Hugh Armstrong secured the standard for the Marathon at the European Athletics Championships in Munich this summer with an impressive performance at the Cheshire Marathon last weekend.
The Ballina AC athlete won the Elite Men’s race at the marathon which was held in Wrexham in North Wales.
Armstrong impressed in what was virtually a solo effort, his winning time of 2.14.02 was over three minutes ahead of second placed athlete Calum Johnson of Gateshead Harriers AC.
The 27-year-old was a class above the rest of the field in taking victory in Wales and will no doubt be looking to build on this performance in the months to come and get close to his Personal Best of 2.12.26 which was set in Seville in Spain in February 2020.
Declan Reed of City of Derry Spartans AC was the winner of the O45 category. Reed ran a time of 2.25.11 to finish in sixth position overall.
Fellow City of Derry Spartans athlete Allan Bogle also made it inside the top ten, finishing in tenth in a time of 2.28.58.
Karl Nolan of Clonliffe Harriers AC finished a respectable 16th in 2.31.38.
Fionnuala Ross of Armagh AC was the winner of the Women’s Half Marathon. Ross, has represented Ireland on several occasions. In 2021 Ross was crowned National Marathon champion following an impressive victory in Belfast. Ross also ran a time of 1.13.07 at the Antrim Coast Half Marathon in August 2021, her Personal Best over the distance.
She produced an impressive performance on Sunday to narrowly hold off the challenge of Mollie Williams (Stockport Harriers), running a time of 1.14.18, giving her a winning margin of just five seconds.
Catherine Whoriskey of City of Derry Spartans AC was the third female athlete home and first O35 clocking a time of 1.16.05.
Jake O’Regan of St. Johns AC in Co. Clare has been in good form recently and continued that by winning the Men’s Half Marathon. He recently finished second in the Dunboyne 10k and also had ran well in the Bohermeen Half Marathon.
He clocked a time of 1.04.58 on Sunday to win the race exactly one minute ahead of Alastair Watson of Notts AC.
James Doran of An Riocht AC was 15th in 1.10.20.
