Britton's best earns second place in Great Ireland Run

Fionnuala Britton produced the best road race of her career to finish second at today’s Spar Great Ireland run.

A top international field arrived in Dublin’s Phoenix Park, where Britton got into a battle with European cross country champion Gemma Steel and Spain’s Alessandra Aguilar.

The elite women’s field quickly got underway with Britton, Steel, Aguilar and Italian European marathon silver medallist Valeria Straneo moving through six kilometres in 19:10.

Straneo fell off the front of the field with three kilometres remaining, having complained of a hamstring injury in the race build-up.

Steel winner of the Great Ireland run in 2012, made a move for home at the bottom of fury glen, the notorious up-hill Phoenix Park climb.

The silver medal race heated up over the final two kilometres with Britton falling into third place behind Spain’s Aguilar, who posted fifth at the World marathon championships in 2013.

As Steel powered for home, crossing the line in 33 minutes and three seconds, Britton produced one of her famous finishes, leaving the Spaniard behind over the final climb.

The Wicklow woman who will now focus at qualifying for the marathon at next year’s Beijing Olympic Games, came home to take silver in 33:07, just four seconds behind Steel.

Britton also collected the Irish championship which is run in conjunction with the Spar Great Ireland with Cork woman Lizzie Lee taking silver finishing fifth overall in 34:18.

“I’m happy with that, that better than last year and better than my last couple of races on the road,” admitted Britton.

“I want to win, it’s probably my best road race ever.

“It wasn’t about time today,” added Brittion who improved by over 40 seconds on her last Great Ireland Run.

“It was a bit more like a cross country race, it was about winning, which suits me a bit better."

British winner Gemma Steel just back from an 18th place finish at the IAAF World cross country championships in China was happy to take her second Great Ireland Run title.

Steel said: “I love coming here, I love the atmosphere in the Phoenix Park. It’s nice to beat Fionnuala in Ireland but not great.

“Fionnuala has got me a couple of times this year, she bit very well at Edinburgh cross country, so its nice to level the scales a bit.”

2013 World cross country champion Kenyan, Japhet Korir picked up the men’s title in 28:15 ahead, six seconds ahead of Ethiopia’s Birhan Nebew.

Mullingar Harriers Mark Christie took the Irish championship in 30 minutes and 10 seconds finishing eighth overall with Clonliffe Harriers Sergiu Ciobanu taking silver and Brandon Hargreaves of DSD taking third.

British athlete Johnny Hay took the curtain raiser one mile road race in four minutes and 12 seconds.

Irish 800 meter Mark English failed to finish, attempting the mile distance for the first time.