McKiernan turns back the clock as Power joins legends
As McKiernan turned back the years, Seamus Power underscored his place amongst the legends of Irish athletics with a record-equalling fourth senior men’s title at Roscommon Racecourse yesterday.
McKiernan, who last won the event at the Phoenix Park in 1993, was overjoyed with the achievement.
“As you grow older, you realise that there may not be so many left so you treasure each one. I think this was more precious to me than anything I have done in the past,” she said.
“I knew I was back today and it is great to be back. I went to the European cross-country championships and I knew I should not have gone because I had missed so much. It did not help my confidence at all and I came away with some doubts. Today those doubts were dispelled and I must say I enjoyed every inch of that race.”
Victory was achieved after an enthralling contest. Maria McCambridge, (DSD), who recently returned some excellent performances on the indoor circuit, Rosemary Ryan,(Bilboa), the inter-counties champion, and Ireland’s newest international, Jolene Byrne, (Donore Harriers), set a blistering early pace with McKiernan hanging off the back some 20 to 30 metres behind.
After the first lap (2,000 metres), McKiernan joined the leaders on the downhill stretch with Tullamore runner, Pauline Curley, and former national junior champion, Fionnuala Britton, trying to get on terms.
With McCambridge forcing the pace, Ryan, lost touch and then, with 3,000 metres to go, McKiernan surged clear.
“If I had not won today I would have really been disappointed,” she said afterwards. “There are always doubts when you are coming back. I felt I was in medal shape before the Europeans but things did not work out. But now I know I am back. Today it was like old times.”
For Seamus Power it was like more of the same. Not having raced since the European championships, he too, was unsure of his form and the fact that he had been operating in unknown territory 120 miles per week in preparation for the London Marathon did not help matters.
However, he quickly settled into a nine man group that also included his training partner, Peter Matthews, (DSD), defending champion, Martin McCarthy, (Leevale), Cillian Lonergan, (Clonliffe harriers), Vincent Mulvey, (Raheny shamrocks), Cian McLoughlin, (Clonliffe), Gary Murray, (St. Malachy’s), Robert Connolly, (DSD), and they were led by Dermot Donnelly, (Annadale Striders).
With Donnelly unrelenting at the front, the leading group quickly began to disintegrate. McCarthy was the most high profile casualty and eventually walked off the course after a severe stitch. At that point the race for the medals up front was being decided. Power surged clear of Donnelly with more than a lap to go.
“I felt he was not pushing so hard anymore and I thought if I could get away before the stand I would have the crowd behind me and then the drop down to the bottom of the course. I had a stitch at that point and was beginning to feel the pressure for the first time,” Donnelly recalled.
“It was a matter of holding on now because I could see Seamus was very strong. I felt I was now hanging on for second,” he said.
Now the race for the bronze medal was under way with Matthews hanging on for dear life as Kenneally passed Lonergan and Mulvey came through to challenge after surviving his bad patch.
“I was economical at the start but I could not afford to allow anyone get away,” Power said. “I was anxious but I had to be patient until I saw how things would pan out. Not having raced for so long I was not too sure how things would go but everything went well today.”
Power, who has also won nine inter-counties titles, joins Gerry Deegan as the only man to win four national senior inter-club titles.
Mark Christie, (Mullingar Harriers), also made his way into the history books when winning three national junior titles in a row to equal the record of Paul Logan, (Limerick), in spectacular style. The Irish selectors will be hoping that Azmera Gebrezgi’s eligibility comes through in time for the world cross-country championships after the Eritea-born athlete won the junior women’s title.
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