Power to defend Loughrea road crown

SEAMUS POWER has indicated that he will defend his title at the Loughrea 5-mile road race on Sunday.

The teak tough Clareman came off a heavy training schedule to finish third behind Craig Mottram and John Mayock in the BUPA Great Ireland Run in the Phoenix Park on Sunday.

"I would like to return to Loughrea next weekend and, all going well, you can take I will be there," he said.

"It is a great race and the organisers have been good to us over the years. I will be surprised if there is not a big interest in it."

Mayock is also a former winner and, apart from Sonia O'Sullivan, the race was also won by Paula Radcliffe three years ago.

This year there will be prizes for the first 15 men and women and the first three vets in each category with t-shirts and goodie bags for all finishers as well as the usual post race hospitality provided by the local committee.

Meanwhile, Paula Radcliffe's manager and husband Gary Lough denies she is planning to run in the New York Marathon on November 2.

The new world half-marathon champion flew to America on Sunday but Lough denied she was planning to enter the race.

"Don't read anything into the trip. We're not planning for Paula to compete again until November," said Lough.

"We're planning Paula's programme after each race and nothing is on the cards."

The last five weeks have seen Radcliffe undertake a hectic four-race schedule culminating with a third world title over 13.1 miles in Portugal.

She surged to victory, defeating Ethiopia's defending champion Berhane Adere by one minute and 27 seconds the largest winning margin in the history of the event.