Springwell Running Club - Press Release – August 4th 2019

This week’s hot and humid provided challenging running conditions for Springwell’s band of enthusiasts but they were still able to claim their share of wins, podium positions and age category places with our junior section leading the way.

Mary Peters Track T&F

The Belfast International Track & Field Event at the Mary Peters Track on Thursday 1st August was preceded by a programme of events for the junior athletes from local clubs.  Springwell RC had two young athletes at the fixture with both of them securing medals.  In the Primary Girls 1000m Eobha McAllister produced another excellent performance to lead from the start and finish over 5 seconds ahead of her nearest challenger with a time of 3.20.  The Junior Boys, on the other hand, was a much more competitive race, with victory being contested all the way to the finish line were Jack Culbertson finished second, just 0.06 of a second behind the winner Niall McKnight (Annadale Striders).

Eobha McAllister and Jack Culbertson in action at the Mary Peters Track

(Photos courtesy of Bob Given Photography)

The Kennedy Kane McArthur Festival of Running

Celebrating the Olympic achievements of local man ‘Ken’ McArthur, the annual Festival of running took place on Saturday 3rd August under clear blue skies with light breezes but just a bit too much temperature for comfortable running. That being said over 400 enthusiastic competitors descended on Dervock Village to take part in the 5mile road race or, with the opportunity to race through the ‘Dark Hedges’, the half marathon.

Starting at 10.45am the 5 mile road race got the days competition under way as over 100 runners headed out of Dervock and into the picturesque countryside surrounding the village.  In the men’s race it was Oliver Cook (PACE RC) who claimed first place in a time of 29.35 with Simon Seaton (unattached) second in 30.25 and James Stewart (Springwell RC) third in 30.47.  The ladies race saw Jodi Smith (North Down AC) finish top of the podium in 36.03, closely followed by Caroline Irwin (Springwell RC) who was second with a 36.13 and Emma McKeen (Larne AC) third  in 38.02.

Antoinette Conway, Kate McNicholl, Colin Connolly and Majella McAteer

Once the 5 mile competitors had the chance to clear the village the Half Marathon started at 11.00am with over 300 taking on the challenge of 13.1 miles of undulating roads before the finish at the community centre.  The men’s race saw the inform Eoin Hughes (Acorns AC) produce another impressive display to win in a time of 1.13.43 with Aaron Woodman (Willowfield Harriers) second in 1.14.10 and Neill Weir (Willowfield Harriers) third in 1.15.53.  The ladies race saw Louise Smith (North Belfast Harriers) win convincingly in a 1.25.01 over nine minutes ahead of second place Catherine Roberts (North Down AC) who finished in 1.34.16 with Lisa Corry (Saintfield Striders) third in a time of 1.38.19.

Aaron Woodman, Eoin Hughes and David Neill with Race Director Kenneth Bacon

Catherine Roberts, Louise Smith and Lisa Corry with Race Director Kenneth Bacon

 Springwell RC Results

5 Mile - 3rd James Stewart 30.47, 11th Caroline Irwin 36.13 (2nd lady), 19th Roy Buchanan 39.17 (2nd M45), 22nd Judith Buchanan 40.12 (1st F40), 38th David McLean 43.36, 46th James Platt 45.26 (1st M75), 51st Mariette Mulvenna 46.28 (2nd F40), 64th Roisin Walker 50.41, 67th Nicola White 51.16, 68th Stephanie Burton 51.25, 76th Barbara Ferguson 53.17, 77th Paula Chartres 53.21, 82nd Shani Steenson 53.56, 83rd Elaine Montgomery 53.58, 86th Brendan McLaughlin 54.24, 89th Roberta French 55.27, 90th Pauline Duke 55.38, 97th Bridget Rothwell 1.04.30

Half Marathon - 9th Stephen Joyce 1.25.09 (1st M40), 10th Christopher McNickle 1.27.35 (2nd M35), 15th Hugh Boyle 1.29.52 (1st M65), 16th Alister Jamison 1.30.23 (2nd M45), 19th Andy Dowey 1.31.23, 21st David McGaffin 1.32.34, 24th Stephen McLaughlin 1.33.34 PB, 30th Maurice Walker 1.34.40, 33rd Dave Sexton 1.35.25 (3rd M55), 35th Jeff Young 1.36.21, 38th Rodney McPhee 1.37.06, 61st Michael Johnston 1.42.59, 75th Timothy Bacon 1.45.14, 86th Martin Smith 1.45.34, 109th Peter Fleming 1.52.39, 112th Hugh Deighan 1.52.57, 114th Keith Nixon 1.53.13, 115th Ruari Bradley 1.53.49, 118th Alan McKeeman 1.53.56, 119th Simon McLean 1.53.56, 121st Terry Glenn 1.52.27, 122nd Linda Gillen 1.53.57, 123rd Scott Bell 1.53.58, 137th Alanna Millar 1.56.42, 149th Richard Pollock 1.58.58, 150th Majella McAteer 1.59.00, 161st Mark Neely 2.01.33, 177th Kate McNicholl 2.05.57, 178th Colin Connolly 2.06.10, 188th Rebecca Donaghey 2.08.27, 190th Sylvia Pollock 2.08.33, 192nd Liz Dowey 2.08.47, 213th Deborah McPhee 2.12.48, 218th Antoinette Conway 2.15.36, 253rd Andrew Wilmot 2.23.41, 254th Judith McLaughlin 2.24.35 (3rd F60), 256th Emer Thompson 2.25.20, 258th Heather McLaughlin 2.27.05, 259th Alison Duncan 2.25.26, 265th Lorraine Abernethy 2.29.45, 288th Deborah Archibald 2.40.37, 292nd Jonathan Lynch 2.43.41, 298th Aidan Mooney 2.45.32