Super Power gunning for ninth consecutive title
“He holds a phenomenal record. A month before the race you can see the change in him. He really gets motivated for this race,” the Dubliner insisted. “And when he retires they will have to name the race after him.” Cross-country running is a discipline that separates the men from the boys and Power has earned place among the legends. The speculation has been intense. Maybe Keith Kelly, after a couple of superb performances in the US, could strip him of the title. This week, however, the Drogheda man has been under treatment for a recurrence of his old hip injury and was due to have an MRI scan in Dublin.
Gareth Turnbull is out through injury, Cathal Lombard is recovering from a virus and National inter-clubs champion, Martin McCarthy, is recovering from a broken wrist. So, it could once again come down to Peter Matthews He has had some great duels with Power in both the inter-counties and inter-clubs championships, and while he has three inter-club titles - beating Power for one in a classic at Dublin Airport - he has never won the inter-counties title.
“I have been second to him more times than I care to remember,” he admitted. “It is very difficult to beat Seamus in the inter-counties. He is just amazing.”
But he is delighted just to be lining up alongside the Clareman at Belvedere House on Sunday after a year of frustration.
“This will be only my second cross-country race since the world championships in Leopardstown,” recalling that he finished seventh in the Reebok International in Birmingham as Power finished among the medallists.
“That was a breakthrough for me. It had been such a long time and there had been so much frustration. I owe a lot to my physio, Martin McCabe. He would come out on a bike with me to make sure I was running properly and he would come to the gym with me as well. It was a long term injury that was associated with the old back injury. It was what you could describe as a knock-on affect.
“Now, thanks to Martin and my coach, Eamonn Kelly, I am back running again.” He will be joined by his team mate, Vincent Mulvey, in Sunday’s challenge but both know they face a difficult assignment.
Seamus Power put the finishing touches to his preparations by winning the Margate International on Sunday week, where Catherina McKiernan took the women’s title.
“But, to be honest, I felt I ran better in Birmingham,” he said. “In Birmingham I was chasing all the time. In Margate I led all the way and that is not a situation I like to be in.” “I am looking forward to Sunday. It is all about getting to the line in proper condition; I feel pretty good right now. I have won the title eight times and I can say none of them have been easy so I don’t expect an easy race this time around.”
Catherina McKiernan, who missed a few days training since Margate with a cold will be favourite to reclaim the women’s title. National champion, Anne Keenan-Buckley, displayed her best form in the Masters championships last Sunday and will be right in the front line.
Former national champion, Rosemary Ryan (Bilboa) returned to form at Margate where she was runner-up to Catherina McKiernan, so an exciting women’s race is in prospect.
Last weekend was a good one for the Irish masters with Carmel Parnell (Leevale) following up on her recent fine run in the Cork senior championships with a big victory in her category. She is in the Cork team again on Sunday.
With Sonia O’Sullivan due back on December 5, the team for the European championships in Edinburgh will then be complete. It will be announced on Monday. Marie Davenport has been turning in some fine performances in the US and is likely to be included, while Una English runs a road race this weekend and, depending on results, will be hopeful of also making the team.
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