ATHLETICS GERRY FARNAN MEMORIAL:FIONNUALA BRITTON laid down a strong marker for the new cross country season yesterday when winning the Gerry Farnan Memorial in the Phoenix Park. Britton won the traditional season-opener by over a minute, and is already eyeing up the European championships in Portugal in eight weeks' time.
It was something of a return to form for the Wicklow athlete, who recently parted with long-serving coach Pat Diskin and is now working with Chris Jones, the high performance director with Triathlon Ireland. And she wasted no time displaying that form, winning the three-mile event in 15:36 – well clear of Lizzy Lee from Leevale with Siobhan Doherty of Borrisokane third in 16:50.
The men’s five-mile race was won equally impressively by the fast-improving Dundrum runner Brendan O’Neill, although perhaps the most notable performance there was by second-placed Séamus Power from Clare. Power turns 40 next month, but proved he’s still a force and may yet capture that record 10th intercounties title.
Power made the running from the gun, and while he briefly slipped to fourth, finished strongly to take second, just 13 seconds behind 21-year-old O’Neill, the winner in 24:23. “It’s just great to be running reasonably well again but my problem has been shaking off one injury after another,” said Power.
O’Neill will target the under-23 event in the Europeans on December 12th, and in this sort of form can challenge for a medal. There was a massive battle for third with John Coghlan of the host club Metro-St Brigid’s just getting the verdict over John Travers of Donore.
