McCarthy’s big step to London

MARTIN McCARTHY (Leevale) took his first major step towards a planned marathon debut in London next year when he won the AVIA Cork half marathon in 67 mins 34 secs from the Austrian international, Peter Wuundsam (LCC Vienna), over a new course around Blarney and Rathduff yesterday.

With his build and style of running, a move to the marathon was always going to be inevitable and the ease with he cruised to victory yesterday underscored his potential.

Wuundsum, who arrived in Ireland just over a week ago for Una English’s wedding, trained in Killarney for the past week and provided McCarthy with an interesting opponent.

Two opening miles just outside five minutes had them clear of the 300-strong field and they were locked together until the eighth mile when McCarthy surged clear outside Rathduff when they faced a heavy shower of rain driven by a strong headwind. From here on it was all McCarthy.

“I could not have beaten him today. He played with me a bit,” Wuundsam said. “It was very windy going out and I did a lot of miles during the week. I am happy to be second to him.” A cross-country international who has represented his country at European and world championship levels, he is currently preparing for the cross-country season. So, too, is Martin McCarthy who also has the world and European championships as his target but, looking further ahead, he has the London Marathon next April on his mind.

“The time was going to be irrelevant today,” he said. “It was very windy and then the rain compounded the difficulties, but I did not have any real problems. I felt strong all the way.”

This time last year he was coming back after a lay-off and Jerry Kiernan, the cross-country team manager, told him it would take a year.

“He was right,” he said. “I surprised myself when I made the team for the European cross-country championships and I was looking forward to the Worlds in Dublin.” However, he tore a muscle in the lead up to the event He made it to Leopardstown but said that he really should not have taken part. It aggravated the injury and it was only in the Streets of Galway 8k when he was second to UK international Ben Noad that he was back to his best. “Everybody says the marathon will be my event and I feel now is the time,” said McCarthy.

Teak tough vet John Griffin (Tralee Harriers) took third place yesterday in 70min 21sec. He won this title five times. He won the Dublin marathon twice back in the 1980’s and last year he was first Irish runner across the line when he won the vets title.

“I will give it a go again this year,” he said. “I have been injured for some time and my first race back was a five mile in Tralee recently. Today that was 2.20 marathon running.”

Mary O’Leary (Mallow) returned from Germany to win the women’s title in 85min 32sec from former winner Mary Sweeney (St Finbarr’s) who has competed every year since the event was introduced to the athletics programme. Her clubmate, Mary Murphy, finished third.