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Cross Country Event
Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
By Louise Browne
As luck goes those that found themselves in Dublin’s Phoenix Park to participate in last week’s CDVEC SCC cross country finals a break in the dark, heavy clouds that hovered above was a welcomed sight indeed.
So with numerous titles up for grabs students got down to the business at hand despite the heavy conditions under foot.
Ringsend’s Lauren Mitchell kick started the day by defending her minor title with her school colleague Amy Tyrell taking second place ahead of Nikita Scully of Larkin Community College.
Mitchell, Lisa Brika of Margaret Alyward and Scully set the early pace before Mitchell upped the pace putting some daylight between herself and the chasing pack midway through the race.
The defending champion looked comfortable coming down the home stretch with Brika, who had Tyrell and Scully hot on her tail, feeling the pace, Tyrell, competing in her first cross country event, overtook the Margaret Alyward student.
Brika seemed to have done enough to claim the bronze medal but Scully had other ideas putting in a last ditch effort to take the honours.
Nicholas Melia went into the minor final feeling confident of retaining his title but it was Kylemore’s Jack McDonald who raced into an early lead, with the Colaiste Eoin champion and Larkin’s Dylan Phelan keeping a close eye on the energetic McDonald.
With the finish line in sight Melia, who finished second in this years U-14 200 metre All Ireland finals in Tullamore made his move on McDonald, with Phelan doing likewise.
The Dublin 100 and 200 metre champion crossed the line leaving McDonald and Phelan to battle it out for silver, with McDonald deservedly taking second place after a spirited performance.
Larkin’s Nadine Murphy and Jane Eyre captured gold and silver in the girls junior race ahead of third placed Margaret Alyward’s Beth O’Connor. Alyward’s Carly Caffrey, who finished in fifth place, had stretched out the field early on but Murphy, Eyre and O’Connor upped the pace with the finishing line in sight catching the unfortunate Caffrey in the process.
Colaiste Dhulaigh’s Michael Lewis put in a great run to claim gold in the junior final. With 200 metres to go there was little to separate Lewis, Ringsend’s Daniel Byrne and Shane Hamilton however Lewis pulled it out of the bag to take the title with Hamilton taking second ahead of Byrne.
Defending champion Clara Hilliard had to settle for second place Colaiste Dhulaigh’s Niamh Kearney took third, in the intermediate final.
The winner Colaiste Eanna’s Liya Mesfin ran the perfect race with a certain amount of ease throughout the kilometer run in spite of the turbulent weather conditions. Mesfin who is originally from Ethiopia had until recently competed in the same running club as this year’s Dublin City Marathon winner and fellow Ethiopian Feyisa Lilesa.
The Mitchell family won their second gold of the day when Jordan, brother of Lauren, crossed the line ahead of Marino’s Peter Flood with Chris Purdy taking bronze for the Dublin 4 college in a tightly contested boys intermediate 2km final.
Colaiste Eanna’s Saron Fissha led throughout the girls’ senior final and was duly rewarded for her solo effort claiming Eanna’s second gold medal of the day. Catherine Rodger crossed the line in second a replica of last years result for the Inchicore student, Timee Loki took bronze.
John Traver’s rapped up the day claiming yet another piece of silverware in a display of total commitment and dedication from the Donore Harriers club runner while defending his senior title, Colaiste Eoin’s Paul Murphy and Alan Hardiman of Crumlin College claimed the runner-up spots.
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