Relentless Gary O’Hanlon storms to Cork City Marathon crown

Pain was no barrier for Gary O’Hanlon as he finally won the Irish Examiner Cork City Marathon in style with a course record of 2:21:10 as Zola Flynn captured the women’s title in 2:58:55.

“I threw everything in to it,” said O’Hanlon, 43, afterwards who won the race at his fourth attempt. Kenya’s Peter Somba was the main threat on the day, having been winning on the Irish roads in recent months with scant regard for his opposition using sit and kick tactics.

“I went for it at three miles and he (Somba) had to crumble at some point, it was either him or me. I did a 68 half marathon from mile 3 to mile 16. I thought to myself ‘he’s going to suffer.’”