Veteran Vaughan gets victory she craved

VALERIE VAUGHAN (Blarney/Inniscarra) got the victory she had always wanted when she finished clear of defending champion Anne Keenan-Buckley (North Laois), to win the Evening Echo Cork Women’s Mini-Marathon yesterday, when she defied the tight corners and series of energy-sapping climbs that punctuated the new course to cover the five miles in 27 minutes 45 seconds, and that was just nine seconds clear of the runner-up.

It was a day that belonged to the women who travelled from around the country to join the thousands from Cork and help swell the field to a record that was well in excess of 5,000 and, by depriving Anne Keenan-Buckley of a fifth successive title, Valerie Vaughan reclaimed the title for the home fans after a lengthy absence.

The defending champion only decided to run at the last minute, as she is just over a week back in full training, having taken a well-earned break after the European championships in Munich. where she was one of the Irish representatives along with Sonia O’Sullivan in the 10,000m.