The preparations for the national cross country moved a step forward today in Abbottstown with a good contingent of Clonliffe athletes competing in the autumn open cross country festival. The senior women’s team competed in the women’s 6000m race, this was combined senior and master race, with the U/20s also added in, doing a lap less and as usual there was a top quality field. Helena Butterly was Clonliffe’s 1st finisher finishing 24th in the senior women’s race (23.11) with Laura Tuite closing fast, 26th (23.20), 35th was Alannah Cooley (24.36) chased all the way to line by Chloe Heaslip, 36th (24.37). In the junior women’s race Ashley Guinan had her first outing in the Clonliffe colours finishing 25th (22.21) and in the Masters race Emma Przymusinska finished 8th W35 (26.09).
The senior men and master men were running 7500m with the U/20s 6000. It was a very big field as this race incorporated all 3 divisions, from a Clonliffe perspective positive runs from the senior men competing Fintan Kerins in 6th place (23.17), 2 places back in 8th was Ian Guiden (23.27), 14th Ben Guiden (23.56), 32nd Damien Prendergast (26.11), 40th Billy Stafford (27.44), 41st Simon Caer (28.02).
Sergiu Ciobanu ran a very fine race indeed finishing 1st M40 (24.30), and securing his place on the Irish team for the upcoming British and Irish Masters International cross country, just out of the team positions in 6th was Karl Nolan (25.48), 7th Cathal McHale (26.00). Mark McDonald was 9th M35 (26.19). In the older Masters age groups, ran in conjunction with the women’s race, Diarmuid Doyle was 14th M65 and Gerry Brady 10th M70.
In the U/20 men’s race good performances by the Clonliffe team led home by Aidan Benjacar in 24th (19.56), 26th was Said Adbiwahab Muhudin (19.58), 31st Matei Ursachi (20.13), 42nd Edy Blaque (20.57), 49th Jack Quinn (21.34), 50th Mohamoud Hashi (21.56) and 51st Josh Chalmers (21.57).
Next up is the Dublin cross country on November 1 also in Abbottstown.
Meanwhile yesterday in Amsterdam another of the women’s U20 squad Ayana O’Callaghan was 7th woman, 62nd overall (29.10) in 7.5k race run as part of the marathon weekend.