Vaughan yearns for home win
A member of the Irish team that won bronze medals at two world cross-country championships, she has figured in most of the big road races at some time or other.
"But I have never won the Cork mini marathon and, being my home town, it is a race I have always wanted to win," she said yesterday.
Last month she finished second to Dublin mini marathon winner Pauline Curley from Tullamore, in the Streets of Galway 8k.
"I ran 26:30 there and I was happy enough with that," she said. "Right now I am looking forward to the cross-country season."
Her main opposition on Sunday could come from fellow international Maureen Harrington (An Riocht) who uses this race a part of her preparation for the cross-country season.
The Kenmare athlete was also a member of the bronze medal winning world cross-country championship teams of 1997 and this year.
Anne Keenan-Buckley (North Laois), the national cross-country champion, will be going for four in a row if she decides to defend her title but it will be a last minute decision.
"Right now I don't intend to run," she said last evening.
"I took a break after the European championships in Munich.
"I had intended to start back training two weeks ago but did not get back until last week so, really, I have done nothing."
"Obviously I would love to defend the title I have just had the trophy polished and maybe I will decide on Sunday to run," she said.
Like Vaughan and Harrington, she has her sights on the cross-country season and plans to defend her title at the Home Countries Masters championships at the end of October.
She will race in Belgium early in November and then the national inter-counties championships.
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