Cork's Darragh McElhinney 'proud' as he breaks Irish 5k record

Breaking the Irish record was one of McElhinney's main aims at the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Copenhagen

Bantry AC's Darragh McElhinney broke Alistair Cragg's Irish 5k record by four seconds as he ran 13:22 in Copenhagen. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Darragh McElhinney produced a record-breaking performance on the opening day of the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Copenhagen today, smashing the Irish 5k record with a superb 13:22 as he finished 16th.

The Bantry AC athlete bettered the 13:26 set by Alistair Cragg in 2012, while also improving significantly on his own previous best of 13:33 from 2025.