Fionnuala McCormack and Shona Heaslip power to fine victories

While Fionnuala McCormack was busy making her mark at the 35th Cross Internacional de la Constituciónin Spain, Shona Heaslip was causing a stir at the Irish Life Health National Cross Country Championships at the Sport Ireland National Sports Campus yesterday.

McCormack (Kilcoole) decided to forgo the nationals and sharpen her preparations for the European Cross Country Championships at the IAAF meeting on the outskirts of Madrid. She achieved her objective with a notable victory over Ethiopia’s Etenesh Diro Neda who has a 5,000m personal best of 14:33.30.

The Wicklow woman’s victory was somewhat expected but not the same could be said of Shona Heaslip’s (An Riocht) shock victory in the senior women’s 8,000m in 28:13. Kerry O’Flaherty (Newcastle) pipped pre-race favourite Ciara Mageean (UCD) at the finish by one second in 28:23 for the silver.