Pollock on fire
Paul Pollock (Annadale Striders) led the Irish team to an eighth-place finish at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Cardiff (March 26th), the Annadale strider running 62:46 to place 14th individually.
“I’m very happy with that,” he said. “It was horrible conditions out there. I went out hard, a 4:28 first mile and I was hanging on from then on. I got into a good group and kept pushing the pace. It was very heavy rain for the last two miles. The marathon will be is a different ball game, but I’m in great shape. It’s been a good day today.”
Next in for the Irish was Thomas Frazer (Crusaders), who was 41st in a PB of 65:20. “It was a great race, a lot of awesome competition, and the weather made it more of an even playing field,” he said. “I loved it out there.”
Just behind Frazer was Kevin Seaward (St Malachy's), who was 42nd in 65:23. “We did well as a team,” he said. “Conditions were pretty tough. For where I’m at, I’m happy enough. It was good. “
Sergiu Ciobanu (Clonliffe Harriers) rounded out the Irish team in 50th, running 66:30, while Sean Hehir (Rathfarnham) dropped out just after halfway. “It was good,” said Ciobanu. “I’m probably not at my best at the moment. We came seventh team in the world, which is great, and there are bigger things ahead of us.”
Lizzie Lee (Leevale), the sole Irish female competitor, finished 52nd in 75:36. “Conditions were horrendous,” she said. “It was really, really windy, and I ended up in a group where only two of us wanted to do any work. I got stuck in though. It was a championship, and I wasn’t expecting a PB. If the weather was lovely I’d be disappointed, but in those conditions, what can you do.”
Picture courtesy of Keith McClure