Rungger (ITA) 45:10; 46. Peter Bell (NIMRA) 59:18; 61. William John Brown (Mourne Runners) 01:06:52