Strong Showing in the County Dublin 5k Road Championships

29/9/2025

L-R Standing: Andres Mino, Kabir Sala, Tim O'Donnell, Mauro Verrocchio, Georgina Loughrey, Olwyn Dunne, Enda Clarke, Joe McDermott, Kevin Fitzgibbon, Henry Griffin, John Mulvihill, Michelle English, Margaret Foley, Carina Davidson, Miriam Logan, Anna Brown, Eddie Nugent, Lorraine McMahon. L-R Kneeling: Bo Chicoine, Anousheh Alamir, Luz Estevan, Paul E. Kelly, Alex Ainsworth

After last weekend’s long-distance efforts, the focus this week turned largely to shorter distance road racing, with the latest edition of the Rathfarnham 5k, once again incorporating the Co. Dublin 5k Championships, on Sunday morning. At least 37 Crusaders ran in the race involving nearly 1300 runners, likely bringing home a few medals.

Conditions for the PB-potential event were perfect with little to no wind and a crisp sunny morning. Indeed, Efrem Gidey's amazing 13:49 winning time set a new course record.

The Crusaders contingent was led home on the flat and fast looped course by Brian O’Kelly in 16th place in a strong time of 14:48 and likely taking the bronze medal in the M40 age category in the Dublin Championships. In a quality field where more than 450 runners (35% of the field) broke 20 minutes, Alex Ainsworth was next in a PB time of 15:21 for 37th place.

Next across the line came Kevin Fitzgibbon, another runner with a PB, placing 53rd (and 4th M40) in 15:38. Kevin was followed by John Mulvihill (83rd in 16:08) and Enda Clarke with a PB time of 16:48 for 128th spot. Brian, Kevin, John and Enda likely took home the gold medal in the men’s O/35 category, in a competition involving 15 clubs.

Henry Griffin was next (140th in 16:53) and he was followed by men’s club captain Joe McDermott (141st in 16:55), Shane Egan (151st in a PB time of 16:55), Karl Fitzmaurice (186th in 17:32), Garret Dunne (189th in 17:25), Annie Hughes (195th overall and 10th female finisher in a super PB time of 17:39) and Jan Manschot (209th in 17:41).

The next runner home, and also with a PB, was Felipe De Sousa (273rd in 18:16) and he was followed by Paddy Gaynor (299th in 18:29), Yvonne Macauley (308th, 31st and likely silver medal winner in the F35 category in 18:43), Oisin Browne (389th in 19:23), Tim O’Donnell (395th in 19:19), Mags Foley (397th, 50th and likely bronze medal winner in the F40 category with a PB time of 19:20), Eddie Nugent (400th in 19:26), Ruadhán Mac Cormaic (425th in 19:51) and Kabir Sala (435th in a PB time of 19:39), meaning that 21, or nearly 60%, of our contingent broke 20 minutes in the race.

Not too far behind came Miriam Logan (498th and 74th in 20:36), followed by Luz Estevan (560th and 98th in 21:24) and Anna Brown (670th and 134th in 23:10). Between them, Yvonne, Mags, Miriam and Anna likely took home the bronze medal in the women’s O/35 team competition in a contest involving 8 of the clubs. Anousheh Alamir also ran in the race, but her time and place were not recorded. All our medal winners will probably need to be confirmed, and, once done, the report will be updated.

Olwyn Dunne was next across the line (754th and 176th in 23:49), followed by Mauro Verrocchio (817th in 24:54), Andres Mino (828th in 25:22), Bo Chicoine (841st in 25:10), Brendan Glynn (863rd in 25:35), Georgina Loughrey in her first race for the club (891st and 240th in 25:48), Robbie Moore (927th in 26:23), Laura O’Malley (940th and 273rd in 26:44), Lorraine McMahon (whose place was not recorded but who ran a PB time of 27:14), Carina Davidson (983rd and 298th in 27:17), Michelle English (91st and 303rd in 27:27), Paul E. Kelly (94th in 27:36) and Darren Kelly (1159th in 30:55).

There were a few other results to report on, too. On Thursday, the BHAA held a race around the Rosemount Business Park in North Dublin, the Keypoint 5k. In a smallish mixed field of 68, Karl Walsh placed 12th in 19:06, followed by Darina Scully who placed 38th and 5th in 23:48.

Then, on Saturday morning, we had at least 4 runners in the Eco Trail 30k down around Bray in Co. Wicklow. In extremely wet conditions, Conor MacGuinness placed 32nd in 3:11:29 in the field of 360, followed by Áine Kenny (40th and 4th in 3:16:50), Kabir Sala (108th in 3:47:01) a day before his exploit in Rathfarnham, and Greg Marnotte (170th in 4:04:21). On Sunday morning, Karl Walsh joined a field of 318 to run in the Naas 10k. On a course that apparently may have measured about 200m long, Karl placed 13th in 42:16.

Further afield over the weekend, Donatas Jocius once again turned to the mountains, this time to Canfranc in Northern Spain for the World Mountain Running Championships where he competed on Thursday in the Uphill race for Lithuania, placing 109th in the 6k race and in a time of 53:22. Then, on Sunday, he competed in the classic distance race of 13.5k. There, he placed 113th in a time of 1:22:41. Djinn Von Noorden took on the Lifetime Chicago Half marathon over the weekend, completing the distance in 2:13 in extremely warm conditions, whilst our Swiss-based exile, Lukasz Batruch, ran in the StraLugano Half marathon, finishing in a time of 1:27:43. Finally, one of our London exiles, Jeanie Watson, ran in the Vitality London 10k which she ran in 42:51.

We had a few first finishers again in the parkruns on Saturday morning. Before the deluge came, Stephen Hurley led the field of 213 home in Poolbeg in a time of 17:14. He was followed in the smaller than usual contingent of Crusaders by Piarais Neary (14th in 20:31), Zlatko Kulic (41st in 23:00), Dale Whelehan (47th in 23:12), Aoife McCarthy (49th and 6th in 23:30), Sharon Woods (51st and 7th in 23:37), Saketh Ravuluri (69th in 24:40) alongside Isabella Gyori (70th and 11th in 24:40 in her first parkrun), Franky Keane (83rd in 25:35), Ellen Walsh (111th and 27th in 27:56), Lorraine McMahon (120th and 31st in 28:25), Orla McTernan (123rd and 34th in 28:34), Fanny Trébouet (136th and 42nd in 29:17), Cynthia Perucca (161st and 58th in 31:08) and Una McCullagh (170th and 62nd in 31:58).

Aoife Quigley was another first finisher, this time in Tramore Valley, Cork, with its field of 280. Aoife placed 7th overall in 19:41. Then, in Tymon Park, Rob Cross led the field of 68 runners home there in a time of 18:24, followed by Fiona Bane (18th and 2nd in 24:39). Karl Walsh placed 2nd in a time of 18:06 in the 76-strong field in Naas, whilst Dee Ni Chearbhaill placed 20th and 3rd in 25:01 in the field of 95 in Fairview Park. In Bushy Park, with its field of 127, Kev Moore took 5th place in 20:07, followed by Mary Donnelly (15th and 3rd in 21:50). Once again, Luke Haran ran in Limerick’s Mungret Park, where he placed 5th in 21:15 alongside 107 other participants, whilst, in Limerick itself, Ross Neill ran 19:31 for 7th place in a field of 178.

Carina Davidson joined 111 other runners in Cabinteely, where she placed 72nd and 23rd in 32:10, whilst Colm Foley ran 23:51 for 38th place in the 142-strong field in Griffeen Park. Three members of the Shine family ran on Wexford Racecourse alongside 59 other runners. Fiona placed 28th and 8th in 27:00, followed by Lisa (48th and 16th in 33:05) and Máirín (49th and 17th in 33:22). Mairead Cashman joined 71 other runners in Waterstown, where she placed 36th and 14th in 32:07, whilst Enda Currid placed 14th in 22:45 in a field of 80 in Brickfields Park.

Finally, two of our UK-based exiles, Toby Benham and Jeanie Watson, ran on Saturday morning. Toby placed 2nd in a field of 236 and in a time of 18:18 in Dishley near Loughborough, whilst Jeanie ran once again in Hackney Marshes, where, in a field of 465, she placed 81st and 7th in 22:00.

Rathfarnham 5k (incorporating the Co. Dublin 5k Championships) (1288)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Efrem Gidey 1 00:13:49 (CR)
58 Cheryl Nolan 1 00:15:44
Crusaders AC runners
16 Brian O’Kelly 00:14:48
37 Alex Ainsworth 00:15:20 (PB)
53 Kevin Fitzgibbon 00:15:38 (PB)
83 John Mulvihill 00:16:08
128 Enda Clarke 00:16:48 (PB)
140 Henry Griffin 00:16:53
141 Joe McDermott 00:16:55
151 Shane Egan 00:16:55 (PB)
186 Karl Fitzmaurice 00:17:32
189 Garret Dunne 00:17:25
195 Annie Hughes 00:17:39 (PB) (10)
209 Jan Manschot 00:17:41
273 Felipe De Sousa 00:18:16 (PB)
299 Patrick Gaynor 00:18:29
308 Yvonne Macauley 00:18:43 (31)
389 Oisin Browne 00:19:23
395 Tim O’Donnell 00:19:19
397 Margaret Foley 00:19:20 (50)
400 Eddie Nugent 00:19:26
425 Ruadhán Mac Cormaic 00:19:51
435 Kabir Sala 00:19:39 (PB)
498 Miriam Logan 00:20:36 (74)
560 Luz Estevan 00:21:24 (98)
670 Anna Brown 00:23:10 (134)
754 Olwyn Dunne 00:23:49 (176)
817 Mauro Verrocchio 00:24:54
828 Andreas Mino 00:25:22
841 Bo Chicoine 00:25:10
863 Brendan Glynn 00:25:35
891 Georgina Loughrey 00:25:48 (240)
927 Robbie Moore 00:26:23
940 Laura O’Malley 00:26:44 (273)
XXX Lorraine McMahon 00:27:14 (PB)
983 Carina Davidson 00:27:17 (298)
991 Michelle English 00:27:27 (303)
994 Paul E. Kelly 00:27:36
1159 Darren Kelly 00:30:55
Full results here: https://www.myrunresults.com/events/rathfarnham_5k_2025/5089/results
BHAA Keypoint 5k (68)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Owen Fletcher 1 00:16:42
16 Jane O’Connor 1 00:20:47
Crusaders AC runners
12 Karl Walsh 00:19:06
38 Darina Scully 00:23:47 (5)
Full results here: https://members.bhaa.ie/results/race/535
Ecotrail 30k (3972)
Overall place Name Cat.Place Chiptime
1 Dale Gibney 1 02:42:43
15 Angela Speight 1 02:58:06
Crusaders AC runners
32 Conor MacGuinness 03:11:29
40 Áine Kenny 03:16:50 (4)
108 Kabir Sala 03:47:01
170 Gregoire Marnotte 04:04:21
Full results here: https://www.myrunresults.com/events/eco_trail_wicklow_2025/5480/results
Naas 10k (318)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Cian Connolly 1 00:36:09
20 Molly Hyland 1 00:42:57
Crusaders AC runner
13 Karl Walsh 00:42:16
Full results here: https://www.popupraces.ie/race/the-naas-town-10km-and-5km-family-fun-run-2025/#2_47D931
Limerick Parkrun (178)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Conor Reale 1 00:16:44
8 Pamela Kirby 1 00:19:36
Crusaders AC runner
7 Ross Neill 00:19:31
Griffeen Parkrun (142)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Oliver Warren 1 00:17:55
7 Shuang Shuang Wang 1 00:19:41
Crusaders AC runner
38 Colm Foley 00:23:51
Naas Parkrun (76)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Rupert Jordan 1 00:17:52
14 Ruby-Jo Cowdell 00:19:11
Crusaders AC runner
2 Karl Walsh 00:18:06
Poolbeg Parkrun (213)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Stephen Hurley 1 00:17:14
16 Sophie Coman 1 00:20:37
Crusaders AC runners
1 Stephen Hurley 00:17:14
14 Piarais Neary 00:20:31
41 Zlatko Kulic 00:23:00
47 Dale Whelehan 00:23:12
49 Aoife McCarthy 00:23:30 (6)
51 Sharon Woods 00:23:37 (7)
69 Saketh Ravuluri 00:24:40
70 Isabella Gyori 00:24:40 (11)
83 Franky Keane 00:25:35
111 Ellen Walsh 00:27:56 (27)
120 Lorraine McMahon 00:28:35 (31)
123 Orla McTernan 00:28:34 (34)
136 Fanny Trébouet 00:29:17 (42)
161 Cynthia Perucca 00:31:08 (58)
170 Una McCullagh 00:31:58 (62)
Wexford Racecourse Parkrun (62)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Anthony Dowd 1 00:18:07
10 Annemarie Doyle 1 00:22:55
Crusaders AC runners
28 Fiona Shine 00:27:00 (8)
48 Lisa Shine 00:33:05 (16)
49 Máirín Shine 00:33:22 (17)
Waterstown Parkrun (72)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Finlay Zanna 1 00:17:50
2 Miranda Frizzelle 1 00:19:51
Crusaders AC runner
36 Mairead Cashman 00:32:07 (14)
Tramore Valley, Cork Parkrun (280)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Aaron Kelly 1 00:18:12
7 Aoife Quigley 1 00:19:41
Crusaders AC runner
7 Aoife Quigley 00:19:41 (1)
Tymon Parkrun (68)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Rob Cross 1 00:18:24
17 Fiona Leheny 1 00:24:36
Crusaders AC runners
1 Rob Cross 00:18:24
18 Fiona Bane 00:24:39 (2)
Fairview Parkrun (95)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Jamie Renehan 1 00:19:19
12 Karen Padden 1 00:23:42
Crusaders AC runner
20 Deirdre Ni Chearbhaill 00:25:01 (3)
Mungret Parkrun (108)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Seán O’Rourke 1 00:18:36
6 Kate Ryan 1 00:21:35
Crusaders AC runner
5 Luke Haran 00:21:15
Cabinteely Parkrun (112)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Lucio Della Ratta 1 00:20:40
4 Emma Simpson 1 00:22:34
Crusaders AC runner
72 Carina Davidson 00:32:10 (23)
Bushy Parkrun (127)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Zhuoming Zhang 1 00:18:56
8 Niamh Murphy 1 00:20:45
Crusaders AC runners
5 Kev Moore 00:20:07
15 Mary Donnelly 00:21:50 (3)
Brickfields Parkrun (80)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Maxim Bondarenko 1 00:17:33
6 Elle O’Driscoll 1 00:20:19
Crusaders AC runner
14 Enda Currid 00:22:45