Weekend round up of Irish athletics...3rd-4th May

A number of Cork and Irish athletes were in action in track races abroad last weekend.

L-R...Paul Pollock, Mark Hanrahan and Ciarán Ó Lionáird

At the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational at Stanford University in California, there were two 10,000m races. In the first one, Paul Pollock from Northern Ireland finished in 18th place out of a field of 26 in a time of 28:32. This is inside the qualifying standard of 28:55 required for the European Athletics Championships in Zurich this summer.

Event 23  Men 10000 Meter Run Section 1
1 Juan Luis Barrios            Nike                  27:34.40
2 Cam Levins                   Nike                  27:36.00
3 Bashir Abdi                  Top Sport Vl          27:36.40
18 Paul Pollock                 Melbourne Tr          28:32.18

In the second 10000m race, Mark Hanrahan of Leevale AC ran a new personal best time of 29:33. Shane Quinn of Ferrybank AC in Waterford was just behind him in 29:36.
Event 24  Men 10000 Meter Run Section 2
1 Koen Naert                   Top Sport Vl          28:34.49
2 Stepan Kiselev               Posso Sports          28:44.57
3 Ty McCormack                 Unattached            28:45.23
18 Mark Hanrahan                Melbourne Tr          29:33.80
19 Shane Quinn                  Providence            29:36.24

At the Jamaica International Invitational IWC, Ciarán Ó Lionáird finished in second place in the 1500m race in a time of 3:41.74. At that pace, he would have run the mile in 3:58. This was about a second outside the European qualifying standard of 3:40.5 and shows the steady progress he s making since surgery to his achilles last year.
Details     1    Will LEER    USAUSA     3:41.31   
Details     2    Ciaran O'LIONAIRD    IRLIRL     3:41.74   
Details     3    Chris O'HARE    GBRGBR     3:42.55

Also over the weekend, race walker Laura Reynolds was 37th in a 20km race in China in a time of 1:32.25. This was also inside the qualifying standard of 1:33.00 for the European Championships in Zurich.