Sergiu Ciobanu ready to go a step further in Ballycotton 10 mile road race
He toed the start line for the first time in 2008 and would finish third on his debut. Injury ruled him out of the next two events. But he was back with a bang in 2011.
Tomorrow, in the 38th edition of the classic, Sergiu Ciobanu seeks a fifth consecutive win at the Ballycotton 10 mile road race — a feat never achieved.
“If I look back at 2008, I was new in Ireland. I was trying to figure out what are the most famous road races over here,” he recalls. Looking at Ballycotton, nearly all Irish Olympians in the marathon would have ran there. I wanted to follow in their footsteps and this is a good race to be associated with. Looking at the history of Ballycotton it became obvious to me that this was an important race in Ireland.
“I was coached by Clonliffe Harriers’ Peter McDermott at the time. I was looking for reputable races, had a chat with Peter and he told me to go to Ballycotton. Three years ago then, I asked Jerry Kiernan to coach me and he held the course record for a long time down there. It was important to win the same race where Jerry had been dominant.”
1992 Barcelona Olympian Noel Berkeley stands atop the roll of honour with six wins, but not even he could string five consecutive victories.
“I will be very disappointed if I don’t win the five-in-a-row. I know nobody has ever done this before. I know Noel won it several times, but he never managed five-in-a-row. If I do make this piece of history, I will be delighted.
“It isn’t easy to go and win the same race four or five years on the trot. If anyone does this, it means there is consistency in their health, their fitness, training and performance. It shows dedication and hard work.
“Thank God I have had no injury concern over the past five years and that has allowed me to return to Ballycotton fit and healthy every spring. This year I am targeting the Olympic standard in the marathon so Ballycotton is in my plans to eventually achieve the required 2.15.30.”
Ciobanu finished second to Mick Clohessy at last weekend’s national inter-clubs cross-country in Kilbroney Park, an encouraging preparation for this weekend. “Every time I race at Ballycotton, I do so having just raced at the inter-clubs cross-country. I know I will feel at some stage in the 10 miles that my legs have not fully recovered from the 12km cross-country. I believe the cross-country makes me stronger on the road.”
The champion faces stiff examination from 2007 winner Alan O’Shea (Bantry AC) and 2013 Dublin marathon winner Sean Hehir (Rathfarnham WSAF).
In the women’s race, Siobhan O’Doherty’s title defence will be challenged by course record holder and two-time champion Maria McCambridge (DSD), returning to Ballycotton having missed last year’s instalment.
Race organiser John Walshe says the 10-mile event holds pride of place for the vast majority of Ireland’s leading road runners.
“When we held the first running of the Ballycotton 10 in 1978, there were very few other road races on the calendar. 31 took part that year. We had 82 in 1979. Following the first staging of the Dublin marathon in 1980, however, there was a running boom in Ireland. Even though there are so many road races taking place each weekend, the numbers attending Ballycotton have never dropped off. It is hard to put your finger on what makes Ballycotton such an attractive fixture. The course never changes so runners know they can compare their time to previous years. There is good organisation behind it and runners appreciate that.”
He added: “We’re expecting around 2,800 this weekend. For a small village like Ballycotton, that’s more than enough.”
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