Laura Mooney (Tullamore Harriers) clocked a new U23 National Record for 10,000m at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Thursday April 28th.
The Penn Relays take place at Franklin Field on the University of Pennsylvania Campus and attract a crowd of over 100,000 people over the three days of competition.
Mooney was representing Providence College and produced a very impressive performance to finish second in a time of 33.23.95.
The time has now overtaken Finn Valley AC’s Sarah Collins who held the record since 2014 where she ran 33.36.36 also running for Providence College.
The early pace in the race was relatively easy with Mooney passing through 5000m in 17.04. Shortly after race winner Grace Forbes of Rice College in Texas took up the running and the lap pace dropped to 76 seconds, with Mooney ultimately deciding to back off Forbes. However, Mooney kept her form and stayed strong all the way to the line, her new Irish record richly deserved for her effort.
This continues Mooney’s fine run of form. In May 2021 she set a new Irish U20 5000m which has since changed hands. She finished 6th in the 5000m at the European U20 Championships in Tallinn, Estonia last summer and also represented Ireland in the U20 race at the European Cross Country Championships in Abbotstown last December. Mooney is clearly demonstrating her talent and will hopefully push on into the future.
Also at the Penn Relays, a team from Dublin Track Club competed in the 4×1 Mile race.
The World Record for the event stands at 15.49 famously set at UCD’s track at Belfield in August 1985 when Eamonn Coghlan, Marcus O’Sullivan, Frank O’Mara, and Ray Flynn produced a memorable performance.
The race at this year’s Penn Relays was won by a team from On Athletics Club in a time of 16.04.69, someway off the World Record.
The Dublin Track Club team of Andrew Coscoran, Sean Tobin, Paul Robinson and Hiko Tonosa finished in second in 16.10.04.
Andrew Coscoran ran a split of 4.07.00, handing over to Sean Tobin. The Clonmel man ran the second fastest mile time of the night 3.55.99 before Paul Robinson took up the running.
Robinson clocked a split of 4.06.47. DTC were still in the lead as Tonosa set off on the final leg. However, the fastest time of the night came from Joe Klecker of the On team who ran 3.55.17 to overtake Tonosa who ran 4.00.47. A respectable performance none the less from Feidlim Kelly’s athletes.
Moycarkey Coolcroo’s Sean Mockler was also in action. He produced a Personal Best in the Hammer Throw of 68.68m. This moves the Tipperary athlete to 11th on the Irish all-time list. It also secured second place in the competition and was a new Indiana College record for the Freshman student.
