from RTE news A galaxy of stars came together in the Burlington Hotel, Dublin this morning to launch the Great Ireland Run 2010 which will take place on Sunday, 18 April in the Phoenix Park, Dublin.
source: https://www.rte.ie/sport/athletics/2010/0111/greatirelandrun.html
Former world boxing champion Steve Collins was joined by Ireland and Leinster great, Shane Byrne, RTE’s Sports reporter Evanne Ni Chuilinn and Mark Kenneally, a top ten finisher in the European Cross Country championships last month.
2010 is the eighth running of the event in Dublin which has grown rapidly in popularity since the first Run in 2003. Last year there were 10,000 participants and up to 12,000 runners are expected to compete this year.
The Run is the largest mixed 10km race in Ireland and is preceded by a Junior Great Ireland Run for participants between the ages of 8 and 15. RTÉ Two television and RTÉ.ie will broadcast the Run live in a special programme.
Last week, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the world governing body of athletics conferred an IAAF Road Race Label on the Great Ireland Run, in recognition of the event’s high standard of organisation, elite participation and media profile. This is the first time an Irish event has been recognised in this way by the IAAF.
The 2010 Run will incorporate the Irish 10k road championships under the auspices of Athletics Ireland and will feature many of Ireland’s top distance runners. To further incentivise elite Irish athletes and raise the standard of 10k running in the country, a cash prize fund is being put in place for the first ten Irish men and women.
A star-studded field of international and national distance runners will compete on the day, including Ireland’s top male and female distance runners, Mark Kenneally from Clonliffe Harriers and Mary Cullen from Sligo. Kenneally is the best ever Irish finisher in the Run when second in 2006. Cullen was second woman in last year’s Run.
Last year’s male and female winners were Portugal’s Rui Pedro Silva and Ana Dulce Felix in 28:45 and 32:18 respectively.
Participants are being encouraged to raise funds for good causes and the event’s nominated charities are Our Lady’s Hospice and the Marie Keating Foundation. Steve Collins, Shane Byrne and Evanne Ni Chuilinn will all be competing for Our Lady’s Hospice.
Barretstown and Temple Street Children’s Hospital are the nominated charities for the Junior Run.
Over 1,000 runners have already entered the Run. The majority of these are from the UK and their participation will be a significant boost to tourism in Dublin.
