Ballyclare Age Gps and Seniors
Wed 8 November 2006--admin
City of Lisburn athletes excelled in the firm underfoot conditions at Ballyclare Cross-country events on Saturday with Emily Mills in the Girls Under 14 event setting the standard. Emily demonstrated sheer determination by taking the lead early in this hotly contested race over 1200m and had to sprint in to win, fending off three challenging contenders. Emily?s team mates Aoife Kelly-McCann in her first cross-country race and Caite Wright also demonstrated great determination and skill finishing in 36th and 55th respectively. The Girls Under 16 2000m event, Rachel Gibson was City of Lisburn?s sole representative in this category, Rachel?s run was a little under par and she commented later that she felt a bit flat, however by finishing sixth, she still qualified for the All Ireland Finals in Dundalk.
Stuart Brown and Ross Griffiths contesting in the Boys Under 18 5000m competed well over this new distance. Ross, in his first cross-country championship enjoyed the experience and is determined to improve his standing in next year?s race. Stuart, who has also another year in this category, found the going hard after his recent warm weather training stint in Tenerife.
The Girls Under 18 3000m race witnessed the return of Ruth Gillispie after a four month layoff due to a broken bone in her foot. Ruth moved quickly into the lead, much to the consternation of her dad Donald, but Ruth steadily moved away from the rest of the field to win by a margin of seventeen seconds, demonstrating her dominance on both cross-country and track. Also competing in this category was Ruth?s school colleague Hannagh Addley. Hannagh worked her way steadily through the field and delighted us all finishing in seventh place.
In the Senior Ladies 2 miles, City of Lisburn had three representatives, Kelly Reid, Heather McLarnon and new signee Christine Long competing. Kelly took to the lead from the start with Heather in the group immediately behind and Christine a few meters behind the leading group. As the race progressed Kelly extended her lead and Heather began to show a new found spirit in consolidating her position within the following pack with Christine ten meters adrift. Kelly won the race, retaining her title with Heather finishing ninth closely followed by Christine in eleventh, a great result for the Lisburn?s senior ladies.
The senior men?s McConnell Shield is a race over five miles designed for novice athletes, that is anyone who hasn?t been in the top three in a senior or junior championship race. Lisburn?s top male athlete Chris Madden just turned eighteen, started steady back in the mid thirties and slowly worked his way up by the third of five laps to eighth position. On the forth lap Chris had gained three more places but, unfortunately sustained a foot injury and in the final run in had to be content with eighth place. Chris was disappointed with his result, but pleased that he was the first under twenty one athlete home in this highly competitive race.