Masters Round Up – With One Day To Come

West Waterford’s Joe Gough and Brian Lynch of North Easter Runners have successfully defended their world titles at the World Masters Indoors in Daegu, South Korea, writes Lindie Naughton

Gough, the oldest in the field at 64, won the M60 800m in some style, with his time of 2 mins 19.17 secs seeing off his old rival Oleksandr Lysenko from the Ukraine who clocked 2:22.81.

A day later it was Lynch’s turn for glory and he won the M60 3000m in 10 mins 34.81 secs, giving him four seconds to spare on Britain’s Paul Thompson who finished in 10:38.68.

There were further gold medals for Ireland in the middle distances. Mark O’Shea of Drogheda and District won a competitive M45 race in 2:07.12, holding off Peter Brady of the USA who finished on his heels in 2:07.72. Over 3000m, Ann Woodlock of Donore Harriers won the W75 title in 16 mins 45.57.

Geraldine Finegan of North East Runners was the busiest athlete at the championships with the highlight her victory in the W50 pentathlon. She also took silver in the triple jump and pole vault and bronze in the 800m, 60m hurdles and javelin. Ahead of Finegan in the W50 high jump was Sibeal Murray of Ratoath who took bronze when she went over the bar at 1.44m.

On the second day of competition cross-country dominated, with team gold for the Irish M35 and M55 teams.

First up on the 8km course were the over 55 men, with Tom O’Connor of Liffey Valley fifth, Pat O’Grady of Drogheda and District sixth and Michael Cornyn of Dunboyne AC 12th. It was enough for a collective time of 1 hr 36 mins 31 secs, which saw off the Italians who had two finishers in the top four but finished with a total of 1:43.48.

In the M35-44 race, Ronan Kearns finished third M35, while his Rathfarnham teammate Paul Fleming was sixth and Sean McDermott of Castlegar ninth in a fiercely competitive M40 race. With all three men counting, Ireland finished best of the M35 teams.

At her first World Masters, Snezana Bechtina of Clonliffe Harriers was second in the W35 200m. Her time of 25.75 secs broke her own Irish record set in the heats. In the M55 200m, DSD’s Shane Sheridan finished second behind the American William Yelverton in 25.44 secs; Yelverton ran a time of 24.82 secs.

John McMullin of Mullingar Harriers finished second in both M70 3000m and 10km walk, while bronze went to Pat Murphy third M55 3000m and 10km walks.