Castlepollard 5km Road Race 2011

North Westmeath AC held their most successful road race to date, on Wednesday evening 10th August when 400 took part in the Castlepollard 5km Road Race. This race has grown year on year and is now one of the firm favourites on the road race calendar and attracts competitors from near and far. The success of the race is due to the tremendous time and effort put in to the organization of the race, which is run over a fine course that includes the magnificent grounds of Tullynally Castle, and the very generous prize fund on offer. This year Mullingar Harriers was extremely well represented with an amazing 60 Club members taking part. Starting at the Square in Castlepollard, it was some sight to see the large field head out the Coole Road towards Tullynally. Fortunately the rain had stopped for the race, which was good for the athletes and for the large crowd of supporters and onlookers.

Among the leaders from the start was Andrew Ledwith (Fr. Murphy AC) who has just returned from the USA having spent 4 years at Iona College on an athletics scholarship, and running alongside Andrew was Jake Byrne who heads to Iona this Saturday to take up a sports scholarship, so plenty for these two to talk about, but that had to wait for after the race as both were keen to impress in front of the large crowd. It wasn't long before the blue lights of the Garda patrol car were spotted heading back from Tullynally towards the finish line and when the final curve was turned, it was Andrew Ledwith in front and he crossed the finish line in a very impressive 14:57, followed by Jake Byrne in 15:25, with Vinny Connolly third and Ger Heery (St. Brigid's AC) putting in a terrific sprint finish to clinch fourth place, just ahead of Luke Forde (Dunboyne AC) in fifth and Cian O'Reilly (Annalee AC) in sixth. The women's race was won by Lorraine Manning (Garda AC) in 17:39 from Fiona Reid (Dunboyne AC) in 18:07, Babrezgi Azmera (DCH) in 18:32, Eimear McGovern (Innyvale AC), Sharon Monaghan (Fr. Murphy AC) and Linda Fahy (Dunshaughlin AC).

The presentation of prizes proved most fruitful for Mullingar, with many from the Club collecting individual prizes in the various categories, and team prizes were won by Jake Byrne, Vinny Connolly and Mark Carroll for first men team, by Tom McGrath, Martin Lyons and Jack Reid for second men team, by Aidan Gorry, Colm Walsh and Mel Carthy for third men team, and by Aisling Moody, Edel Glennon and Lorraine Daly for third women team.

Also competing for Mullingar were Mark Carroll, Tom McGrath (1st in master category), Martin Lyons, Jack Reid (1st boy u/16), Aidan Gorry, Colm Walsh, Mel Carty (4th in master category), Aaron Fahey, Glen Gaffney (3rd boy u/16), Ben Vaitkavichius (1st in master category), Cormac Dalton (4th boy u/16), Cormac Finnerty (6th in master category), Kenneth Algar, Oisin Quinn (5th boy u/16), Sean Fallon, Declan Brady, Mervyn Harris, Aidan Daly, John Bannon (5th in master category), Aisling Moody (1st girl u/16), Edel Glennon (2nd girl u/16), Michael O'Sullivan (4th in master category), Tommy Gallagher (5th boy u/18), Lorraine Daly (2nd girl u/18), Niamh Quinn (3rd girl u/16), Breda Daly, Christy Creagh (2nd in master category), Lorna Moody (4th girl u/16), Sean McMullin (3rd in master category), Elizabeth Carr, Brian Boyle, Sharon Bates, Marian Frayne (5th in master category), Faye Walsh (5th girl u/16), Andrea Brady (6th girl u/16), Dianne Walter (4th girl u/20), Mary Daly, Deirdre Fallon, Jane Geary, Louise Gaffney, Lorraine Brady, David Booker, Emer Fitzpatrick, Jill Booker, John Dillon, Geraldine Carty, Breda McDonnell (2nd in master category), Natasha Miskell, Teresa Booker, Karen Malherbe, Caroline Walsh, Geraldine Walsh (1st in master category), Des Walsh (5th in master category), Sean Nolan, Rose Duffy (2nd in master category), PJ Ballesty, Eileen Gorry and Marybeth Duggan. In total, Club athletes won 28 individual prizes and 4 team prizes.

Before the main 5km event, there were the usual races for boys and girls under 7, 9, 11 and 13 years around the Square in Castlepollard and despite the rain showers, the Club was well represented in these races too with most winning prizes, but whether they won prizes or not, they all gave their best and thoroughly the enjoyed the experience. There's no doubt but the Club has a fine crop of talent among the younger ages and we'll see many of them compete for Mullingar with distinction in more races in the coming years. Among those competing for Mullingar were Megan Bates, Robin Bates and Hannah Boyle (girls u/7), Andrew Glennon, Eoin McGrath and Darragh Smyth (boys u/7), Jennifer Fidgeon (girls u/9), Colin Smyth, Paul McCool and Matthew Glennon (boys u/9), Shelly Smyth, Amy Maxwell and Laura Gaffney (girls u/11), Andrew Shaw, Andrew Daly, David Devine (boys u/11), Alanna Bate, Alisha Martin, Daria Fidgeon and Katie Shaw (girls u/13), and Gerry Byrne (boys u/13).