CONAN McCaughey starts as favourite for the premier title on offer at tomorrow’s Northern Ireland & Ulster Intermediate and Masters’ Cross Country Championships at the University of Ulster Coleraine.
The Enniskillen man was a winner of the provincial Novice title in 2014 and followed up that with a runner-up spot in last year’s intermediate after a losing out in a dour struggle with Glaslough Harrier Conor Duffy.
However, the Stirling University student has continued to flourish under the guidance of his coach Tommy Farrell and impressed at the Antrim International two weeks ago. After a conservative start, McCaughey worked his way through the field to end up a highly respectable 20th, third northerner across the finish line.
That is good enough form to suggest they will hang the gold medal around his neck but sport does not work that way.
Instead, the Derry Track Club athlete will have to contend with, among others, the fast-improving Chris Madden from the City of Lisburn club and Conor McCambridge who was a member of the winning North Belfast Harriers team last year but qualifies again through age.
The team title could be the most interesting for years with last year’s runners-up Acorns intent on going one better.
That would be an historic first for Francis Purvis’s club which, although only formed a couple of years ago, has been making its mark on local athletics in their distinctive sky blue uniforms. City of Derry, Foyle Valley and Ballymena Runners provide the opposition.
Newcastle’s Shalane McMurray has been the discovery of the season and should be too strong for her rivals in the women’s Intermediate race. In fact it could be a double for the Newcastle club with a victory in what appears to be a wide-open women’s team contest.
It looks like it could be a repeat of last year’s result in the masters’ race with newly-crowned national champion Declan Reed set to defend his Northern title from Inishowen’s Pauric McKinney. Reed’s City of Derry squad could also lift the team gold medals with the addition to their ranks of new Master Allan Bogle who could also lift an individual medal.
Omagh Harrier Julie Butler is favoured to take the women’s title following impressive displays at the Northwest Cross Country and Sperrin Harriers’ Winter League. Again the destination of the team title is hard to predict but North Belfast and Balldrain should be in the final shake-up.
OCS continues its support for Ireland's Paralympic team
One Complete Solution (OCS) has been announced as a sponsor of the Irish Paralympic team as they build for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
The international facilities management service provider supported the country’s Paralympic squad at London 2012 and have now opted to continue their support, with the agreement revealed at the company’s Irish headquarters.
Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring, was among the attendees at the event, alongside swimmers Ellen Keane and James Scully and Irish cerebral palsy football captain Luke Evans.
“Having a good supportive sponsor in place is very important for sporting organisations, particularly in the lead up to major competitions like the Paralympic Games in Rio,” said Ring.
As part of the agreement OCS will again sponsor the 2016 OCS Irish Paralympic Awards, which are due to be held in December. They previously supported the inaugural edition of the Awards in 2012, which aimed to honour the achievements, successes and contributions of the Irish Paralympic team.
Athletics stars Jason Smyth and Michael McKillop (pictured) shared the men’s Outstanding Achievement Award after both earning double gold, while Bethany Firth, who now swims for Britain, claimed the women’s honour.
Belfast International returns
THE Belfast International Athletics Meeting returns to the calendar on May 7 after an absence of two years. The event had been the highlight of the local summer season before it was cancelled last year reportedly due to a lack of funds.
This year’s meeting will be organised jointly by Athletics Northern Ireland, Beechmount Harriers and the Irish Milers Club. It will incorporate the highly successful Irish Milers’ Club meeting hosted last year by the enterprising Beechmount Harriers and organised by Eamonn Christie.
“We are very delighted to be part of this event,” said Paul Magee from Beechmount Harriers.
“After the success of last year’s event with over 210 entries over all races, we are pleased that this event is staging to be a regular fixture on the racing calendar.
“We hope to enhance this event again for 2016 and teaming up with Athletics Northern Ireland for this will boost the International athlete field.”
It is hoped the meeting will serve as an ideal warm-up for those looking to gain standards for the Olympics. Also, it will hopefully attract thousands to the Mary Peters Track to watch what should be a top class meeting.
Rio-bound steeplechaser Kerry O’Flaherty is just one of a host of top athletes from home and abroad who are expected to compete.
The Newcastle AC athlete qualified for the Olympics when she ran a Northern Ireland record of 9:42.51 at the Letterkenny Sub Four Minute Mile Challenge meeting in Letterkenny last summer.
Half Marathon Series to start in Newry
THE Pure Running Half Marathon Series enters its eighth year with the first race in 2016 set for February 14. The traditional opener is the Dune Half Marathon, with the runners covering a course from Newry to Dundalk.
The inaugural series in 2009 had six races that attracted just over 5600 entrants. Last year, the number of participants had grown to just short of the 8000 mark with 10 races now in the series.
Only Angus McCready from Antrim has completed all 57 races in the series, which is even more remarkable considering he was working and living in England for a while. His dedication meant travelling home for the races, some of which are midweek, even when slightly injured.
The other races in the Pure Running Half Marathon series are: March 19: Larne; March 26: Omagh; May 29: Newry Half Marathon and Marathon; June 15: Lisburn; June 24: Ards; July 23: Dervock; July 31: Cookstown; August 13: Groomsport; August 20: Dambusters.
Full details of rules and entry are to be found on www.athleticsni.org
