Results Successful return to competition for Sara. Moynalvey native Sara Treacy enjoyed a superb return to competitive athletics last weekend (6th Oct) when she turned out at the Manchester University Cross Country Relays. Treacy (18) was wearing the red and blue colours of Birmingham University for the first time, as she recently commenced studying medicine there on a full sports scholarship. The Manchester University relays drew almost 300 third-level athletes from all over the United Kingdom with 132 participants in the women’s event alone. Meath athlete, Sara, was the second fastest on the day (12 minutes and 4 seconds) behind her Birmingham University club-mate, Stacey Johnson (11:58) Of particular note is the fact that this performance came after a 10 month absence from competition. Sara picked up an injury shortly after racing in the European Cross Country last December in Italy, and was subsequently unable to compete in the spring cross country events. This piece of bad luck ruled her out of contention for another Irish School’s Cross Country title, having already won a record breaking 4 in-a-row previous to that for her former school, The King’s Hospital. Sara’s transition from schools’ to university level competition will no doubt have been made even more enjoyable by the fact that she out-paced two of the UK’s top young athletes, Non Stanford (12:13 ) who has trained with double Olympic gold medallist Kelly Holmes, and 3000m specialist Olivia Kenney (12:55). Following a 12 month break from competition in Ireland, Sara will soon be donning the Meath singlet when she represents her county in the National Inter-Counties Cross Country on the 25th November. Chamney opens up season in Madrid Thomas Chamney opened up his Olympic year preparations with a fine 9th place finish in the Milla Triball Road Mile in Madrid yesterday (14th October). He finished just behind new training partner Maneul Olmedo and top Spanish athletes Juan Carlos Higuero and Arturo Cassado. The race was won by Mekonnen Gebremedhin of Ethiopia. Thomas has recently launched a new personal website as he charts his progress in the build up to next years Beijing Olympics. The former Notre Dame athlete is now based in Soria, Spain under the guidance of renowned coach, Enrique Pascual who guided Fermin Cacho to Olympic Gold in Barcelona and who now coaches a host of top Spanish athletes. The site contains regular updates and videos on the Crusaders A.C. and Clonmel athlete's preparations from training, racing, science and daily activities. The website can be accessed here (LINK :web.mac.com/madra08 ) RESULTS: MILLA TRIBALL - Madrid 14th October 1. Mekonnen Gebremedhin ETH 4:13 2. Sergio Sánchez 4:13 3. Alemayehu Bezabeth ETH 4:15 4. Abdelhak Sabhi MAR 4:20 5. Álvaro Fernández 4:21 6. Juan Carlos Higuero 4:22 7. Arturo Casado 4:23 8. Manuel Olmedo 4:23 9. Thomas Chamney IRL 4:24 10. Eugenio Barrios 4:24 11. Luis Miguel Martín 4:25 12. Antonio Jiménez 4:28 13. Diego Ruiz 4:31 14. César Pérez 4:32 (ESP-unless stated) Donegal Masters Cross Country Results
