A FRESH breeze and an unforgiving sun did not detract from an excellent afternoon of racing hosted by North Belfast Harriers at the Mary Peters Track on Saturday. The graded series of 5000m races attracted strong fields for all eight contests.
A Welshman living in Scotland, Kris Jones turned in the fastest time of the afternoon posting a 14:14.06 mark in winning the top seeded race.
“The pace was set out well for me, but I didn’t think I was in that shape,” said Jones.
“But it was hard for me when you’ve got wind and you’re trying to run on your own. I had a bit of illness recently but I’m happy where I’m at and it’s a fantastic event.”
The 31-year-old Swansea Harrier cut loose over the last 1600m to cross the line well clear of runner-up Ben Branagh. Despite being outside his best, the St Malachy’s athlete was pleased with his 14:33.15 mark, given the conditions and the fact it was his first track race of the season.
The enthusiastic crowd were treated to a cracker in the women’s A race with the first three all running personal bests. Cambridge & Coleridge athlete Hannah Irwin, who has NI eligibility, struck the front after the pacemakers had done their job, only for Annabel Simpson later to surge into a significant lead. A comfortable victory looked to be in the bag for the Fife AC runner until Letterkenny AC’s Ann-Marie McGlynn mounted a charge over the final lap which forced Simpson to dig deep in her reserves to hold on for the win.
Simpson’s time of 15:44.87 was a Scottish Commonwealth Games qualifying mark while McGlynn’s 15:46.08 was with an Irish age group record for the over 40s. Irwin was rewarded for her hard work with a credible third spot in 15:50.09.
City of Derry Spartan Ciara Toner was a runaway winner of the women’s B race in 17:28.82 while another Fife AC runner Owen Millar took the honours in the corresponding men’s race registering a fine 14:41.67.
Annadale Striders Jonny Spratt made his move late to win the C race in 15:13.01 while North Down’s Sean McLaughlin impressed in winning the D grade contest in 15:26.13. The E race victory also went across the North Channel as the youthful Inverness Harrier Lucas Cairns was much too good for the opposition, recording a useful 15:34.31.
Earlier Jake Lennox had opened the meeting on a positive note, winning the F race in 16:23.01, a nine-second personal best for the Annadale Strider.
Further down the field European Masters’ Indoor champion Dave Clarke made an auspicious start to the summer season with 17:03.34 clocking.
Meanwhile, Irish cross country champion Fionnuala McCormack was in impressive form yesterday recording a 32:19 timing to finish fourth in the Malaga 10K behind Kenya’s Vicoty Chepngeno who stopped the clock at 31:39.
