PICTURE GALLERY: Good turnout at the NFU Mutual 5 Mile Road Race

The race was organised by Springwell Running Club in association with Ballymoney Sports Development Unit and sponsored by the Ballymoney agency of NFU Mutual.

Before the main race got under way over 50 children took part in the two children's races. The Primary school children ran 1000m and Secondary School ran 1500m.

Results Fun Run

Primary school 1000m: Boys 1st, Patrick McNiff, Bandbridge, 3.47, 2nd Ross Moore, Springwell 3.54, 3rd Andrew Gordon, Unattached 3.59. Girls 1st Holly Woodhead, Springwell 3.57, 2nd Leah Gilfillan Springwell 4.01, 3rd Molly Brennan, Unattached 5.20.

Secondary school 1500m: Boys Ryan Ennis Springwell 5.29, 2nd RobbMathew McAdoo, Unattached 5.58, 3rd Stephen Taylor, Unattached 6.26. Girls 1st Niamh Tweedie, Springwell 6.07, 2nd Robyn Ennis, Springwell 6.24, 3rd Mairead McKeague, Springwell 6.29.

The Mayor of Ballymoney Alderman Bill Kennedy got the main race under way at 7.00. The Garryduff Road was a mass of colour as the 176 runners set off on their five mile journey. The first mile was easy downhill the second mile was flat through the Riverside Park and onto the Bravellan Road. The next two miles were the toughest mostly uphill on the Bravellan and Lislagan roads. They turned back on to the Garryduff Road with just over a mile to go downhill to the finish at the Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre.

City of Derry's Richard Johnston led the field home followed by Jonny Steede, Ballymena Ruinners and Matt Wray of Ballymena & Antrim. The ladies race was won by North Belfast's Geraldine Quigley with Diane McNeill second and Springwell's Gemma Turley third, less than a minute separated the first five ladies.

Results

Male Open 1st Richard Johnston, City of Derry 25:50, 2nd Jonny Steede, Ballymena Runners 26:21, 3rd Matt Wray, Ballymena & Antrim 27:11. MO40 Nat Glenn Larne AC 27:55, MO50 Laurenace Johnston, Unattached 29:55. MO60 Irwin Spiers, Sperrin Harriers 33:42. Male Junior Conor Christie, Springwell 28:17 (PB).

Female Open 1st Geraldine Quigley, North Belfast 32:28, 2nd Diane McNeill, Unattached 32:44, 3rd Gemma Turley, Springwell 32:51. FO35 Hazel McLaughlin, Lagan Valley 36:30. FO40 Christine Murray Co Antrim Harriers 33:25. FO50 Ruth Magill, Lagan Valley 32:54, FO60 Bridgit Quinn, Ballymena Runners 42:28. Female Junior Natalie Costello, Springwell 39:13 (PB).

Springwell had a large entry in the race with their first runner home Stephen Joyce 28:01, Philip Tweedie 29:10, Dave Sexton 31:08, David Jackson 31:10, Leslie Ashe 31:13, Johnny Wilson 32:07, Alan McKeeman 33:40, Johnny Goldie 33:46, Nigel Simpson 34:12 (PB), Robert Workman 34:21 (PB), David Carton 34:51, Karen McLaughlin 35:31, Jim Platt 36:54, Lynn Montgomery 37:44, Robert Ennis 38:50, Brendan McLaughlin 40:26, Cathy Barr 40:41, Kealan Getty 40:44 (PB), Jacqueline O’Connor 43:36, Lisa Boyle 46:05, Angela Dickson 46:35 and Ruth-Ann Wilkinson 49:11.

The club would like to thank the sponsors NFU Ballymoney agency (Gregg, Calvin and Lennox), John Fall of Ballymoney Sports Development Unit, Paul Lynas and the staff at the Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre, PSNI, St John Ambulance and all the club members who helped out for making the event a success.

Springwell Juniors travelled to the Mary Peters Track Belfast on Thursday evening for meeting 4 in the Edwards & Co Super 5 series organised by Lagan Valley AC.

Helen Tweedie competing in the 99/01 age group finished 2nd in the Cricket Ball throwing 19.11m and had a go at the 60m hurdles finishing 9th in 12.55.

Holly Clarke won the 93/94 Girls 300m in 45.10 with Miaread McKeague second in 48.25. Miaread also finish third in the 80m hurdles in 15.06.

Isaac Kerr won the 95/96 Boy’s 400m in 57.32 with Brian Tweedie finishing in 72.66.

Ashley Cairns won the 93/94 Boy’s 400m in 53.36.

It was a good night for the juniors and they gained experience competing at distances and events they normally don’t compete in.