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The National Half Marathon Championships will take place in conjunction with the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon this Sunday, 2nd of August. The event will bring together Ireland’s leading club athletes in the battle for individual and team glory. Many of Ireland’s leading lights will take to the capitals roads on Sunday as they fine tune their preparations for autumn marathons. It’s not just about the elite runners on Sunday; this is the third year running of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon in Dublin with close to a 10,000 people expected to go the distance. The event is one for all the family with the Rock ‘n’ Roll Family Fun Run also taking place after the main event has finished.
Defending Champions Return
Mick Clohisey (Raheny Shamrock AC) and Sarah Mulligan (Dundrum South Dublin AC) captured national gold last year winning the senior titles in 1.05.55 and 1.16.03 respectively. Both athletes return to their 2014 triumph on the hunt for a second national half marathon title.
A host of athletes are set to challenge Clohisey in the senior men’s category with club mate Freddy Kerron Situk (Raheny Shamrock AC) looking to go one better than his second place finish last year. Paul Pollock (Annadale Striders AC) has raced sparingly over the last while, however with a personal best of 62.10 for the distance the Co. Down born athlete is the class of the field.
Mark Kenneally (Clonliffe Harriers AC) continues his return to form after a long injury lay off; the Celbridge native has represented Ireland to the highest level when competing in the marathon at the 2012 Olympics. Other athletes to watch out for come Sunday include Mark Hanrahan (Leevale AC) and Mark Christie (Mullingar Harriers AC) as they target podium positions.
Mulligan Verses Lee
Mulligan who represented Ireland in the marathon last year at the European Athletics Championships in Zurich will be gunning for two titles in a row after storming to victory in 2014. The DSD athlete will be tested to her limits by the inform Cork athlete Lizzie Lee (Leevale AC). Lee made a big breakthrough in February by finishing in second place in the Barcelona Half Marathon. She continued this form in Dunshaughlin on the 21st of June when she set a new course record of 33.16 for the 10k. The highly anticipated tussle between Lee and Mulligan for the national title is one not to be missed.
Team Titles
Raheny Shamrock will start as the outstanding favourites in the men’s team event with Clohisey and Situk expected to feature in the top placings the North Dublin club will be hard to beat. The women’s event is likely to be a much more open affair with Sportsworld AC the surprise winners in last year’s event.
Entry at the Expo
There is still time to enter the national half marathon championships with entry open at the Expo all weekend at a late entry fee of €40.
