from Eagle AC website Written by John Quigley The Evening Echo Ladies Sports Star Awards supplement, Tuesday Jan 20th
“Meet Rhona Lynch…wonder-woman and the December winner of the Evening Echo Ladies Sports Star Awards.”
December Sports Star Rhona joined fellow Eagle member Ann Marie Healy, February Sports Star, for the Annual Sports Star Awards held in the Rochestown Park Hotel on Janualy 26th.
Rhona just completed her most successful athletics season ever, completing the grand slam of the four races in the Ballycotton series and being crowned Cork senior cross-country champion in December.
It’s for her tour de force performance in that event that Rhona is the December winner and how worthy. It was a day of double success for the Glanmire athlete as she also led the Eagle club to their first team title at this level.
Rhona faced stiff opposition from Michelle Murphy-Scott of Carrignavar who had returned from the US the day before, as well as two former champions in title holder Carmel Crowley and Louise Cavanagh.
“I didn’t train specifically for the race because of the time of year. My season is based around the road-running circuit during the summer and I ease off for the winter.
In the race itself Carmel started out fairly lively and I was fifth after 1,000m. the race was a 1,000m loop, followed by two 2,000m loops and suited me because of the hills.
I managed to reel in two of the runners in front of me to be third and I eventually caught Carmel with about 3,000m left and pulled away to 100m in the end. I felt really good. I was surprised to win.
I live up at the top of one of the many hills in Glanmire, so the course was perfect for me.”
Rhona covered the tough 5km Watergrasshill course in 19:43 to finish well clear of Murphy-Scott in second and Cavanagh in third.
With Rhona first and Niamh Roe (5th), Gail Mullaney (9th) and Jane McGrath (11th), Eagle won the team title with a total of 26 points.
It was a great year for the Glanmire native as she dominated the local road-racing scene throughout the summer, winning all four events in the Ballycotton Series as well as many other races, including the Novartis and John Buckley 5kms and her home race in Glanmire.
In October, Rhona also finished 9th woman in the Amsterdam Half-Marathon.
“I’m not going to get overly excited about running at this stage. If it happens, it happens, but there’s so much going on.”