Big turnout for Cookstown Classic

Gillian Wasson of Springwell had her first win in the ladies race - a race that was a classic to watch with nearly 300 athletes from 20 different athletic clubs competing in the race, which was been sponsored by Performance Nutrition Plus.

About 100 boy and girls mums and dads took part in the 5K fun run which came before the main race. Many pushing buggies as they headed around the wee course in Loughry and it was great to see so many out enjoying themselves and as they all finished and collected there medals.

As they started to line up the Fav Joe McAlister was looking good warming up but the Derry guys were not going to let him have it his own way with Declan Reed, Emmett McGinty and Paddy Doherty all looking fit also looking good was Jarlath Falls Ballymena & Antrim and Martin Rea and Conor Curran NBH with Sperrin’s Christopher McPeake keeping a good eye on all that was going on,

At 7-30 the hooter went and almost 300 athletes started heading out the long straight to the gates of Loughry and then a sharp left and up the hill to the first mile and as they came through the first mile a group of 4 runners had broke away which included McAlister, Reed, Falls, McGinty and they were followed by Johnston and McPeake. There was very little change at half way.

In the ladies race Gillian Wasson Springwell was in front with Sperrin’s Pauline McGurrin 2nd Louise Smith NBH in 3rd. It was only a little while till the first of the runners came through the gates and was sprinting down the final 400 metre straight and it was McAlister that was heading for the finish with Reed not far behind him.

But it was Joe that hit the line first in a great time of 24-53 with Declan 2nd in 24-58 with Falls 3rd in 25-30,McGinty 25-50 4th Doherty 5th 26-15, Johnston 6th 26-35, Curran 7th 26-55, Kriss Muldoon Armagh 8th 27-14, Rea 9th 27-16 McPeake 10th 27-22, with Derry easy winners of the team prize

The first lady to cross the line and not long back after injury was Gillian Wasson of Springwell who ran a great race to finish in a time of 31-03 next and in her first season with the Harriers was Pauline McGurrin in time of 33-10 next was Louise Smith of the North Belfast Harriers club

In a time of 34-05, while 4th pos went to Fionnula McCourt Lagan Valley in 34-39 and 1st O/50, next in 5th pos and another Sperrin Harrier and winning the O/35 catt was Angela O’Neill who is also Pauline’s sister in a time of 34-45, next in 6th pos was Kirsty Sharratt of Larne in 35-03.Well done to Springwell who won the ladies team award.

Other Harrier times: Christopher McPeake 27-22, Pierce McCullough 29-31, Mel Hughes 29-36 Dairmuid O’Kane 29-50 Pb, Aidan O’Hagan 30-21 Julian Grimes 30-21 Pb, Sean O’Gara 30-31 Pb Paul Conway 30-33 Pb, Paul McLaughlin 30-35 Darren Church 31-00.

John Howard 31-10 Alistair Ferguson 31-15 Pb, Adrain Devlin 31-21 Pb Fergal Mulgrew 31-47 Francis Stewart 31-58, Martin Loughran 32-04 Pb, Adrain McCreesh 32-11 Colly Gallagher 32-14 Pb, Alan Shaw 32-19 Gavin Wylie 33-09, Pauline McGurrin 33-10 2nd lady overall

Ryan Treanor 33-17 Gregory Cahoon 33-26 Pb, Michael Monaghan 33-29 Irwin Speirs 33-36 2nd O/60 Kevin Devlin 33-51 Pb Raymond Thom 34-04, John McElroy 34-25 Malcolm Burnside 34-45, Angela O’Neill 34-54 Pb 1st lady O/35, Darren Warnock 34-59 Pb Paul Martin 35-01 Dean Corey 35-12 Pb Jason O’Neill 35-13.

Jeremy Dobson 35-18 Pb Martin Donaghy 35-21 Pb, Eoin Loughran 35-26 Pb Gary McGuckin 35-43, Raymond Ferguson 36-25 Gary Coleman 36-44 Pb, Patrick Quinn 36-45 Oliver Murphy 36-55, Niall Gallagher 36-56, Stephen Quinn 37-16 Pb, Fiona Crozier 37-26 Tanya Black 37-28, Fergal McElroy 37-36 Pb Barry Loughran 37-56 Pb

Sharon Eastwood 37-57 Pb Tony Fox 38-09.

Christopher McSwiggan 38-15, Monica Mullin 39-51 Pb 2nd lady O/45, Rosemarie Devine 40-19 Pb Lynn Shiels 41-28 Pb, Deirdre Conway 41-52, Mary Devlin 41-54 Pb,

Ursula Kelly 42-40 Caroline Sheehy 42-44, Louise Kelly 43-06, Hannah Su 43-09, Frances C.W 43-17, 2nd Lady O/50, Ciara Coyle 43-47 Pb, Ashlene Evans 44-13 Pb

Catherine Stirrup 44-14 Pb Caoifhionn Quinn 44-26 Pb, Karen McElroy 44-29 Deirdre Bradley 45-21 Pb.

Michelle Murphy 45-37 Pb, Kieran O’Hagan 46-42, Mairead Hughes 46-48, Maureen Mallon 48-13 Pb, Ruth Ruddell 49-22, Andrea McGuckin 51-13, Alison Jordan 53-21 Pb,

Well done to everyone who competed on the night. Sperrin Harriers would like to thank our sponsor for the race “Performance Nutrition Plus” for there generous sponsorship of our 5 mile Classic 2012, also to FSL for the hire of their timing clock,and to everyone who helped out in any way at the race, from the Marshalls, time keepers, registration, photos, results, everyone that brought food and everyone the helped serve it out

and helped clean up afterwards.

Well done, Darren Warnock who done his piece for Keep running for world record that was organized by the Newry Runners club Darren ran 17 laps of the track in 30mins.