Google+ Running in Cork, Ireland: Fionnuala Britton qualifies for Rio Olympics with 2:33 marathon in Chicago

Sunday, October 11, 2015

Fionnuala Britton qualifies for Rio Olympics with 2:33 marathon in Chicago


Fionnuala McCormack (nee Britton) was in action today in the Chicago Marathon and finished in 13th place in a time of 2h 33m 15s. This was about 90 seconds slower than the 2h 31m 46s which she ran in her first marathon in the European Athletics Championships in Zurich in 2014.

Fionnuala McCormack’s splitsSplit     Time Of Day     Time     Diff     min/mile     miles/h
5K     07:47:29AM     00:17:27     17:27     05:37     10.69
10K     08:05:09AM     00:35:08     17:41     05:42     10.55
15K     08:23:04AM     00:53:02     17:54     05:46     10.41
20K     08:41:07AM     01:11:05     18:03     05:49     10.33
HALF     08:45:10AM     01:15:09     04:04     05:58     10.08
25K     08:59:14AM     01:29:12     14:03     05:48     10.36
30K     09:17:27AM     01:47:25     18:13     05:52     10.23
35K     09:35:59AM     02:05:58     18:33     05:58     10.06
40K     09:54:48AM     02:24:46     18:48     06:04     9.92
Finish     10:03:16AM     02:33:15     08:29     06:13     9.66

Perhaps more crucially, it is well within the 2h 42m required to qualify for the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Fionnuala is now the second fastest qualifier behind Lizzie Lee from Cork who ran a personal best of 2:32:51 in the Berlin marathon last month. With just three athletes being able to be selected, it's hard to imagine Lizzie or Fionnuala not going at this stage.

The third person to qualify so far is Breege Connolly of North Belfast Harriers who ran 2h 37m 29s in the London marathon last April. That time may well be bettered by another Irish athlete yet with Maria McCambridge (DSD) running in the Frankfurt marathon on the 25th of October.

1 comment:

Keith S said...

Even though she has made the Olympic time slot John I think she may be disappointed with her end time , a sub 2:30 runner we all hope, the last 10K separates the real elite classes in the marathon , she's finding that out now, all the best to her though as she is one of my favourites and a humble athlete. More to come hopefully from Fionnula.