Resurgent Ledwith named on Irish team

ANDREW LEDWITH (Fr. Murphy’s) has been named on the Irish senior men’s team for the world cross-country championships at the end of the month in what could prove a very wise decision by the selectors.

The teak tough Meathman, on an athletics scholarship with Mick Byrne at Iona College, had a sensational day at the collegiate conference indoor meeting in Washington the weekend before last when he won back to back 3,000m and 5,000m titles.

The times — 8:16.16 and 14:53.46 — were not world shattering but the significance of the respective performances was reflected in the fact that he beat athletes who would normally have finished ahead of him in previous years and he had just had one indoor race over a mile prior to that.

He had a fine collegiate cross-country season and made the top 10 — first Irish finisher — in the under-23 race at the European cross-country championships in December despite his earlier exertions on behalf on his college.

The performances have come on the back of what must be his first injury-free stretch in a long time and he is sure to be one of Ireland’s leading contenders when Athletics Ireland host the European cross-country championships at Santry next year.

Keith Kelly from Drogheda is another interesting inclusion in the team. He has had more than his fair share of injury problems but he ran 50 mins 40 secs for 10 miles in the US at the weekend and if he can reproduce that form in Edinburgh on March 30 he will more than justify his selection.

Cathal Lombard (Leevale) who made a stunning return to cross-country running in Belfast on Saturday was not available for selection so the team will be led by Alistair Cragg who finished second in that race and will be joined by third placed Vinny Mulvey and his Raheny Shamrock team mate, Mick Clohissey, who was fourth.

Making his debut will be Chris Chariss who celebrated his 33rd birthday on Saturday by helping Clonliffe Harriers to their fifth consecutive club title in Belfast where he finished fifth in what was only his second race in four years.

A member of Bingley Harriers, he came off prolonged injury to finish 18th in the English championships a couple of weeks earlier. He has a marathon time of 2 hrs 14 mins and is an Elite entry for this year’s London Marathon.

The women’s team will be headed by Fionnuala Britton. The Sli Chulainn athlete was in top from again at the weekend as she won the women’s race in Belfast to retain her title. Britton came home a minute ahead of the 2006 winner Maria McCambridge, who will join her on the women’s team along with Linda Byrne, Orla O’Mahony, Deirdre Byrne and Suzanne McCormick from Lagan Valley.

A full complement of junior men will be led by Michael Mulhare (North Laois) and Craig Murphy (Togher AC), first two in the junior race on Saturday.

But Sarah Louise Treacy from Moynalvey/Kilcoon AC will be the only Irish representative in the women’s junior race. Treacy finished third behind the O’Carroll twins, Charlotte and Rebecca, on Saturday but the Dundrum South Dublin runners are unable to compete due to exams.