Ballycotton master Ciobanu hopes to go green for Euros
Ciobanu won the event for the fourth year in a row — finishing in 48mins 58secs, a new personal best for the distance.
Ciobanu and Alan O’Shea of Bantry AC shared the early lead, but before three miles had been completed, Ciobanu had surged clear and he continued to run strongly all the way to the finish.
O’Shea did well to hold down second place in 51:06 and Tim O’Donoghue of the East Cork Athletic Club finished third in 51:10. Another East Cork runner, James McCarthy, was fourth in 51:27.
Colm Sheahan of Leevale AC was fifth in 52:01 and Simon Ryan of Raheny Shamrock AC came home sixth in 53:08.
“I was very happy with my performance today, especially as I dipped under 49 minutes to set a personal best time for 10 miles,” Ciobanu said.
“I am hoping to achieve the 2:17 marathon qualifying standard for the European Championships when I run in the Rotterdam Marathon next month and I hope by then that my Irish citizenship application may also have a positive result.”
Ciobanu, who is now coached by Jerry Kiernan, competed in the marathon for his native Moldova at last year’s World Track & Field Championships in Moscow, but he is now looking forward to be soon competing in an Irish singlet.
“I have been treated very well since my arrival in Ireland and I also run for an Irish club — Clonliffe Harriers — who have been very supportive,” Ciobanu said.
“I will be very happy to compete for Ireland in the future, provided I achieve the necessary qualifying standard for championship events in the marathon.”
Last year, Ciobanu posted 49:18 to win his third Ballycotton 10 in a row, but this fourth straight victory was his sweetest yet.
“I love coming to Ballycotton and the support around the course was great this year, ” he said. “There is a special atmosphere about this event that I love and it felt good to win again this year.”
Siobhan O’Doherty of Borrisokane AC was a clear winner of the women’s race in 57:32, well short of the course record of 54:48 set in 2012 by Maria McCambridge of DSD, who sat this one out due to flu.
O’Doherty, who last year won the Flora Women’s Mini-Marathon, led all the way in yesterday’s event. Jill Hodgins finished second in 60:39 and Ann Marie Holland (St Finbarr’s AC) was third in 61:49. Angela McCann (Clonmel AC) was fourth in 62:11 and Claire McManus (North Shields) finished fifth in 62:30. Adele Walsh (St Senan’s AC) was sixth in 63:21.
This was a solid winning performance by O’Doherty, who finished second in the race last year. “It feels good to actually win the famous Ballycotton 10, ” she said.
Yesterday’s event attracted the usual big entry of over 3,000 athletes and played out in perfect conditions.
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