ATHLETICS: Record holder a doubt for Wednesday's Buncrana 5k

City of Derry Spartan Catherine Whoriskey should be among the field in Buncrana on Wednesday.

Last year was significant with the first ever sub-14 minute course clocking by the Project Africa Kenyan, Dan Tunai, as the top seven men all broke 15 minutes. The Kenyan is back again in Omagh and will be among the favourites for the SSE Airtricity Walled City Marathon on Sunday, June 4th but a recent spate of races since his runners-up spot at the Belfast Marathon in early May would appear to mitigate against him lining up in Buncrana.

However, organisers remain optimistic about the course record holder’s presence.

The man with the current Irish course best of 14m 34s, Letterkenny’s Ciaran Doherty, is expected to be on the start line alongside Barry Harron of Finn Valley, 14m 41s last year and sub 14m 50s Spartan, Declan Reed, who did not travel to the big Highgate Harriers 10,000m meeting in London over the weekend.Interestingly all this trio are Masters; Harron is a M35 and the other two M40s so the question is what can the younger male runners produce tomorrow night?

Spartans’ Catherine Whoriskey is going in the Derry Marathon but will use the Buncrana race as part of her final preparations by tacking it on to a planned longer run. Will Anne Marie McGlynn line up after her new 10,000m PB of 33m 16s in Highgate last Saturday night? She has a low 16m Buncrana finish to her credit and may fancy a shot at claiming Maria McCambridge’s 16m 09s female course record from 2010.

An entry from far and near is once again expected as runners of all standards make the trip to the North West for one of the fastest 5K road courses in the country.

Entries will be taken from 5 45pm in Scoill Mhuire close to the race start, the gun goes at 7 30pm and no matter who is in the field, spectators are sure to be royally entertained!! When it comes to 5K’s Buncrana is best!