Front-running Britton untouchable in Antrim

FIONNUALA BRITTON beat a quality field to notch up another victory in Saturday’s IAAF Grand Challenge Cross Country International over a rain-sodden course in Greenmount, Antrim.

The European Cross Country champion had her opponents under pressure from an early stage with her front-running tactics. Britain’s Emma Steel made a brave attempt to contain Britton and closed in on her near the halfway mark, but in the final lap Britton again picked up the pace to win from Steel and the Ethiopian pair Birtukan Adamu and Mekele Bekele.

Britton explained: “I wanted to run my own race and that is why I went out hard from the start. Then, with a lap to go, I felt strong enough to push on again.”

Siofra Cleigh Buttner of Dundrum South Dublin Athletic Club delivered another Irish victory in Antrim, winning a competitive girls’ U17 race ahead of her club mate, Claire McCarthy, and there was a Kenyan clean sweep in the men’s senior international race, won for the third time in succession by Mike Kigen.

The Woodie’s DIY AAI Games took place in Nenagh on Saturday, followed yesterday by the Woodie’s DIY National Junior Indoor Track & Field Championships.

On Saturday, Claire Bergin (Dundrum South Dublin AC) won the 400m in 55.34 seconds, just outside her indoor best of 55.06. Mary McLoone (Tir Chonaill AC) upset the expected outcome in the women’s long jump, winning with a leap of 6.13m from Kelly Proper (Ferrybank AC) 5.98.

The women’s 1,000m saw Laura Crowe (An Riocht AC) get the better of European U23 1500m finalist Sara Louise Treacy (Moynalvy AC), winning in 2:50.97.

In yesterday’s junior action, Dean Cronin won the 800m title in 1:53.89 with Isuelt O’Donnell (Raheny Shamrock AC) taking the women’s title in 2:26.98.

Elsewhere, Karl Griffin of Tir Chonaill AC ran brilliantly to win the 400m title in 50.43, Kate Veale (West Waterford AC) won the junior women’s 3,000m race walk title in 13:29.37 and there was a close finish in the men’s 3,000m race walk won in 12:49.43 by Evan Lynch (Clonmel AC). Club mate Michael Carey won the 1500m title in 4:10.88 and Mary Anne O’Sullivan, (Tinryland AC) took gold in the women’s equivalent in 4:47.74.

Meanwhile, Tori Pena (Finn Valley AC) improved her Irish pole vault record to 4.45m in Reno, Nevada yesterday.