Hiko Tonosa (Dundrum South Dublin AC) and Ann Marie McGlynn (Letterkenny AC) produced superb performances this morning to take the 2024 National Marathon Championship titles which took place in conjunction with the Irish Life Dublin Marathon (October 27th).
Tonosa broke the Irish record* on his way to taking the men’s national marathon title with a time of 2:09:42 which would see him finish in third place overall. Tonosa ran with the leaders for much of the race and came home behind Kenya’s Moses Kemei (2:08:47) and Ethiopia’s Abebaw Desalew (2:09:24).
The DSD athlete went through the halfway mark in 1:04:12 and stayed on strongly to secure his first national marathon title. Speaking after the race, he said: “I’m back from lots of injuries. I was thinking to run 2:08 and I knew it would be difficult, but it was my plan to get the Irish record. I’m so happy.”
Ryan Creech of Leevale took the national silver medal once more with another superb display seeing the Cork athlete finish in 2:13:49 (9th overall), with Clonmel’s William Maunsell producing an outstanding performance to claim the national championship bronze in 2:14:23.
Ann-Marie McGlynn (Letterkenny AC) lived up to the pressure of the favourites tag in the women’s race, clocking 2:34:05 (6th overall) which saw her go back-to-back following her maiden success in last year’s race.
Speaking after the race, McGlynn said: “Last year meant a lot, I thought it meant the world and this year means more. It’s hard to come back as defending champion, your card is marked, everyone is coming for you, and it was mine to lose, but I wasn’t losing that today. I was taking that cup home. I said to myself, ‘get to 20 miles and maybe soak it up a bit,’ but my hamstring was pinging a bit, giving me a little teaser and so I had to watch a bit on the downhills, I couldn’t push. I just kept saying, ‘please settle.’ I knew I had it, but you don’t have it until you’re home.”
McGlynn went through halfway in 1:16:07 and held her pace well over the latter half to finish sixth behind podium finishers Asmirach Nega (2:24:13), Sorome Negash (2:24:45), and Grete Dukale (2:28:29).
Aoife Kilgallon of Sligo AC ran a huge race to cross in 2:35:56 for the national silver, while Kerry’s Grace Lynch of Dundrum South Dublin AC picked up yet another national medal on the roads this season to cross in 2:36:09 for bronze.
Sean Frame was first home in the wheelchair race, finishing in a super time of 1:45:13.
*Record subject to ratification.
- National Marathon Results
Men
- Hiko Tonosa (Dundrum South Dublin AC) – 2:09:42
- Ryan Creech (Leevale AC) – 2:13:48
- William Maunsell (Clonmel AC) – 2:14:22
Women
- Ann-Marie McGlynn (Letterkenny AC) – 2:34:05
- Aoife Kilgallon (Sligo AC) – 2:35:56
- Grace Lynch (Dundrum South Dublin AC) – 2:36:09
- Team and category results will be made available once all have been verified. Any queries please contact competition@athleticsireland.ie.
