National 5k titles down for decision in Phoenix Park

POSTED:

An exciting morning on the roads awaits this Saturday (20th May) as the National 5k Championships take place in the Phoenix Park.

The action will get underway at 9:30am, with many of Ireland’s top road runners looking to take national medals back to their home clubs.

There will be two new champions crowned this year in the absence of last year’s winners Efrem Gidey (Clonliffe Harriers A.C.) and Ciara Hickey (Brothers Pearse A.C.).

Both men’s and women’s races are wide-open, and it is anticipated that they will come down to the wire.

Ciara Wilson (D.M.P. A.C.) won silver in last year’s race and will be looking to go one step further this year. The Wexford athlete who recently represented Ireland at the World Duathlon Championships took the national senior indoor 3000m title back in 2020.

Lizzie Lee (Leevale A.C.) has shown fine form on the roads this year. The Rio 2016 Olympian helped her club to gold at the recent 123.ie National Road Relay Championships in Raheny.

Dublin City Harriers duo Cliona Murphy and Avril Deegan will see themselves as potential medallists. Murphy is a past winner of the National Novice Cross Country Championships while Deegan won the 123.ie National Intermediate Cross Country title in Gowran back in February.

If Murphy and Deegan both perform to their capabilities expect Dublin City Harriers to challenge for senior team honours as well. Brothers Pearse A.C. are the reigning champions and will not be prepared to relinquish their title without a fight.

Jake O’Regan (St. John’s A.C.) is arguably the man to beat in the men’s race. The Clare man who broke fourteen minutes for 5000m on the track last year will be hoping to continue his good run of recent form come Saturday.

Fellow Munster athletes Evan Fitzgerald (Clonmel A.C.) and Eoghan McElhinney (Bantry A.C.) should also be in the mix if their recent showings are anything to go by.

Pierre Murchan (Dublin City Harriers A.C.) represented Ireland last year in the senior race at the European Cross Country Championships in Turin and will feel confident that he can get himself amongst the medals.

Last year the three senior team medals went to Dublin clubs with Clonliffe, Crusaders and Rathfarnham W.S.A.F. taking gold, silver, and bronze respectively. They will be aiming to make the podium once again in 2023.

 

  • Race Start: 9:30am
  • Race information and course map HERE
  • Entry List HERE
  • Provisional results will be available on MyRunResults HERE

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