Irish results at the Olympic Mens Marathon in Rio

In the Men's Olympic Marathon on Sunday, Paul Pollock was the first Irish man home in 32nd position in a time of 2:16:24. Kevin Seaward was 64th with 2:20:06 while Mick Clohisey who was suffering from a virus finished 3rd in 2:26:34.

These were the qualifying times posted before the Olympics...Seaward (2:14:52), Clohisey (2:15:10), Pollock (2:15:38).

There was some controversy prior in the selection process in that Sergiu Ciobanu had posted a faster time of 2:15:14 which would have been 3rd fastest. Paul Pollock was picked instead based his recent half-marathon times and the Rio result seems to justify his selection for the team.

At the front of the field, the title was won by Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya.

Gamen Rupp of the USA took the Bronze to add to the 10,000m Silver medal which he won at the 2012 London Games. It perhaps dispels the notion that an athlete has to be from East Africa to win a medal in distance running.

Back in 1984, John Treacy won a Silver medal in the Olympic Marathon with a time of 2:09:56 in what was a very hot day in Los Angeles. As you can see above, that was faster than Rupp's time yesterday.

David McCarthy of West Waterford AC runs another sub 4 min mile in Boston...

At the Boston University Terrier Invitational meet today (Sat 26th Jan), Galen Rupp of the US won the indoor mile race in a time of 3:50.92. There was a lot of speculation before the race that Rupp was going to break the American Indoor Mile record of 3:49.89 but it wasn't to be.

In second place, David McCarthy of West Waterford AC ran 3:57.22 which was slightly down on the 3:55.75 when he won this race last year.

Boston University - Boston, MA
Event 12  Men 1 Mile Run
=================================================== 
   BU Record: M 3:55.75  2012        David McCarthy, Providence
    Name                    Year Team                    Finals
===================================================
Section  1
  1 Rupp, Galen                  Nike Oregon Project    3:50.92M 1500m - 3:34.78
  2 McCarthy, David              Unattached             3:57.22
  3 Masters, Riley               Unattached             3:57.74
  4 Jenkins, Eric                Northeastern           3:58.11
  5 Peters, Rich                 Unattached             3:59.57
  6 Matthews, Julian             Providence             4:00.33

Pre-Race Interview with David McCarthy...


The race video can be seen below. David McCarthy is in the light blue top but note that the coverage is really all about Galen Rupp trying to break the American Indoor mile record.



Post race interview with Galen Rupp...



Post race interview with Rupp's coach Alberto Salazar with Galen doing a 4-5 mile tempo run at 4:40-4:50/mile pace just after running a 3:50 mile!

BBC Radio interviews with some of the worlds top coaches...

On a BBC Radio 5 programme recently, they had a two hour programme which focused on athletics and coaching and interviewed some of the world's greatest coaches. Included are Alberto Salazar who coached Mo Farah and Galen Rupp to Gold and Silver in the 5,000m at the Olympics in London, Dan Pfaff who worked with long jump Gold medalist Greg Rutherford and Tony Minichiello who coached Jessica Ennis to Heptathlon Gold.

Anyone who has an interest in athletics or who coaches anyone from children to adults should find it of interest.

Guide.....Listen from.....5:00 to 30:20, 35:20 to 43:15, 44:05 to 48:28, 49:00 to 1:05:04, 1:11:55 to 1:30:57 and 1:34:08 to 2:00:00

The link is HERE .......Try to listen to it before the podcast expires.

Ciarán Ó Lionáird from Cork wins the mens mile at Boston Indoor Grand Prix

Ciarán Ó Lionáird from Macroom, Cork won the mens mile in the Boston Indoor Grand Prix last night (Sat 4th Feb 2012). In a high quality field which included Mo Farah from Britain and Galen Rupp from the US, Ciarán Ó Lionáird won in a time of 3:56.01.

Subject to correction but I think that was a new personal best time beating his old record of 3:57.99 in Dublin last July.

Post race interview HERE

Race report.......The men’s Mile featured the meet’s biggest shock when, just three-quarters into the first lap, 5000-meter World Champion Mo Farah of Great Britain, running in front, caught his foot on a trailing runner and sprawled hands-first to the track. After the rest of the field successfully hurdled or otherwise dodged him, Farah sprung back up to give chase. With six laps to go and training partner Galen Rupp in the lead, Farah had worked his way into the middle of the pack, and with three laps to go he was in second.
For an instant, it looked as if he would pull off a miraculous win, but “my legs just didn’t have it,” he said later. “I just had to get back as quickly as possible and work my way through. It wasn’t easy.”
With about 150 meters remaining, Rupp was caught by another training partner, Irishman Ciaran O’Lionard, and Canada’s Taylor Milne. The 23-year-old O’Lionard, who ran for Florida State University, held off Milne for the win, 3:56.01 to 3:56.40. Rupp ended up third, in 3:57.10, while Farah managed a personal-best 3:57.92 in fourth.

“It was disappointing seeing [Farah] fall down,” said Rupp. “We were planning on taking it after halfway, but things happen so you just have to be ready for it.”
O’Lionard, a relative rookie in this company, was thrilled. “I’m so new to the game, and so unbelievably privileged to have such great training partners,” he said, standing with Rupp and Farah. “Part of me is like oh man, this guy has just taken a bad fall and he’s already coming up and kicking my butt. That just shows the character he has and the courage, to be able to get back up and do that.”