Lively Lee clocks personal best to win in Raheny

Athletics: Athletics

Lizzie Lee was an impressive winner of the Axa Raheny five-mile road race yesterday in a personal best of 26 minutes and 34 seconds. The Leevale athlete won in style but admitted it was a struggle in the opening stages.

“I felt horrendous because I went out as hard as I possibly could,” said Lee afterwards, going through the first mile in 5:01. “I didn’t want to give the track athletes a chance. I went out too hard and hung on for dear life. And it worked.”

The Leevale star is now turning her focus towards the Barcelona half-marathon on Valentine’s weekend, and the Rotterdam marathon in April.

“I’m not targeting any times or standards,” said Lee with regards the World Championship marathon in Beijing in August and the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro next year. “I’m just running as fast as I can. If that means I get on to a team with a green singlet, then fantastic. I’m just going to go out and run as fast as I can in Rotterdam.”

Her marathon best currently stands at 2:38:09 from Berlin two years ago. Athletics Ireland have set a much tougher standard of 2:33:30 for the world championships in August so it will be a tough challenge for the Cork woman.

Letterkenny’s Ann-Marie McGlynn, who captained the Irish women’s cross-country team to bronze at the Europeans, was second in 27:13 with Orla Drumm (Crusaders) third in 27:26. Last year’s winner, Catherina McKiernan, was fourth in 27:42.

Martin Fagan (Mullingar Harriers) was first man home in 23:36. Mick Clohisey (Raheny Shamrock) just missed out on delivering the much sought-after hometown victory in second in 23:44. Conor Dooney (Raheny Shamrock) 24:11 was third.

Leevale’s Sam Healy was the star performer at the GloHealth National Junior and U23 Indoor Championships in Athlone, where he set a national junior record to win the 60m hurdles in 7.89 seconds.

Others to impress were Marcus Lawler (St Laurence O’Tooles) who won the U23 60m and 200m in 6.96 and 21.33 respectively. Cliodhna Manning (Kilkenny City Harriers) was a surprise winner in the U23 60m in 7.64 after Bandon’s Phil Healy was disqualified for false starting. Another to cause a stir was Raheny’s Sean O’Driscoll who beat Sligo AC’s Zak Irwin in the junior 60m. Both were timed at 6.90 — just outside Keith Doherty’s national junior record of 6.88.