JOE SWEENEY goes into tomorrow’s Woodies DIY national inter-county cross-country championships overwhelming favourite to retain the title he won in Derry last year.

LINDA BYRNE (Dundrum/South Dublin) claimed her place at next year’s Olympic Games in London when she finished sixth in yesterday’s National Lottery Dublin Marathon in 2:36:21 which was just inside the “A” standard set by Athletics Ireland at 2:37.

HE has never represented his country but Geoffrey Ndungu underscored the immense wealth of talent that remains untapped in Kenya when he reduced the course record to 2:08:33 to win yesterday’s National Lottery Dublin Marathon.

LINDA BYRNE will add to an already exciting women’s field in the National Lottery Dublin Marathon this morning with the national championships incorporated in the event.

DUBLIN Marathon Race Director Jim Aughney yesterday had good reason to feel like a lottery millionaire with the announcement that the National Lottery is the new title sponsor for the October Bank Holiday weekend event.