East Cork athlete Michael Harty became the first Irishman over 40 to break 30 minutes for 10km when finishing in 10th place overall at the Leeds Abbey Dash on Sunday morning.
Harty’s time of 29:42 knocked 23 seconds off of the previous Irish record set by Brian Maher last June – a race in which Harty finished just one second behind the Kilkenny man with his previous fastest of 30:06.
The Leeds Abbey Dash, on an out and back course, is regarded as one of the fastest 10kms in the UK and attracted over 3.700 runners.
Although he wasn’t the first M40 (Graham Rush ran 29:31 for fourth overall) the East Cork man was only 18 seconds behind the actual winner, Andrew Milligan, who recorded 29:24. Last year in the UK just three runners over 40 broke the 30-minute barrier for 10km and before today’s race just one British runner – international Chris Thompson – had run faster than Harty’s time.
Cloyne-native Harty easily won his first Cork senior cross-title three weeks ago and now his thoughts turn to the national championships which take place at Rosapenna Golf Club, Donegal, in a month’s time.
There, places on the Irish team for the SPAR European Championships in Piemonte-La Mandria Park, just outside Turin, on Sunday December 11 will be up for grabs
Pic - Michael Harty on his way to victory at the recent Cork Senior Cross-Country Championships at Macroom. Picture: John Walshe
A list of previous guest posts from John Walshe can be seen HERE
Unbelievable performance from a class act.
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