Medalling in the National Road Relays on a historic day for World Athletics

26/4/2026

L-R: Aoife Quigley, Caroline Crowley, Kathryn Gibbons

Wow! What a day! Many of us spent Sunday morning glued to our TVs watching the marathon World record being obliterated in London by 3 male athletes, two of whom ran under 2 hours for the first time, a feat that it has been said could not be achieved without artificial and external assistance. Pray that all are clean, given what happened with the female athlete who has been suspended since setting the female world record in Chicago. In addition, it was brilliant to see an Irishman, Peter Lynch from Cork, leading the Europeans home in 9th place with a new national record of 2:06:08, a minute and forty-six seconds faster than the previous one.

To cap the day off, we were then treated to a super spectacle at the National Road Relays, hosted by Raheny Shamrock on the traditional one-mile loop next to St. Anne’s Park and well-organised by Athletics Ireland. This was possibly the first time a start and finish line gantry was used and it added to the occasion.

As in London, it was a beautiful sunny day and brought out plenty of support for the 9 teams we fielded from seniors through master categories. The first race of the day was an inspiration for us all, with the 3-woman O/35 team of Aoife Quigley, Caroline Crowley and Kathryn Gibbons taking home the bronze medal in an 8-team competition and in a total time of 23:07 for the 4-mile distance (1,2,1-mile legs).

All the other races, apart from the senior men’s competition, equally had legs of 1-,2- and 1-mile distances and in the O/35 men’s event involving 23 teams, our A team of Ciarain Kelly, John Mulvihill and Jan Manschot placed 14th in 21:06, followed by the B team of Ryan Murphy, Alby Allan and Gerry Cooper who placed 19th in 22:24 and the C team of Sean Brady, Brian McGuckin and Tomás Bradley who placed 23rd in 24:56. In the O/50 category , we fielded a men’s team in the 12-strong field, with Karl Fitzmaurice, Rob Cross and Gary Park finishing in a collected time of 21:59 for 8th spot. The senior women’s A team of Annie Hughes, Charlotte Myers and Cría Dowling placed 14th in a competition involving 28 teams in a time of 22:31 and they were followed by Jade Murphy, Mags Foley and Luz Estevan who ran 24:58 for 24th place. Finally, we fielded 2 teams in the senior men’s category which had a total distance of 8 miles (2,1,3,2). Alex Ainsworth, Barry McCarthy, Colm Parnell and Adam Shier ran 40:35 for 12th place in the 28-strong field, whilst the “international” team of Lucas Huchard, Luis Schmitz, Jens Seggewiss and Oisin Browne ran 46:53 for 26th spot. Well done to all! It was a great event!

Coming back to the marathons, we actually had a few Crusaders take part in what was a really warm and windless London marathon, from start to finish. Kate O’Malley, one of our London-based exiles surprisingly ran a PB of 2:52:48 and she was followed by a super showing from Derek Boland who ran perfectly even halves to register yet another sub-3 finish (2:58:19). Next came another exile, Florian Mormont, now in France, who ran 3:29:29 and he was followed by Liz Nixon who ran 3:43:58. Conor Parle, another of our London-based exiles, completed the group, finishing in 3:53:46.

Further afield, Michael O’Shea admitted to finding the going tough in the hot and hilly Madrid marathon which he completed in 3:44:05 and he was preceded by Sebastian Hansen, fresh from his exploits in Boston only 6 days ago, who paced a friend to a super 3:30 finish. Then, in Hamburg, Charles-Edouard Cattier ran strongly for a 3:05:18 result.

Down under Maurice Kelter could not resist the opportunity to participate in a half marathon staged on the runway of a new airport yet to open in the west of Sydney in Australia. As might be expected, Maurice podiumed in the event, placing 2nd in a race that measured slightly short (20.25k) but in an excellent time of 70:49.

There was one local race on Sunday in which we had at least one competitor. In the St. Andrews AC 10k, Darren Kelly ran alongside 121 other runners, placing 116th in 68:05.

There were two races organised by IMRA over the past few days in which we saw Crusaders participation. On Wednesday evening, with a field of 182, we had at least 4 runners in the 7.5k Bray Head mountain race with its climb of over 340m. Daniel Toal placed 10th in 42:00, followed by Gavan Doherty (92nd in 55:01). They were followed by Lisa and Máirín Shine, fresh from a course on trail running, who placed 177th and 182nd overall, 63rd and 66th female finishers, respectively. Most importantly, in a race that Máirín pronounced as the most difficult of her life (particularly the steep and treacherous descent down Bray Head), she finished as 2nd F70.

On Saturday morning, in the sunshine, IMRA organised a 21.5k race around Trooperstown and Clara Vale in Co. Wicklow. The field measured 125 and the race featured a climb of 750m. Daniel O’Mahony placed 22nd in 2:08:37, followed by Richie Phelan (28th in 2:11:36) and Redmond Murphy (40th in 2:18:27).

The sun brought out plenty of parkrunners on Saturday morning. Our largest contingent was in Cabinteely, out to celebrate the end of Olwyn Dunne’s incredible runstreak. Olwyn has run at least 5k on 2000 consecutive days since late 2019 and had decided to end it at 2001, in view of her professional commitments as a recently recruited flight attendant for British Airways. It was fitting that the first finishers were Crusaders in a contingent of at least 26 of us on a course which Olwyn set up as its first run director.

Dee Lawlor was first across the line of what some of us have now realised must be one of the hilliest and challenging parkruns in Ireland. It might serve well for hill interval training going forward! Dee ran 18:00 ahead of a field of 221. He was followed by Clare Sullivan (13th and 1st in 22:10), Aoife Quigley (17th and 2nd in 22:32), Yvonne Macauley, in a shakeout before running the Belfast marathon next weekend (21st and 3rd in 23:28), Dee Ni Chearbhaill (26th and 4th in 24:07) and James Cottle (36th in 24:40). Further back came Tara Gavin (likely 77th in 28:03), alongside Paula Bradshaw (78th and 26th in 28:04) and just ahead of Emily Glen (79th and 27th in 28:06) and Gavan Doherty (80th in 28:16). Gill Earley was likely next (82nd in 28:23) and she was followed by Miriam Logan (83rd and 28th in 28:24), Carmel Higgins (90th and 31st in 28:48), Sophia Morgan (95th and 34th in 28:53), Bex Fleming (likely 29:38), Fiona Shine (110th and 40th in 29:55), Tanja Narancic (111th and 41st in 29:56), Joe Dunne (112th in 29:57), Lisa Shine (113th and 42nd in 29:58) and Olwyn herself (115th and 44th in 30:04). The contingent was completed by Ailish Hassett (122nd and 48th in 30:15), followed by Maureen McGinley (145th and 59th in 31:39), Máirín Shine (147th and 61st in 31:41), Mairead Cashman (156th and 67th in 32:49) and Carina Davidson (183rd and 88th in 35:38). Mags Foley also ran , but her time and place were not recorded.

We had first finishers and podium places elsewhere too. Ciara Regan placed 18th and 1st in the 280-strong field in Poolbeg in a time of 20:42. She was preceded by Kenan Furlong (2nd in 18:06) and Ronan Walsh (9th in 19:29) and followed by Tim O’Donnell (23rd in 20:56), Daniel Littlewood (27th in 21:36), Ryan Preston (29th in 21:43) and Ross Neill (34th in 22:12). Further back came Ellen Walsh (63rd and 11th in 24:15) and was followed later by Aoife McCarthy (113th and 32nd in 26:24), Juliane Frydenlund (120th and 37th in 26:36), Marie-Claire Daly (213th and 100th in 33:35), Djinn Von Noorden (217th and 102nd in 33:43) and Cynthia Perucca (219th and 104th in 33:53). Áine Kenny was also a first finisher, placing 2nd overall in the 49-strong field in Mountbellew Forest, in a time of 22:07, whilst Joe Walsh took 2nd spot in 18:11 in Bushy Park with its field of 254. Jamie Renehan also placed 2nd in Fairview in a time of 19:13, followed by Louise O’Riordan (73rd and 17th in 26:43. The field there measured 197. Meanwhile, David O’Donnell joined a field of 31 in Dungloe, where he placed 3rd in a time of 22:09.

Kev Moore headed to Mungret Park, where he placed 6th in a time of 20:35, in a field of 113, whilst, in Bognor Regis, Michael Wycherley placed 2nd in 17:57 in a field of 373. Karl Walsh took 8th spot in 19:21 in the 182-strong field in Naas, whilst John Lohan crossed the line in Athlone in a time of 22:55 for 10th spot in a field of 130.

In St. Anne’s, Sam Osborne placed 25th in 20:05, followed, in the field of 535, by Mikel Crisostomo who placed 46th in 20:59, whilst, in Tymon Park, Sharon Woods was our lone runner, placing 43rd and 13th in a field of 115 and in a time of 27:27. Sarah Lyons and Phelim Murray headed to Bushy Park in London, where they joined 1795 other runners, placing respectively 230th and 25th and 378th in times of 22:23 and 24:07, whilst Aitor Arribas Velasco ran alongside 48 other participants in Macroom Castle Demesne, placing 20th in 26:57. In Donabate, Brendan Glynn ran 23:30 for 46th place in a field of 205, whilst Martina White ran in Mullingar. In a field of 222, Martina placed 76th and 19th in 26:43.

Áine Crotty, in training for the Cork marathon, joined 301 other participants in Tramore Valley, Cork, where she placed 243rd and 98th in 33:11, whilst in Shanganagh, with its field of 306, Harp Bhambra took 210th and 83rd places in 32:37, followed by Orlaith de Burca, tailwalking.

On a visit to Montréal in Canada, Kevin Kenny joined 107 other runners in the Frédéric Back parkrun there, placing 36th in 26:05, whilst Paul F. Kelly, on a trip to Scotland, ran in Holyrood with its field of 604, placing 104th in 23:33. Our Scottish exile, Aidan Hudner, ran once again in Pollok. In a field of 352, he placed 99th in 26:15, whilst Christina Campbell, one of our Australian exiles, placed 362nd and 108th in a field of 481 and in a time of 31:27.

St. Andrews AC 10k (122)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Sean Doran 1 00:34:01
26 Jennifer Foran 1 00:44:30
Crusaders AC runner
116 Darren Kelly 01:08:05
Full results here: https://myrunresults.com/events/st_andrews_ac_5k__10k_2026/5965/results
IMRA Trooperstown and Clara Vale Loop 21.5k (125)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Enda Cloake 1 01:33:07
6 Caroline Harney Ayton 1 01:54:29
Crusaders AC runners
22 Daniel O’Mahony 02:08:37
28 Richard Phelan 02:11:36
40 Redmond Murphy 02:18:27
Full results here: https://www.imra.ie/events/results/id/2857/
IMRA Bray Head 7.5k (182)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Barry Minnock 1 00:36:41
30 Grace Curham 1 00:44:47
Crusaders AC runners
10 Daniel Toal 00:42:00
92 Gavan Doherty 00:55:01
177 Lisa Shine 01:14:54 (63)
182 Máirín Shine 01:17:30 (66)
Full results here: https://www.imra.ie/events/results/id/2840/category/O/
Bushy Parkrun (254)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Conor Richardson 1 00:18:05
22 Gemma Ryan 1 00:22:07
Crusaders AC runner
2 Joe Walsh 00:18:11
St. Anne’s Parkrun (535)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Maurice O’Brien 1 00:17:41
14 Ailish Malone 1 00:19:30
Crusaders AC runners
25 Sam Osborne 00:20:05
46 Mikel Crisostomo 00:20:59
Mungret Parkrun (113)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Chris O’Connor 1 00:18:22
5 Kate Ryan 1 00:20:07
Crusaders AC runner
6 Kev Moore 00:20:35
Shanganagh Parkrun (306)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
2 Senan Garvey 1 00:17:43
21 Caoimhe Basquille 1 00:20:50
Crusaders AC runners
210 Harp Bhambra 00:32:37 (83)
306 Orlaith de Burca 00:57:57
Fairview Parkrun (197)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Diarmuid Kilroy 1 00:18:58
31 Laoise Ryan 1 00:23:21
Crusaders AC runners
2 Jamie Renehan 00:19:13
73 Louise O’Riordan 00:26:43 (17)
Poolbeg Parkrun (280)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 August Benedicto 1 00:18:01
18 Ciara Regan 1 00:20:42
Crusaders AC runners
2 Kenan Furlong 00:18:06
9 Ronan Walsh 00:19:29
18 Ciara Regan 00:20:42 (1)
23 Tim O’Donnell 00:20:56
27 Daniel Littlewood 00:21:36
29 Ryan Preston 00:21:43
34 Ross Neill 00:22:12
63 Ellen Walsh 00:24:15 (11)
113 Aoife McCarthy 00:26:24 (32)
120 Juliane Frydenlund 00:26:36 (37)
213 Marie-Claire Daly 00:33:35 (100)
217 Djinn Von Noorden 00:33:43 (102)
219 Cynthia Perucca 00:33:53 (104)
Athlone RSC Parkrun (130)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Neil Casey 1 00:20:36
5 Kate McCormick 1 00:21:22
Crusaders AC runner
10 John Lohan 00:22:55
Naas Parkrun (182)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Oliver Warren 1 00:17:25
16 Dolores Fogarty 1 00:20:22
Crusaders AC runner
8 Karl Walsh 00:19:21
Tramore Valley, Cork Parkrun (302)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Darren McCann 1 00:17:21
18 Jean O’Driscoll 1 00:21:19
Crusaders AC runner
243 Áine Crotty 00:33:11 (98)
Dungloe Parkrun (31)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Gavin Ward 1 00:19:10
2 Claire Reid 1 00:20:55
Crusaders AC runner
3 David O’Donnell 00:22:09
Tymon Parkrun (115)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Tobias Constien 1 00:18:55
12 Fiona Leheny 1 00:23:18
Crusaders AC runner
43 Sharon Woods 00:27:27 (13)
Mullingar Parkrun (222)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Cormac Minnock 1 00:17:34
6 Penny Bohan 1 00:20:21
Crusaders AC runner
76 Martina White 00:26:43 (19)
Cabinteely Parkrun (221)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Derek Lawlor 1 00:18:00
13 Clare Sullivan 1 00:22:10
Crusaders AC runners
1 Derek Lawlor 00:18:00
13 Clare Sullivan 00:22:10 (1)
17 Aoife Quigley 00:22:32 (2)
21 Yvonne Macauley 00:23:28 (3)
26 Deirdre Ni Chearbhaill 00:24:07 (4)
36 James Cottle 00:24:40
[77 Tara Gavin 00:28:03]
78 Paula Bradshaw 00:28:04 (26)
79 Emily Glen 00:28:06 (27)
80 Gavan Doherty 00:28:16
[82 Gillian Earley 00:28:23]
83 Miriam Logan 00:28:24 (28)
90 Carmel Higgins 00:28:48 (31)
95 Sophia Morgan 00:28:53 (34)
110 Fiona Shine 00:29:55 (40)
111 Tanja Narancic 00:29:56 (41)
[112 Joe Dunne 00:29:57]
113 Lisa Shine 00:29:58 (42)
115 Olwyn Dunne 00:30:04 (44)
122 Ailish Hassett 00:30:15 (48)
145 Maureen McGinley 00:31:39 (59)
147 Máirín Shine 00:31:41 (61)
156 Mairead Cashman 00:32:49 (67)
183 Carina Davidson 00:35:38 (88)
Donabate Parkrun (205)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Conor McGuirk 1 00:15:48
9 Dara Ann Harford 1 00:20:02
Crusaders AC runner
46 Brendan Glynn 00:23:30
Macroom Castle Demesne Parkrun (49)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Conor Lucey 1 00:19:03
22 Meena Verma 1 00:28:40
Crusaders AC runner
20 Aitor Arribas Velasco 00:26:57
Mountbellew Forest Parkrun (49)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Aran Burke 1 00:21:34
2 Áine Kenny 1 00:22:07
Crusaders AC runner
2 Áine Kenny 00:22:07 (1)