Race four of the 2022 Kia Race Series took place on a mild Saturday evening in Dunshauglin, Co. Meath with the annual Michael Manning Memorial 10k Road Race. The race is widely regarded as one of the fastest 10k races in the country and sees an incredibly high standard year after year.
Returning for the first time since 2019 due to Covid-19 stakes were high and with a sell-out record entry of 1,200 participants the atmosphere was electric.
Efrem Gidey (Clonliffe Harriers) has had a very successful year to date. The former European Junior Cross Country medallist has won the National 5k title this year and also finished sixth at the European 10,000m Cup in Pace, France where he ran a European qualifying standard of 28.01.50. It has been a fantastic return to form for the young athlete who dealt with injury struggles last year. Gidey was the undisputed favourite going int
o Saturday evening’s race and proved why he had been given that tag, running a blisteringly fast time of 28.14 to knock over a minute off Noel Cullen’s 22-year record of 29.21. An extraordinary performance from a superb athlete. Gidey received a bonus of €500 for breaking the course record.
Two athletes who represented Ireland at the European Cross Country Championships in Abbottstown, Dublin finished second and third respectively. Hiko Tonosa, who also has secured qualification for the European Championships in the 10,000m crossed the line in 28.50 to finish second. Tonosa’s Dundrum South Dublin AC clubmate Paul O’Donnell was third, also dipping under the previous course record running 29.09.
Jake O’Regan of St. John’s AC (29.41), Conor Duffy of Glaslough Harriers AC (29.45) and William Maunsell of Clonmel AC (30.00) made up the top six prize winners.
In an exciting battle Brian Maher (Kilkenny City Harriers) reclaimed his National O40 record over 10k. The record had been taken by Michael Harty (East Cork AC). Maher finished just one second ahead of Harty running 30.05 compared to the Cork man’s 30.06.
Dundrum South Dublin AC took victory in the team competition with Tonosa, and O’Donnell being joined by Emmet Jennings and Robert Corbally.
Four-time Olympian Fionnuala McCormack (Kilcoole AC) was the star attraction in the Women’s race. McCormack’s glittering career has seen her win multiple major medals and her move to the marathon in recent years has seen her clock 2.23.58 last December in Valencia which puts her second on the Irish All-Time list. Similarly to Gidey, McCormack was a step ahead of the field on Saturday even managing to break her own course record by ten seconds. The Wicklow woman finished in a time of 32.08 and received a €500 bonus for breaking the course record.
Recent winner of the Cork Marathon Lizzie Lee (Leevale AC) finished second in 34.22, just ahead of Wexford athlete Ciara Wilson (DMP AC) who ran a new PB of 34.25.
Aislinn Nic Dhomhnaill of Donore Harriers (35.07), Maria McCambridge of Dundrum South Dublin AC (35.20) and Jessica Coyne of Leevale AC (35.27) made up the individual prize winners.
Leevale AC took the team victory with Niamh Moore joining Lee and Coyne as a scorer making it a very worthwhile journey up for the Cork women.
The next round of the Kia Race Series 2022 takes place on Sunday July 2nd with the Roscommon 10 Mile bringing the Series to Connacht.
