Left – Katie Harrison, Moyne AC
Centre – Carmel Fitzgibbon, Thurles Crokes
Right – Ciara Cummins, Nenagh Olympic
Left – Liam Kelly, Moyne AC,
Middle – Mick Traynor, Raheny Shamrocks
Right – John Fitzgibbon, Thurles Crokes
Sunday 20th September, saw 96 runners and walkers take to the roads around Moyne for our first ever Autumn 5k and what an introduction the event got when world champion athlete Mick Traynor, Raheny Shamrocks was one of the first athletes through the doors to register for the event.
Mick has represented Ireland at the European and World Masters Championships and this year alone he set a new world masters record over 8,000mts when winning in Lyon, France in August along with winning a further two world bronze medals at 5,000mts and 10,000mts.
With that calibre of athlete in the field it was always going to be a tough assignment for anyone willing to take out the pace and indeed John Fitzgibbon, Thurles Crokes and Luke Herke, Templemore set out to do this from the start. Both were still heading the field at the 2k mark and between this and the 3k things changed with John opening a gap at the head of the field, Luke slipping back but Mick Traynor was getting into his stride and by the following kilometre he had hit the front and from there to the end pulled out all the stops to claim the victory in 16.26. John Fitzgibbon never gave up and finished a close second in 16.36. Local athlete Liam Kelly finished very strongly over the latter part of the race to claim third in 17.27 with Luke Herke having to settle for fourth in 17.45. Stephen Flanagan, Gortnahoe had a great race to finish fifth in 18.09 followed by local athletes Harry Hogan and Richie Daly sixth and seventh in 18.20 and 18.22 while Paddy Cummins, Moycarkey was hot on their heels in 8th in 18.28.
The ladies race proved to be a tough encounter between Carmel Fitzgibbon, Thurles Crokes and Ciara Cummins, Rahealty and Nenagh Olympic with both within striking distance of each other throughout the race but the greater senior experience of Carmel brought her home in first in a time of 18.48. Ciara stayed on strongly to take second in 19.05 with local athlete Katie Harrison taking the third prize in a time of 20.46. Indeed local athletes claimed the next three spots with Angela Fogarty finishing 4th in 21.03, Brigid Gleeson 5th in 22.16 and Susan Fogarty 6th in 22.27 followed by Mary Ryan, Borrisoleigh Track Attack 7th in 23.16 and another local athlete Lisa Quinlan 8th in 24.50.
Just before the start the rain came down but this did not deter such groups as Moyglass ladies and Ballingarry Meet & Train along with athletes from places such as Upperchurch, Errill, Urlingford amongst others from giving it their all in what was for some their first outing over this distance and the satisfaction of completing the race was plain to see at the finish.
Our thanks to everyone for their support, to Thurles Order of Malta for their medical back up and to all who helped out in any way with the success of this event.
