Clohisey and Ross win national marathon championships

Mick Clohisey of Raheny Shamrock AC, Dublin, celebrates after winning the 2021 Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon                                        Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

It was the national marathon championships, just not as most people know it. Instead of the traditional setting in Dublin, the Belfast City Marathon played host to many of Ireland’s best on Sunday morning, with Mick Clohisey of Raheny winning the men’s race in 2:20:42 and Fionnuala Ross the women’s in 2:43:43.

Although mass-participation marathons have been going on in cities across Europe in recent weeks, even those with vaccination levels much lower than Ireland’s, organisers of the Dublin Marathon felt they had no choice but to cancel this year’s race in July, pulling the plug after months of deliberating, with Race Director Jim Aughney saying there were “too many unknowns” to provide a safe event.

But Dublin’s loss was ultimately Belfast’s gain, with Athletics Ireland moving their national championships north to a race that saw about 5,000 runners take to the streets. 

Clohisey, a 2016 Olympian, was well clear of his rivals at halfway and it was a lead he never relinquished, regaining the title he last won in 2018. Kyle Doherty took second in 2:28:48 with Colin Heron third in 2:27:25.

Fionnuala Ross was a comfortable winner of the women’s title, the Armagh AC athlete clocking 2:43:43 with Ciara Hickey second in 2:44:40 and Gladys Ganiel third in 2:45:03.

Elsewhere, Mayo native Sinead Diver turned in another excellent performance to finish 12th in a loaded women’s field at the London Marathon, where 40,000 runners took part. Diver clocked 2:27:16 in a race won by Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei in 2:17:43.

Diver, 44, grew up in Belmullet and emigrated to Australia after completing her studies at UL, and after clocking 2:34:15 at the Melbourne Marathon in 2014, was all set to represent Ireland at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing.

But after she contacted Athletics Ireland to express her interest in the event, the national governing body soon adjusted their qualifying standard below Diver’s personal best, leaving her no choice but to run for Australia or miss the opportunity. She has since run for Australia – with transfers of allegiance necessitating a four-year period of ineligibility – and just eight weeks ago she finished an outstanding 10th in the Olympic marathon.

“At the time, I took it as a personal attack from Athletics Ireland because it was really only me that was impacted by that change,” Diver told ABC last week. “In my heart I represent both countries. It’s kind of worked out for the best.”