Ciobanu breaks record again

NATIONAL champion, Sergiu Ciobanu shaved 20 seconds off the course record which he set last year to retain the Bord Gáis Energy Cork City Marathon title yesterday in 2:25:34 and now sets his sights on Olympic qualification.

The Clonliffe Harriers man was chased home by Corkmen Alan Foolkes (Leevale AC), 2:31:03 and Colin Merritt (Carraig na bhFear), 2:31:59, with Wieslaw Sosnowski (Eagle AC) fourth in 2:32:47.

Ciobanu, who hails from Moldova, does not yet have his Irish passport but has been living in Ireland for five years during which time he has won all the major marathon titles including two national championships.

Yesterday he was a class apart as he powered to a new course record — he set the old record at 2:25:54 last year.

At the four-mile mark on Penrose Quay his Clonliffe Harriers clubmate, Lorcan Cronin, was hanging on but by half way he was well clear on his own with Alan Foolkes (Leevale), back from the US for his hometown marathon, closing on Cronin, David Hogan (London) third and Colin Merritt (Carraig na bhFearr AC) coming through in fifth place.

Foolkes moved into second position at 23 miles and Colin Merrit used his combination of strength and knowledge of the course for another top three placing.

“I found the first half of the race very easy,” Ciobanu said.

“I just went with my clubmate until the half way marker. I wanted to break the course record but it was a bit slow at half way — 73 minutes — it was a little bit windy and it rained for the second half but I saw there was a chance to break the course record again and I worked very hard for the last two miles.”

He finished third behind two Kenyans in the Limerick Marathon five weeks ago but this will be his final marathon before his Dublin bid in October.

“I did not train hard since Limerick — my schedule did not look like marathon training,” he said. “I still raced 10k every weekend — three weekends in a row — but I will take it easy from now on.

“I am looking forward to the Dublin Marathon, retaining the national championship there and I am chasing Olympic qualification.”

Foolkes and his two brothers, Trevor and Jason, are all graduates of McNeese State University and Alan, who is an accountant and is also assistant coach at his alma mater, came home to Cork last Thursday to run the marathon with his brother, Jason.

“Jason is coming back from an injury but he still wanted to run it so we decided to run it together,” Alan said.

The Foolkes brothers were members of Der O’Donovan’s Leevale junior teams that won the national junior cross-country championships nine times in a row and were only beaten by two points for the 10th win.

“This was my fourth marathon. I ran Boston last year (2:37) and I ran 2:37 again in Baton Rouge last December. I wanted to break 2:30 but I got a cramp around 21 miles (in) and it took about two and a half miles for it to go away,” he said.

Sonia O’Sullivan suffered a calf muscle injury over the weekend which ruled out any challenge for the title but she turned out to support Team Sonia to raise funds for the Children’s Leukaemia Association, which supports and assists families during the course of their child’s treatment at the Mercy Hospital in Cork.

Angela McCann (Clonmel AC), who was runner-up last year, went one better this year, claiming the women’s title in a new best time of 2:53:31 with debutante, Mary Scully (Mullingar Harriers), second in 2:57:15 and Anne Curley (Donore Harriers) third in 2:57:38.

The Clonmel housewife only took up running four years ago after the birth of her third baby and two weeks ago she won the European master’s half marathon in France. Yesterday she was competing in her fifth marathon.

“I did Dublin and Cork last year and the year before. I ran 2:59 here last year and 2:53 today, a new pb, so I’m happy,” runner-up Mary Scully said.

“It was tough enough. I thought it was very hilly but it wasn’t a bad run for my first marathon. Now I know what pain is. I ran it with my team and I had Angela in my sights most of the way.”

TJ McHugh (Mayo AC) won the inaugural 2011 Bord Gáis Energy Cork City Half Marathon in 72:51 while Lizzie Lee (Leevale AC) gave home fans plenty to celebrate when she won the women’s race in 79:45.

Former national cross-country champion, Martin McCarthy, Cian Murphy, Ed Murphy and John Barrett, won the relay from Leevale’s Thomas Maunsell, Barry O’Donovan, John Shine, Donal Coffey and Ryan Creech.