Fionnuala McCormack smashes personal best, finished fifth in Valencia

McCormack’s previous best was in Chicago in 2019, and earlier this year she finished 25th in the Olympic marathon in Sapporo

Fionnuala McCormack, file photo

Fionnuala McCormack produced a stunning run at the Valencia Marathon on Sunday morning, clocking 2:23:58 to finish fifth, which carved almost three minutes from her lifetime best.

McCormack’s previous best was the 2:26:47 she ran in Chicago in 2019, and earlier this year she finished 25th in the Olympic marathon in Sapporo. The performance leaves McCormack second on the Irish all-time list behind Catherina McKiernan, who clocked 2:22:23 in Amsterdam in 1998.