WEEKLY REPORT 27th AUGUST TO 2nd SEPTEMBER 2018

By David Doey

WATERSIDE HALF MARATHON

The summer holidays were drawing to a close and it seemed that only two events were attractive to OAC athletes this week.

The latest round of the Club Championship saw the famed Orangegrove Fun Bus make its way north for the Waterside Half Marathon. The ever popular race attracted over 2000 participants and saw runners start at Ebrington Square and head out the Limavady Road before a couple of miles in the grounds of Gransha. The big hill of the race was just on six miles over the Foyle Bridge before dropping down to the riverside where you run past the Craigavon Bridge to a turning point. The last two miles start beside a disused railway track which I hope Brian Todd will investigate in the future then crosses the Peace Bridge before finishing in St Coloumb’s Park.

Some great performances from OAC runners in warm conditions. The race was won by Freddy Sittuk (1:10:04) and Anne Marie McGlynn (1:17:01). A special thanks to the support crew who travelled and gave valuable encouragement at various points of the course.

These were really appreciated by the runners. Places and times for club members are below:

56 David Montgomery 01:25:46 PB
129 Robin Montgomery 01:33:12
176 Michael O’Donoghue 01:36:46
198 Brian Todd 01:38:33
272 Rodney Corrigan 01:42:02
286 Julie McKimm 01:42:54
410 Stephen Hamilton 01:47:45
422 Stephen Anderson 01:48:10
436 Sarah Steer 01:48:39
507 Reg Sanlon 01:51:07
559 Steven Gilliland 01:53:15
622 Kimberley Reynolds 01:55:24
658 Andrew Bennett 01:56:20
762 Jenny Powell 01:59:47
823 Gerald Harvey 02:01:53
849 Gillian Fisher 02:02:36
881 Sarah Wilson 02:04:12
989 Adrienne Savage 02:07:02
1178 David Doey 02:15:56

LAGANSIDE 10K

This two lap race around the banks of the River Lagan had the added attraction of the World Record Holder for the Marathon appearing. Thankfully for all concerned Paula Radcliffe was running and not racing and many took the chance to get a photograph with Paula. A quick look at race photos and results show that David Montgomery hotfooted it from the finish line at Waterside to start line in Belfast. Fantastic effort David. The race was won by Ben Branagh (St Malachy’s AC) 32:07 and Gladys Ganiel O’Neill (North Belfast Harriers) 37:00. Position and times for club members are below.

60 Eric Fairfield 00:38:55
124 Jonathan Weston 00:41:01
202 Ryan Kerr 00:43:35
220 Edwina Ternan 00:44:04
290 Rachel Woodman 00:46:05
298 Carolyn Beattie 00:45:59
341 Alison McConnell 00:47:40
363 David Roberts 00:48:16
494 Jason Lanyon 00:51:18
500 David Gilliland 00:51:30
664 Selina Myles 00:55:27
714 Judith McCann 00:56:33
731 David Montgomery 00:57:11
806 Hilary Patterson 00:59:12
830 Jill Long 00:59:29
882 Marcia Sharkey 01:01:29

UK SCHOOL GAMES
What a fantastic weekend for Adam and Anna at the UK School Games Finals. This event brings together the best ranked athletes in the UK from each region…. many of these athletes go on the compete as adults in the European champs…world champs and the Olympic Games. So it was huge honour to be selected to represent Northern Ireland.

This is the first time away from home…without their mums and dad..and coaches…staying in the athlete village/campus.
What an experience…..from the opening ceremony…to actually competing…!
Adam ran a fantastic 200m … coming in 4th…in 23.30….just 0.06 outside his PB earlier this year. He went on to compete as the 3rd leg runner in the 4x100m relay team…even with a last minute substitution for the 1st leg they ran a belter of a race…just missing out on a bronze medal.

Anna …who was competing in Triple jump….(a year young for this age group) was delighted to jump a PB….. fantastic.

We are all incredibly proud of them.

Thanks to Ulster Schools Athletics for looking after Adam and Anna.

FIRMUS FAB 5 MEETING

Great running from Isaac Orr, Katie McKittrick, Jacob McKittrick and Ronan McPeake at the Firmus meeting. Jacob won his 1500m race by a massive margin and just to keep the medals in one household Katie Mckittrick brought home a gold medal in Long Jump. Well done everyone.

U17 sprint race
1st place to Aaron McCord
2nd place to Nathan Stewart
A great run also from Lewis Hamilton…and a fab 1st run out in an Orangegrove vest for Joseph McNaughten. Look out for these boys in next years U17’s.

PARKRUN
There was plenty of parkrun tourism this week with the Tyro’s in Bushy Park (PB for Paul), Ben Magee at Wanstead Flats, John Gribben at Huddersfield and newlyweds Andy and Catherine McIntyre fitting in a visit to Crissy Field parkrun in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge on their honeymoon. Karen Russell got a PB in Portrush and Brian McFarland was first timer at Orangefield. A full consolidated club report can be seen via link below:
http://www.parkrun.com/results/consolidatedclub/…