NI and Ulster Junior Cross Country Championships

SPRINGWELL athletes travelled to Stranorlar on Saturday for the NI & Ulster Junior Cross Country Championships.

These championships had been scheduled for the 9 January but were cancelled due to the weather. Conditions were soft under foot with a light sprinkling of snow on parts of the tough 2K lap.

Alison Rankin and Jim Platt went in the combined ladies and male vets over 65 4K race. Alison came home in 17:20 and Jim in 19:55. The race was won by North Belfast’s Cathy McCourt in 15:44.

The male vets race over 8K was won by Omagh Harriers Stephen Duncan in 26:51. Springwell had five representatives in this race. First home for the club was Philip Mullan in 32:05 followed by Gerry O’Doherty 33:04, Bryan Edgar 33:15, Leslie Ashe 34:32 and James McMullan 36:51.

The main race of the day the Junior Championship over 10K was won by St Malachy’s Michael McKillop in 34:33. Springwell’s two representatives in this race were the Marcus and Michael Devine. Marcus came home in 53:41 and Michael 59:33.

Jim Breen was Springwell’s sole representative at the 4th race in the Sperrin Harriers Winter League on Saturday at Drum Manor. This 10K race is run over 2 laps, with a fast start for about 800 meters, then you are climbing for over a mile before you get some better running; but all the sharp twists and turns don't make it that easy!

The major prize winners were Omagh’s Martin Cox36:23 and Sperrin’s Karen Alexander 38:31. Jim maintained his unbeaten run in the MO55 age category coming home in 41:33.