Realisation that someone isn’t typically male or female can emerge at different life stages, writes Helen O’Callaghan.

Eoin Callaghan goes into Monday’s record entry Dublin marathon on the cusp of realising a dream.

UK Athletics has found no evidence of wrongdoing by Mo Farah in the initial findings of its investigation into allegations of doping against his coach Alberto Salazar.

Fionnuala Britton produced the best road race of her career to finish second at today’s Spar Great Ireland run.

A fifth victory in a row by Sergiu Ciobanu of Clonliffe Harriers in the men’s race in and a course record winning time of 54:20 by Maria McCambridge of Dundrum South Dublin Athletic Club were the highlight performances at yesterday’s annual Ballycotton 10 mile in East Cork — the 38th running of this Irish road classic.

Sergiu Ciobanu didn’t take long to understand the prestige and history of the Ballycotton ‘10’. Fresh off the plane from Moldova, Ciobanu quickly realised victory in East Cork would guarantee household status in local running circles.

Athletics: Thomas Barr and Marcus Lawler starred at the Irish Universities Championships Indoor championships in Athlone yesterday.

Athletics: Fionnuala Britton was first woman across the line in the Autumn Cross-Country open 8km race at the Phoenix Park yesterday.

The shock announcement on Sunday that Fionnuala Britton will run in the marathon at the European Championships on August 16 is a high-risk strategy which has raised eyebrows in the athletics community.

Leevale AC’s men and DSD women proved themselves to be the best in the country when they emerged victorious at the GloHealth National League Final at Tullamore Harriers Stadium yesterday.

Fionnuala Britton had that familiar fourth feeling akin to the European cross country championships at a windswept Phoenix Park yesterday where Poland’s Iwona Lewandowska was a surprise winner at the Spar Great Ireland Run 10k in 33:39.

Sergiu Ciobanu of Clonliffe Harriers coasted to a comfortable victory in yesterday’s Ballycotton 10-mile in East Cork — the 37th edition of this famous road race classic.

UCD’s Mark English underlined his world-class potential at the Woodie’s DIY AAI Games in Athlone yesterday with a national 800m indoor record (1:46.82) which qualifies him for the world indoors.

Australia’s spy agency offered to share information about its own citizens with foreign intelligence partners, according to leaked files, sparking calls for an inquiry.

By Will Downing

Fionnuala Britton triumphed in convincing fashion at the Woodie’s DIY National Inter-County Cross-Country championships at Santry Demesne yesterday, while Paul Pollock dominated the men’s race and declared himself a contender for the European championships in December.

Kenenisa Bekele’s star quality was able to pierce through a blustery crosswind at the Spar Great Ireland Run 10km in the Phoenix Park yesterday.

The Irish women’s European Cross-Country winning team will be amongst the medal favourites in the 40th edition of the IAAF World Cross-Country Championships in snow-swept Bydgoszcz, Poland tomorrow.

Not even a missing spike key could deter Mary Cullen from dominating the Woodie’s DIY Inter Club Cross Country Championships in Charleville Estate in Tullamore yesterday.

The Woodie’s DIY National Senior Indoor Championships are set for a major facelift this weekend in Athlone with some of Ireland’s top class athletes set to compete alongside the country’s leading club athletes.

Joe Sweeney of Dundrum South Dublin Athletic Club triumphed in yesterday’s Woodie’s DIY National Inter-County Cross Country Championships at Tattersalls in Meath.

Togher AC’s Rob Heffernan was named as the Athlete of the Year at the National Athletics Awards in association with Woodie’s DIY and Tipperary Crystal on Saturday night.

Some of the worst-off social housing tenants will have to pay shortfalls of up to quarter of their rent if fresh welfare proposals are introduced, the Federation of Northern Ireland Housing Associations warned.

Joanna Mills put the ongoing controversy over the make-up of the Irish Olympic women’s 4x400m relay squad behind her yesterday by returning to the track in impressive fashion.

It’s a busy weekend for young Irish athletes with the annual AVIVA Tailteann Irish Schools Interprovincial Track & Field meeting taking place at the Morton Stadium, Santry today, followed tomorrow by the Irish Junior & U23 Championships in Tullamore.

High jumper Deirdre Ryan has been a regular at major championships ever since competing in the World Youths in 1999.

Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia yesterday smashed the course record when he cruised to victory in the SPAR Great Ireland Run in Dublin’s Phoenix Park yesterday.

The tenth SPAR Great Ireland Run and SPAR Mini and Junior Great Ireland Runs should create a special atmosphere in the Phoenix Park in Dublin tomorrow as over 11,000 adults and children enjoy a family day out.

Eddie McGinley (Annadale Striders) yesterday won his first Irish senior cross country title after leading from the gun in the Woodie’s DIY Inter Clubs Cross Country Championships in Santry.

NEWLY crowned European Cross Country champion Fionnuala Britton arrived in Dublin Airport yesterday evening to a rapturous reception.

JOE SWEENEY strengthened his stranglehold on the domestic cross-country scene when he produced another powerful front-running display to retain his Woodies DIY inter-counties title at Sligo Racecourse yesterday.

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.

CIARAN Ó LIONAIRD took another giant step forward in his fragmented athletics career yesterday when he finished sixth in his semi-final of the men’s 1,500m at the world championships in Daegu to qualify for tomorrow’s final.

PAUL HESSION returned to the scene of his fastest run to claim his place in the 200m at next year’s Olympic Games in London.

RUAIRI FINNEGAN (Letterkenny AC), a finalist at the world youths championships a couple of weeks ago, claimed the gold medal in the 1,500m at the European Youth Olympics in Trabzon, Turkey, yesterday.

SOME of Ireland top young talents secured qualification for international events at the Woodie’s DIY AAI Games at windswept Santry yesterday.

MARIAN HEFFERNAN has been added to the Irish team for next week’s European indoor championships in Paris.

JOE SWEENEY (DSD) finished 10th and helped Europe to victory in the IAAF Cross-Country Team Challenge at the at the snow clad Hollyrood Park in Edinburgh on Saturday.

DERVAL O’ROURKE is out of next weekend’s World Indoor Championships in Doha, Qatar with a hamstring injury.

DERVAL O’ROURKE goes to the World Indoor Championships in Doha next month looking for a repeat of Moscow four years ago when she turned in a succession of storming performances en route to the 60m hurdles title.

PAUL HESSION (Athenry) got exactly what he wanted in the form of a smart 6.75 second victory in the 60m final at the Woodies DIY Indoor Championships of Ireland at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast yesterday.

MARK HANRAHAN (Leevale) will be targeting a place on the Irish team for the SPAR European cross-country championships when he lines up in defence of his Cork senior crown at Clonakilty Showgrounds on Sunday.

PAUL HESSION may have lost his winning streak but he maintained his form in Lucerne last night where he finished fifth in the 200m in 20.75 secs.