Irish runner Mark Kenneally runs 2:13 in Amsterdam Marathon to qualify for 2012 Olympics

Mark Kenneally of Clonliffe Harriers AC ran 2:13:55 to finish 18th in the Amsterdam Marathon last Sunday (16th Nov 2011). As a result, he has qualified for the 2012 Olympic games in London as it was faster than the 'A' qualification standard of 2:15.

From Athletics Ireland.........
The Kildare man said: “I am delighted to have achieved the time, I knew I was in shape but it is another thing to actually produce the result” . The Mark Carroll coached athlete had some difficulties on the course with drink stations due to the organisers decision to have over 90 bottles on one small table at each station. This resulted in Kenneally having no drinks past the first 5km mark which lead to cramping and a few stops to stretch these out in the latter stages and he commented: “I feel like I had more in me I was up with the 2:12 finishers until the cramps set in”.

Kenneally improved on the 2:17.22 time he set at the Vienna Marathon back in April when he last attempted to achieve the standard.
Here are the stats with overall 5k splits...
Bib number 28
Name Mark Kenneally
Country IRL
Distance Marathon
Category Msen
Overall place 18th out of 9638
Category place 18
Speed 18,910 Km/Hour
Gross time 2:13:55
Net time 2:13:53
Net split times (difference)
5 Km 16:06 (16:06)
10 Km 31:31 (15:25)
15 Km 47:18 (15:47)
20 Km 1:03:07 (15:49)
Half marathon 1:06:33
25 Km 1:18:50 (15:43)
30 Km 1:34:37 (15:47)
35 Km 1:50:29 (15:52)
40 Km 2:06:35 (16:06)

Other Irish Marathon runners....Martin Fagan came very close in Chicago last week (he was on 2:11 pace when dropping out with a mile a go) and will try again in the new year
Seán Connolly is targeting sub-2:15 in Dublin at the end of the month
In December, Alistair Cragg runs the Fukuoka marathon in Japan.